🚀 Performance Gains from Switching to an NVMe SSD

By AS Computer Solutions — Onoway’s Trusted PC Experts

If your PC still runs on a traditional hard drive (HDD) or even a SATA SSD, switching to an NVMe SSD can feel like strapping a rocket to your system. Whether you’re gaming, editing, or just booting into Windows, an NVMe upgrade delivers huge performance gains — and it’s one of the best upgrades we recommend at AS Computer Solutions.

Let’s break down what NVMe is, why it’s faster, and how much real-world performance you can expect in 2025.

🧠 What is an NVMe SSD?

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a modern storage protocol that connects SSDs directly to your CPU via the PCIe interface — the same ultra-fast lanes your graphics card uses.

By contrast:

🐌 SATA SSDs are capped at ~550MB/s
🐢 HDDs crawl at ~100MB/s
🚀 NVMe SSDs can hit 3,500–7,000MB/s, depending on model and PCIe version

📊 Real-World Performance Gains

1. Boot Times

🔻 HDD: 30–90 seconds
🔻 SATA SSD: 15–25 seconds
✅ NVMe SSD: 5–10 seconds or less

You can go from a cold boot to a ready desktop in under 10 seconds with a good NVMe drive.

2. App and Game Load Times

Photoshop, Chrome, Fortnite, Steam — they all load significantly faster
Game level loading is near-instant in titles like Call of Duty, Cyberpunk, or Fortnite

Example (real-world test we did at ASCS):

Fortnite loading to menu:
- HDD: 42 sec
- SATA SSD: 21 sec
- NVMe SSD: 7 sec

3. File Transfers

Copying large files? NVMe wins by a mile:

10GB movie folder copy:
- HDD → SSD: 2–3 minutes
- SATA SSD → SSD: ~30 sec
- NVMe → NVMe: ~5 seconds

4. Multitasking & Background Tasks

NVMe drives can handle more IOPS (input/output operations per second), meaning:

Smoother experience when gaming + streaming + updating in background
Less stutter when opening apps with multiple browser tabs running
Great for video editing, Docker containers, VMs, and Proxmox

🧪 But Does NVMe Help in Gaming FPS?

Short answer: Not directly.

NVMe doesn’t increase frames per second in games, but:

You’ll experience faster map loading, quicker respawns, and smoother transitions
Open-world games with heavy asset streaming (e.g., Warzone, Hogwarts Legacy) benefit more

For streamers and multitaskers, NVMe helps keep everything responsive — especially if you’re recording or running OBS while playing.

🧱 Do I Need Gen 3 or Gen 4?

Gen 3 NVMe: ~3,500MB/s — ideal for most people, especially on older boards
Gen 4 NVMe: ~7,000MB/s — great for high-end users, video editors, and newer builds
Gen 5 NVMe: Starting to show up, but still overkill for 99% of users (and very hot!)

💡 Tip from ASCS:If you’re using a motherboard with an M.2 slot (most 2017+ boards have it), you’re likely Gen 3 or better!

🔧 Installing an NVMe SSD — Is It Hard?

Not at all!

Power down your PC
Locate the M.2 slot on your motherboard
Insert the NVMe drive at a 30° angle and push it down
Secure with a screw
Boot and install Windows (or clone your current drive)

Need help? We do installs in-store or on-site in Onoway and surrounding areas.

💰 Is It Worth It in 2025?

Absolutely. Here’s a quick comparison chart:

Drive Type	Boot Speed	Game Load	File Transfer	Price (per GB)
HDD	Slow	Long	Very Slow	Low (~$0.03/GB)
SATA SSD	Medium	Faster	Decent	Moderate (~$0.07/GB)
NVMe SSD	Fastest	Instant	Insanely Fast	Now very affordable (~$0.08/GB)

You can get a 1TB NVMe SSD for $60–$90 CAD right now — and we keep them in stock at ASCS.

🔩 Ready to Upgrade? We’ve Got You.

✅ We sell and install NVMe SSDs✅ We offer clean Windows installations or data cloning✅ We stock Kingston, Crucial, and Western Digital drives✅ Walk-in, drop-off, or we come to you in Onoway and Lac Ste. Anne County

📞 Call/text: 780-967-0215📍 Visit: ascomputersolutions.caLet’s make your PC fly 🚀