The gaming community is abuzz with palpable anticipation as we approach an exciting era of next-gen gaming. With innovations being teased from leading tech giants, including AMD and Intel, the landscape of PC gaming is poised for a dramatic transformation. Gamers and tech enthusiasts alike are fervently speculating about what’s on the horizon. AMD’s latest Zen 5 CPUs and the much-hyped Ryzen 9000 series, including the rumored 9800X3D variant, promise substantial performance boosts. Meanwhile, Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs are anticipated to inject significant enhancements into the competitive market. Combined with Nvidia’s upcoming Blackwell graphics cards, gamers are poised for an impressive upgrade cycle.
This creates a perfect storm for those looking to overhaul their gaming rigs. The potential benefits of investing in next-gen processors and GPUs can’t be overstated. However, amid this excitement, it’s crucial to strategize sensibly about which components require immediate upgrade and which elements of our builds can remain timeless.
While many gamers may feel pressured to chase cutting-edge CPUs and GPUs, there’s one essential component that doesn’t need to join the race for the latest and greatest: the solid-state drive (SSD). Even with the advent of PCIe 5.0 technology, many gamers will find that PCIe 4.0 SSDs remain highly adequate for their needs for the foreseeable future. If you find yourself in the market for a new build or an upgrade, the Lexar NM790 emerges as a compelling option.
On sale for prices that reflect excellent value—$75 for the 1 TB model and $140 for the 2 TB model—this SSD presents an opportunity not just for speed, but for affordability. Its performance, boasting read speeds of 7,400 MB/s and write speeds of 6,500 MB/s, makes it a trustworthy candidate in a landscape lacking significant value propositions in high-capacity storage. As someone who has extensively tested this component, I can confidently assert that it has achieved a delicate balance between performance and price.
The Lexar NM790 is marketed as a budget-friendly NVMe SSD; however, its performance can rival more costly options in key areas. One might raise concerns about the fact that it’s a cache-less drive. Yet, advancements in SSD technology ensure that this isn’t a substantial issue anymore. Most modern SSDs utilize a portion of their TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND as a pseudo-SLC cache. This allows the NM790 to operate efficiently, managing day-to-day file transfers and gaming requirements with ease. Its performance remains robust even when handling read-heavy gaming loads.
Contrary to common beliefs, DRAM is not typically a limiting factor for gaming workloads, which predominantly involve reading data rather than writing it. Consequently, the NM790 succeeds in delivering a value-oriented storage solution without compromising the user experience. For gamers, this SSD acts as a quintessential foundation that supports high-speed data retrieval and quick load times, essential elements for an uncompromised gaming experience.
For those contemplating their next PC build, investing in a powerful CPU and GPU is undeniably enticing; however, overlooking the potential of an apt storage solution like the Lexar NM790 would be a misstep. I personally advocate for the 2 TB variant for its capacity to host a more extensive library of games, providing latitude in terms of storage while maintaining a budget-friendly approach.
It’s also essential to remember that while the current landscape might heavily lean towards cutting-edge hardware, the need for reliable, efficient, and affordable storage persists. The question isn’t merely about hardware specs; it’s about choosing components that will yield the best performance while ensuring your investment stretches into the future.
With the next generation of gaming components looming on the horizon, it’s wise to remain grounded. As you prepare for potential upgrades, consider the lasting value of a reliable SSD like the Lexar NM790—where affordability, performance, and future-proofing intersect, making it a worthy ally to your next gaming setup. The future may promise elite performance, but the foundation of a great gaming rig can still be established with tried-and-true components that offer impressive value.