This tiny PNY drive claims 14,900 MB/s. Is your PC ready?

PNY has announced the CS3250, a PCIe Gen5 M.2 SSD aimed at high-end desktops and workstations. It promises up to 14,900 MB/s reads and up to 14,000 MB/s writes, with 1TB and 2TB models at launch and a 4TB version to follow. List prices in the US start at $125.99, with sales beginning on 28 October 2025.

What is the PNY CS3250?

The CS3250 is PNY’s latest consumer SSD using the PCIe Gen5 x4 interface and the NVMe protocol. It fits any M.2 2280 slot that supports Gen5. PNY positions it for AI developers, gamers and creators who need high sequential throughput.

• Interface: PCIe Gen5 x4, NVMe
• Form factor: M.2 2280
• Target users: AI, gaming, content creation
• Warranty: 5-year limited or TBW terms

PNY describes the CS3250 as next-gen storage for heavy workloads. That includes AI image generation and large game worlds that stream assets on the fly. The headline numbers are its sequential speeds, which land well above typical Gen4 drives.

Performance and features

PNY quotes up to 14,900 MB/s sequential reads and 14,000 MB/s writes. The company also calls out a thermal coated controller to help sustain speeds under long transfers or multitasking. An “AI-ready” label rounds out the positioning.

• Reads up to 14,900 MB/s
• Writes up to 14,000 MB/s
• Thermal coated controller for better thermals
• Framed for AI, gaming and pro work

Real-world speeds will depend on the host, cooling and capacity, but on paper this is very much a Gen5 part. PNY’s thermal note suggests the controller has extra heat management to reduce throttling under sustained load.

Capacity, form factor and warranty

At launch, the CS3250 comes in 1TB and 2TB sizes. A 4TB version is planned. The drive uses the standard M.2 2280 form factor and carries a five-year limited warranty or endurance-based limit.

• 1TB and 2TB at launch
• 4TB “coming soon”
• M.2 2280 size
• 5-year limited warranty / TBW

The 2TB tier will be the sweet spot for many builds where you want OS, apps and a chunk of games on one stick. If you need more space on a single drive, the 4TB model is on PNY’s roadmap.

Availability and price

PNY lists US recommended prices of $125.99 for 1TB and $219.99 for 2TB, with sales starting on 28 October 2025 through PNY’s site and Amazon.

• 1TB: $125.99
• 2TB: $219.99
• Sales channels: PNY.com and Amazon
• On-sale date: 28 Oct 2025

For the UAE, regional pricing and retailer listings were not included in the press note. PNY does operate in the Middle East, which usually means local distribution follows. We’ll update when UAE channels confirm stock and AED pricing

Who should look at it?

This drive makes sense if you are building or upgrading a PC that can benefit from high sequential throughput and strong sustained writes. PNY’s pitch covers AI workloads, modern game engines and content creation.

• AI image generation and training tasks
• Open-world games with heavy asset streaming
• Large media projects and fast scratch storage

If you’re still on a Gen4 system or shopping for cheaper Gen4 options, check our coverage of mainstream drives to see how they compare in price and thermals. For example, the WD Blue SN5100 tops out at 7,100 MB/s reads and 6,700 MB/s writes, which is plenty for many users.

Read more: WD Blue SN5100 NVMe SSD in the UAE and a primer on NVMe interfaces in our piece on microSD Express and NVMe basics.

What speeds does the PNY CS3250 offer?

PNY quotes up to 14,900 MB/s sequential read and up to 14,000 MB/s sequential write, varying by capacity.

Which capacities launch first?

1TB and 2TB are available at launch, with a 4TB model coming later.

What form factor does it use?

Standard M.2 2280 for desktops and laptops that support this slot.

What is the warranty?

A five-year limited warranty or TBW, whichever comes first.

When does it go on sale and for how much?

From 28 October 2025 in the US at $125.99 (1TB) and $219.99 (2TB), via PNY and Amazon. Regional pricing wasn’t provided.