Top ssds: Best SSDs 2022: SATA, NVMe, and Add-in Cards

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Best SSDs 2023: Top NVMe Drives

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Best Picks

An SSD is still the best-value PC, laptop or PS5 upgrade you can buy

By Chris Martin

Reviews Editor, Tech Advisor JAN 18, 2023 4:26 pm GMT

Solid-state drives (SSD) are the modern storage option, and as the name suggests they have no moving parts like a traditional hard disk drive. So not only are they more rugged than hard drives, they’re much, much faster. For a big performance boost on your laptop or PC, here are the best SSDs you can buy.

This isn’t about go-faster bragging rights though. Yes, you can copy enormous files to an SSD in record time, but it’s the massive boost that the drive will give you your computer’s responsiveness that will shock you most: applications launch almost instantly, web pages load faster, and Windows simply feels a lot faster.

SSDs come in different sizes and shapes so we’ve tested a range of different types, predominantly modern M. 2 NVMe (PCIe) drives but you might also see traditional SATA and others. Many are even compatible with the PlayStation 5 console.

We’re testing internal drives here but we also have a chart of the best portable hard drives and SSDs if that’s what you’re after.

Best SSDs 2023

1. Seagate FireCuda 530 – Best Overall

Pros

  • Blindingly quick
  • Effective heatsink
  • Works in a PS5
  • Special warranty

Cons

  • Heatsink is a necessity
  • Expensive

The FireCuda 530 delivers on everything an SSD should with stellar performance, incredible lifespan and effective thermal management if you use a heatsink.

There’s even a special warranty with three years of data recovery should the drive fail – something that’s normally reserved for enterprise-class devices.

It’s a great choice for PC and console owners who want the best-in-class PCIe 4.0 drive. You just might struggle to afford one, especially at the 4TB capacity.

Read our full
Review Seagate FireCuda 530

2. Corsair MP600 Pro LPX – PCIe 4.0 for PC or PS5

Pros

  • Great performance
  • Works with PS5
  • Hardware encryption
  • 4TB option

Cons

  • Needs Gen4 M.2 slot
  • 500GB model is slower

There’s very little to dislike about the MP600 Pro LPX as long as you avoid the slower speeds of the smallest 500GB capacity.

It comes with a heatsink and unlike the regular MP600 Pro, it fits into the PS5. The performance is actually beyond what Sony’s console can take advantage of but the price is cheaper than the FireCuda 530 so it doesn’t really matter.

For PC users, firmware enhancements and hardware encryption make the LPX all the more tempting.

Read our full
Review Corsair MP600 Pro LPX

3. Samsung 990 Pro – Best PCIe 4.0 Performance

Pros

  • Top-notch performance
  • Hardware encryption
  • Heatsink an option

Cons

  • Not a bargain
  • No 4TB option, yet
  • TBW surpassed by other drives

The 990 Pro is exceptionally fast. However, as these designs run into the bandwidth limitations of PCIe 4.0, they approach full saturation of the connection to the PC, and there are few genuine gains to make. The 990 Pro is probably the quickest Gen 4 drive, but the differences between this and other recent NVMe launches are subtle.

Being faster than other products is important to Samsung, possibly trading resilience to achieve those raw speeds. The 990 Pro drives are also expensive, and with a max capacity of 2TB at launch this won’t be enough for everyone.

The Samsung 990 Pro is made for those that want the absolute fastest drive available and aren’t overly concerned about the cost or the lack of a larger capacity. It isn’t for those that are looking for the best value or who expect added features like a heatsink to be included by default.

Read our full
Review Samsung 990 Pro NVMe SSD

4. Corsair Force Series MP510 – Best Value PCIe 3.0 NVMe

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Decent performance
  • Useful software

Cons

  • 4TB is costly
  • TBW varies

We’re blown away by the MP510 which is a drive that offers everything you could want from an SSD. It combines performance, endurance, capacity and price. 

PCI bus connected NVMe cards are historically be expensive and lower capacity, but not anymore. The newer and faster PCIe 4.0 is available elsewhere, but this is still a solid choice for a lot of users out there.

You can even get it in 4TB but the price is high enough that you should consider the jump to PCIe 4.0.

Read our full
Review Corsair Force Series MP510

5. Kingston KC3000 – High Performance in PC or PS5

Pros

  • Great performance
  • 5-year warranty
  • Ideal for a PS5 & PC

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Idle power consumption is high
  • No hardware encryption

Kingston’s latest effort is another good option – alongside Seagate and Corsair – for those wanting a Gen 4 drive in a PC or PS5.

The KC3000 offers excellent performance in a range of challenging use cases and the heat spreader is thin enough to ensure it fits neatly into Sony’s next-gen console.

There are only minor points putting it behind the competition such as the price, the lack of hardware encryption, and a small power consumption issue.

Still, if you see it on offer somewhere it will make for a decent drive.

Read our full
Review Kingston KC3000

6. WD Blue SN550 – Best Budget

Pros

  • Very cheap
  • Faster than SATA

Cons

  • No hardware encryption

WD has done a great job of designing an SSD that strips functionality back to the bare minimum to make it cheap enough for most PC owners to consider as an affordable upgrade.

This doesn’t provide ultimate speed or hardware encryption then but it’s still substantially quicker than any SATA drive. We’d like a 2TB model and you’re better off getting the larger capacities but the Blue SN550 comes highly recommended from us.

It’s the fuss-free way to upgrade to NVMe if you’re on a budget.

Read our full
Review WD Blue SN550

7. Samsung 980 Pro – Best Value PCIe 4.0

Pros

  • Excellent PCIe 4.0 performance
  • Works in PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots

Cons

  • Needs an X570 or B550 motherboard
  • Lacks integrated heatsink

The Samsung 980 Pro was one of the first drives to adopt PCIe 4.0 technology, and while it’s since been outpaced by rivals (and Samsung’s own 990 Pro replacement), this is still a great drive.

While the 980 Pro will work in older PCIe 3.0 slots, you won’t be getting the full speed so upgrading your motherboard might be worthwhile. And on that front, you’ll currently need an AMD Ryzen processor in a B550 or X570 chipset slot.

If you can afford to, consider going for a higher capacity model as Samsung doesn’t offer consistent specs across the range.

Read our full
Review Samsung 980 Pro

8. WD Black SN850X – Speedy PCIe 4.0 for PC or PS5

Pros

  • Excellent read/write speeds
  • Up to 4TB capacity
  • Heatsink option

Cons

  • No hardware encryption
  • Can get warm without ventilation
  • No heatsink on 4TB drive

It’s not the most affordable PCIe 4.0 drive but it’s easy to see why the SN850X is a successful successor to the SN850.

The drive now comes in up to 4TB and there’s a clear boost in performance with 7,300MB/s read speeds with write speeds not far behind. It’s compatible with PC and PS5 but there are some caveats.

Although the drive has a stylish heatsink, this is not available on the 4TB option making it a no go for PlayStation 5 owners who want that much space. You’ll also want to avoid paying the full RRP and note that hardware encryption remains AWOL.

Read our full
Review WD Black SN850X

9. WD Black SN770 – Affordable PCIe 4.0 Drive

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Decent performance
  • 5 year warranty

Cons

  • No 4TB option
  • Not suitable for PS5
  • No hardware encryption

Although there’s no 4TB option and the 250GB model doesn’t represent good value, the other SN770 capacities make for a solid option for those wanting a cheap Gen 4 NVMe.

It’s very affordable and it offers decent performance overall making it a great option for a daily workhorse if you want to spend money elsewhere on your build.

There’s no heatsink option making it a no-go for PS5 users and there’s no hardware encryption either. Still, the SN770 offers good bang for your buck if you don’t have these kinds of tick boxes.

Read our full
Review WD Black SN770

10. WD Black AN1500 – NVMe Performance Without M.2 slot

Pros

  • Faster than a single M.2 slot
  • Easy to install
  • Colourful LEDs
  • Doesn’t need M.2 slots

Cons

  • Expensive
  • No encryption
  • RAID 0 config can’t be changed

It might look like a video card without fans but WD has come up with a clever solution for those wanting NVMe performance but are lacking the M. 2 slot normally required.

Not only that, but it offers better than PCIe 3.0 x4 performance, although you’ll need to be careful about where you plug it in due to PCI lane issues (read the review to find out more). Since there are two cards inside, you also benefit from RAID 0 striping.

The downside is you can’t switch to RAID 1 and there’s no encryption. It’s also expensive but could be cheaper than upgrading your motherboard to M.2.

Read our full
Review WD Black AN1500

What to look for in an SSD

For those seeking the very best performance, there’s still a case for finding the fastest rather than just choosing the cheapest SSD.

This is where you have a choice. There are two different types of SSDs: SATA and PCIe.

SATA is the type you’re probably most familiar with as it has been around for years and is used in PCs and laptops for hard drives and DVD drives. Most SATA SSDs are 2. 5in wide as they’re designed to fit in laptops. But they’re also compatible with all recent PCs.

For laptop users specifically, you’ll want to also know the exact height of the SSD to ensure it will fit: some are 9.5mm thick rather than 7mm.

The other type is a PCIe SSD. It gets confusing because there are other acronyms and terminology too: NVMe and M.2. Put simply, PCIe (PCI Express) supersedes SATA because it is a much faster interface.

Most commonly you’ll see PCIe drives referred to as NVMe. This stands for Non-Volative Memory Express) but what’s most important to note is the form factor – the size of the drive – because that’s which determines if the thing will actually fit in your PC or laptop. They’re long sticks that look similar to RAM, only with the connector at the end.

This is where M.2 comes in. It’s a relatively new type of slot you’ll find on recent motherboards and in some laptops. Most M.2 SSDs are the 2280 type, which simply means 22mm wide and 80mm long. You can check your motherboard manual or contact your laptop manufacturer to find out if such a drive will be compatible.

Note: Just because an SSD has an M.2 interface does not mean it is an NVMe drive. You can buy SATA SSDs with M.2 connectors which will still be limited to SATA speeds, so watch out for this when buying. As we said, it can get a bit confusing.

If your PC’s motherboard doesn’t have an M.2 slot, don’t worry. you can buy a PCIe adapter card for around £15/$15. Some M.2 SSDs are sold with the adapter, such as Kingston’s KC1000. Or you can now get drives like the WD Black AN1500 which give you better than PCIe 3.0 performance without an M.2 slot.

PCIe comes in different versions like a lot of tech and while PCIe 3.0 is still the most common, PCIe 4.0 drives are now on sale – such as the Samsung 980 Pro. They are twice as fast but as is common with a new standard, the price is high and it’s likely you’ll need to upgrade other parts of your machine like the motherboard in order to get the most out of it.

Find out how to install an SSD in your PC.

Aren’t SSDs really expensive?

It’s taken years, but we are now at the stage where an SSD is a truly affordable component for everyone. And if your budget will stretch to only £50, you can still get Crucial’s MX500 for under £40 from Amazon or jump to NVMe with the Corsair MP510 at only £43.

Sure, you get much more storage if you buy a traditional hard drive for the same money, but if you have a PC you can always install Windows and your most-used programs on an SSD and keep your music, video and photo libraries on a huge hard disk where performance isn’t as important.

How much space do I need?

Of course, the 250GB size of SSD (although you can find smaller) is going to be the cheapest and therefore the most tempting.

However, there’s nothing worse than getting a notification of your drive being full, resulting in lots of admin to sort out what to keep, delete or move. Also be careful for when smaller drives have worse specs.

So carefully consider what you’re going to need the drive for. If it’s just for the operating system and a few applications then 250GB will be fine – especially if you’re going to have another drive for storing files.

However, if this is going to be the only drive in your machine and you’re going to be storing lots of applications, files and games then you’ll need to go for more. 1TB will obviously cost more but will be necessary.

Performance

Getting back to performance, this has effectively plateaued among SATA SSDs. It’s not that flash memory has reached its limit, it’s that they’re hitting the limit of what the SATA interface is capable of.

The fastest SATA SSDs can read at around 550MB/s, but the fastest PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives can read at over 6000MB/s.

Really, you should only use a SATA drive if you have no other choice.

What about MLC, TLC and SLC?

There are various memory technologies used on SSDs, from multi-level cell (MLC), to the cheaper triple-level cell flash (TLC) architectures. You might even come across the rare and most expensive single-level cell (SLC) drive. The differences between the cell technologies boil down to the amount of bits (data) that a single cell (within the SSD) can handle.

TLC handles three, MLC two, and SLC one. The greater the number of bits per cell, the increased likelihood of failure, inconsistencies and – most importantly – performance. However, as this is a general sweeping statement, manufacturers have found ways around the limitations of SSD technology.

When buying an SSD, look out for long warranties and high write limits (expressed as a TBW value) if you prize data integrity, although with the help of proper backup routines, data loss isn’t really an issue today.

Author: Chris Martin, Reviews Editor

Tech Advisor’s Reviews Editor, Chris has been reviewing all kinds of tech for over 10 years and specialises in audio. He also covers a range of topics including home entertainment, phones, laptops, tablets and more.

The best SSDs for 2023

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

By

Tyler Lacoma

SSDs are becoming increasingly important, especially for gaming. The PlayStation 5 will allow users to add an additional SSD down the line, and Windows 11 supports Direct Storage, allowing you the same speedy loading times as the Xbox Series X with a supported drive. Meanwhile, PCs offer cutting-edge performance using PCIexpress 4.0.

Whether you want to upgrade your internal drive or need an external storage solution, a solid-state drive (SSD) will deliver fast and reliable read and write speeds. These storage devices use flash memory to store your data, making them faster than traditional mechanical hard drives. Not all drives are built equally, however. For the fastest transfers, you’ll need one of the best SSDs — and we’ve tested the dozens to create a definitive list of what you should be buying today.

Contents

  • Samsung 980 Pro 500GB
  • Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB
  • Crucial MX500 SATA 2TB
  • Intel Optane SSD 905P 480GB
  • Western Digital Black SN750 250GB
  • Corsair Force MP600 1TB
  • Western Digital Black AN1500 1TB
  • Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox

Samsung 980 Pro 500GB

Jump to details

Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB

Jump to details

Crucial MX500 SATA 2TB

Jump to details

Intel Optane SSD 905P 480GB

Jump to details

Western Digital Black SN750 250GB

Jump to details

Corsair Force MP600 1TB

Jump to details

Western Digital Black AN1500 1TB

Jump to details

Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox

Jump to details

Samsung 980 Pro 500GB

Pros

  • Excellent all-around features
  • PCIe 4. 0 support
  • Good value

Cons

  • Storage tops out at 1TB

Samsung’s SSDs have led the pack for years, and the 980 Pro is no different. Boasting sequential read speeds of up to 7,000 MBps and sequential write speeds of up to 5,000 MBps, the 980 Pro is an SSD that takes full advantage of PCIe 4.0. It’s still compatible with PCIe 3.0, but the drive enjoys twice the data transfer rate on PCIe 4.0.

Cutting-edge speed usually means limited storage, and that’s true of the 980 Pro. Manufacturers have been pushing capacities higher on PCIe 3.0 SSDs — the 970 Evo Plus goes up to 2TB, while the WD Black SN750 goes up to 4TB. The 980 Pro, on the other hand, tops out at 1TB, making it an ideal SSD to use as a boot drive (or a cache location, if you edit videos frequently).

Because of that, we’re recommending the 500GB model of the 980 Pro, which clocks in just shy of $150. The 1TB is a better value overall, however, at around $230.

Samsung 980 Pro 500GB

Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB

Pros

  • Incredible performance
  • PCIe and NVMe support
  • Made to last through 600TB of written data

For superior performance and reliability, Samsung’s 970 Evo Plus line is one of the best around. Our tests found that the SSD offers read and write speeds upwards of 2,500 MBps, with the ability to keep functioning with up to 600TB written on the drive. It’s a great upgrade for anyone who needs extra professional storage or a big speed boost for their current computer.

It also supports both PCI Express (PCIe) and NVMe technologies. PCI Express offers greatly improved speeds and versatility compared to older SATA-based SSDs — an important feature to watch for when buying solid-state drives for newer computers. NVMe is a similar protocol that offers the most advanced ways to transfer storage data between the SSD and the computer. Together, PCIe and NVMe make the best combination for high-performance drives, and the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is an excellent example.

Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB

Crucial MX500 SATA 2TB

Pros

  • Affordable
  • 2TB of storage
  • AES 256 bit encryption

Cons

  • Comparatively slower

While SATA connections aren’t as fast as the newer PCIe interfaces, the related drives can be significantly cheaper. If you need a lot of storage but don’t want to sacrifice SSD benefits, this Crucial drive offers an amazing 2TB of storage at an incredibly affordable price.

Sequential read and writes are very good for a SATA model at 560 MBps and 510 MBps, respectively. This model includes protection against power loss problems as well as AES 256 bit encryption for security.

You won’t get the best specs in the world with the Crucial MX500 SATA, but it sure can hold a lot without breaking your budget.

Crucial MX500 SATA 2TB

Intel Optane SSD 905P 480GB

Pros

  • Up to 2.6GBps read speeds
  • Durable design
  • Designed for frequent, professional use

Cons

  • Expensive

If you want speed, Intel’s Optane drives are right for you. This nearly-500GB model showcases the best the company has to offer, equipped with an NVMe PCI 3.0 x4 connection.

This drive is designed to easily dissipate heat and optimized for workstations, make it a great upgrade for a professional computer you are using for a lot of work projects, including serious design and development work. But if you want to put a high-powered SSD in your gaming rig instead, we won’t tell anyone. It’s made with the expectation of up to 10DWPD (drive writes per day), with sequential read speeds up to 2.6GBps and write speeds up to 2. 2GBps (we told you it was fast).

The high cost of the Intel Optane SSD 905Pmight be off-putting at first appearance. But that price tag is a good sign for enthusiastic computer builders who want the best possible parts to blow away their colleagues.

Intel Optane SSD 905P 480GB

Western Digital Black SN750 250GB

Pros

  • Game-friendly
  • Affordable
  • Customization and monitoring options

Cons

  • Only gen-3 PCIe

While this SSD is unassuming, its gamer-friendly features include random read speeds as fast as 412.5 MBps and maximum transfer speeds of 3,100 MBps—all for a budget-friendly price. These impressive features aren’t the only things that this SSD has to offer, though.

The Western Digital Black SN750 250GBNVMe Gaming SSD boasts a Black Dashboard option that lets users adjust their settings, customize their setup, and review their performance whenever they want to. If you’re concerned with curtail lag time during long gaming sessions, you can customize your system to enable low power mode and gaming mode at the same time. You don’t need to worry about the system overheating thanks to its protective heatsink.

Western Digital Black SN750 250GB

Corsair

Corsair Force MP600 1TB

Pros

  • Read speeds up to 4,950 MBps
  • Affordable for 1TB
  • PCIe 4.0

Cons

  • The built-in heatsink may not work on all rigs

The Corsair Force MP600 boasts the latest in SSD technology. It comes equipped with a PCIe 4.0 controller, allowing you to achieve very fast read and write speeds on a supported motherboard. The drive can reach sequential read speeds of up to 4,950 MBps and sequential write speeds of up to 4,250 MBps. All of that speed, and the MP600 still delivers 1TB of storage for under $200.

It’s important to make sure your motherboard is compatible, though, not only because of the PCIe 4.0 interface but also the aluminum heatsink that’s built into the drive. For reliability, the Corsair Force MP600 is guaranteed for up to 1,800TB of written data, so you’ll be able to completely fill the drive at least 1,800 times before it dies out.

Corsair Force MP600 1TB

Western Digital Black AN1500 1TB

Pros

  • Dual SSD card for RAID 0 support
  • Great for upgrading a PCIe 3.0 interface
  • RAID 0 configuration means extra speed

Cons

  • A unique SSD that won’t work for everyone

The Western Digital Black AN1500 is an interesting drive. It’s an add-in PCIe card that actually comes with two Western Digital Black SSDs on board. Instead of accessing them individually, Western Digital has the drives set up in RAID 0. This configuration allows the drive to “stripe” data across two disks, splitting the workload between drives to reach higher speeds.

That’s important, as the Western Digital Black AN1500 uses a PCIe 3.0 interface. If you have an older machine, the AN1500 is a great drive to increase your performance beyond most other SSDs without investing in a new rig. The drive can reach sequential read speeds of up to 6,500 MBps and sequential write speeds of up to 4,100 MBps, bypassing even the fastest PCIe 3.0 SSDs.

Western Digital Black AN1500 1TB

Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox

Pros

  • Best way to upgrade Xbox Series S/X storage
  • Supports Xbox features like direct storage and quick resume
  • No installation required

Cons

  • Xbox only

You can’t install the Seagate Storage Expansion Card inside your PC, but you can in your Xbox. It’s the best SSD for the Xbox Series X and Series S, giving you an additional terabyte of the same ultra-fast storage inside the console. The drive makes upgrading easier than ever, too. All you need to do is slot it in the back of your console like a memory card.

The Seagate Storage Expansion Card enables a slew of Xbox features, including faster loading times than external hard drives, Direct Storage in supported games, and Quick Resume, which allows you to seamlessly switch between games without losing your progress. It’s not quite as fast as the internal storage, but it gets very close.

Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox

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  • The best 4K gaming laptops for 2023

TOP 10 Best SSDs of 2023

Boost the speed of your PC or console with one of the best internal SSDs.

Whether you’re building a gaming PC, upgrading your existing laptop or desktop, adding more storage to your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or Sony PS5, we think you should consider these SSDs.

Of all the upgrades you can make to a PC or console, upgrade to one of the best solid state drives. It’s like switching to one of the best video editing laptops or the best gaming laptops from an older system. The performance gains can be significant and drastic in terms of how you use your technologies. Whether it’s giving life to an old laptop or squeezing every last millisecond out of a gaming system, a fast SSD is a great addition. nine0003

It’s hard to believe that SSDs used to be outrageously expensive and incredibly low-capacity. SSD prices have dropped and capacities have skyrocketed, so adding even a terabyte to your desktop, laptop, or console is more affordable than you might think. And it’s not just about speed, although, of course, this is one of the biggest features. An SSD is also a great way to increase the storage capacity of your Xbox or PS4/PS5 to make room for your ever-expanding library of games. nine0003

With a modern SSD, your operating system will boot almost instantly, applications will run smoother, and videos and games will also be better. The new SSD won’t make your hair silkier, and that’s about the only thing it can’t.

1

Kingston KC2500

Best SSD for M.2 NVMe Read/Write Speed ​​

Internal/External: Internal
Interface: PCIe NVMe
Form Factor:
Form Factor PCIe NVMe
0021 Capacity: to 2 TB

Plus

  • The incredibly high reading speed and entry
  • easily set
  • Stylish black printed circuit board

    • 9000

      9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 An SSD costs a little more than some other brands, so it’s not the best option for budget-conscious users, but for those who want top performance, it’s the perfect combination. nine0003

      Ultra-fast read and write speeds (up to 3500MB/s read and 2900MB/s write) means no matter what you do on the drive, it’s blazing fast, whether it’s editing and processing 4K video, upscale editing TIF files in PhotoShop or open world AAA games with all graphics features included.

      It also comes with a stylish black PCB, installs in minutes and supports 256-bit XTS-AES encryption. Simply put, this is one of the best SSDs on the market today. nine0003

      2

      Western Digital WD Black SN750

      Excellent performance with games

      Internal / External: Internal
      Interface: PCIe NVME
      form factor: M.2

      2TB

      Pros

      • Lots of storage
      • Reliable brand
      • High speed

      Cons

        Expensive0036

      We already know that Western Digital builds storage you can rely on and this premium SSD goes above and beyond to maximize computing and gaming performance with up to 3470MB/s read speeds, an optional heatsink and a choice of 250 GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB capacity.

      This makes it one of the best solid state drives and is especially suitable for custom gaming PCs. The firmware and SSD panel have been changed on this model to make the most of the possibilities in terms of performance. nine0003

      The combination of price and performance has already won the WD Black SN750 a lot of fans, and it even comes with its own accompanying monitoring and tuning software — another plus for those who want full control over their setup.

      3

      Lexar NM610

      Affordable SSD with good speed and capacity selection

      Type: NVMe
      Dimensions: 22 x 80 x 2.25 Weight: 90 0210021 Capacity: 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB
      The maximum reading speed: 2100 MB / s
      Maximum record speed: 1600 MB / s

      Plus

      • Available three available capacities

      Cons

      Lexar NM610 M. 2 NVMe SSD with three capacities including 250GB, 500GB and 1TB is an attractive read and write speed offering as well enthusiasts. nine0003

      Indeed, with a maximum read speed of 2100MB/s and a write speed of over 1600MB/s, it’s easy to see why PC gamers and creative professionals have chosen the Lexar NM610, as while these speeds are best in class, they are very impressive.

      Modern AAA games such as Cyberpunk 2077 load very quickly on the NM610, while transferring, opening and editing large image and video files is smooth. If you often edit movies or use Adobe PhotoShop, this system will suit you. nine0003

      The competitive price is perhaps the Lexar NM610’s greatest strength, as it makes equipping a PC or laptop with faster, more energy efficient storage very wallet-friendly.

      4

      Samsung 970 EVO Plus

      Internal / External: Internal
      Interface: PCIe NVME
      Form-Forms: M.2
      Capacity: to 2 TB

      9003 9003 9003 Top Level 9 Performance0036

    • High speed and reliability
    • Top brand

    Cons

    • Expensive

    It would seem that Samsung has actually thought of everything about the many high-end Plus SSDs, 970 Evo manufacturer — from various capacities to an advanced built-in thermal cooling system, it’s all here.

    It’s rugged, reliable and fast with a maximum read speed of 3500MB/s. You can’t always expect this combination of performance and affordability, which is why it deserves a spot on our list of the best SSDs. nine0003

    PCIe M.2 card is definitely suitable for gaming, but also suitable for any other powerful computer system such as video and image editing. Be sure to check out the other Samsung SSDs in the series before deciding if this one is right for you. Corsair MP4000020 PCIE NVME
    Form Factor: m.2
    Capacity: to 8 TB

    Plus

    • High speed
    • Excellent performance
    • to 8 TB 900 8TB has the price of a gaming laptop

    With capacities ranging from 1TB to 8TB, you’ll never run out of space with the Corsair MP400 on your PC. But more capacity doesn’t necessarily mean lower performance, and the MP400 delivers up to 3480MB/s sequential read and 1880MB/s sequential write in the 1TB version; 8TB has the same read speed and the write speed is up to 3000MB/s. So it’s very fast, very capacious. What’s the catch? nine0003

    The answer to this question depends on what you intend to use your SSD for. The endurance figure here is 200TBW for 1TB compared to 600TBW for the Samsung EVO Pro; for the 2TB version, that’s 400TB compared to Samsung’s 1,200TB. That’s still a very long lifespan — as Corsair points out, if you write at 35GB a day, Corsair’s 2TB will last about 112 years, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you’re going to be running very data-intensive applications. nine0003

    6

    Intel 665p Series

    High-production solid-state drive, which can be trusted

    Internal / External: Internal
    Interface: PCIe NVME
    form factor: M.2

    TB

    Plus

    • The new QLC

      • technology is suitable for new machines

    Minures

    with the series of products for Intel storage of data presented the latest Flash resources ), which means an affordable and reliable SSD solution for those looking to build their own systems or add a speed boost to a drive in an existing computer. nine0003

    The Intel SSD 665P is compact and fast, so (depending on your setup and what you need from the drive) you might not need to look elsewhere. It fits both desktops and laptops and is an upgrade of the (now cheaper) 660P.

    Even though it has a maximum read speed of 2000MB/s, it doesn’t lead the market in terms of raw specs, but you still get a great SSD for your money. The included Intel software also simplifies maintenance. nine0003

    7

    Western Digital WD Blue SN550

    STROLRAL DUED M.2 NVME at an excellent price

    Internal / External: internal
    Interface: PCIe NVME
    Forms : M.2 : up to 1TB

    Pros

    • Good performance for the price
    • Reliable manufacturer and good warranty
    • Ideal for building small PCs

    Cons

    • Not the fastest in the 250 GB version

    Buying an SSD often involves a balance between performance and price: you don’t want to spend too much, but you also need decent speed. WD Blue SSDs solve this problem perfectly.

    WD color-codes its storage products by market segment, so the Green models are the budget offering, the black models are for power users and serious gamers, and the Blue models are for the rest of us. nine0003

    Blue SSDs are relatively cheap — ignore RRP; they are always sold somewhere for a lower price — and if you don’t want to spend a lot of money to get the highest transfer speeds and storage capacity, this is a good choice. Whether you’re looking to cheer up a laptop or build a small PC, the WD Blue is a good solid state drive that offers decent performance at a good price. The

    WD Blue delivers 2400MB/s sequential read and 1750MB/s write speed unless you opt for the 250GB version where the write speed drops to 950MB/s. The 250GB version isn’t much cheaper than the 500GB version, and we think the loss of storage space and write performance means buying the cheapest version is a false savings. We never cursed a computer for having too much memory, but we cursed a lot for being slow.

    8

    Crucial P1

    Great SSD for everyday use

    Internal/External: Internal
    Interface: PCIe NVMe
    Form Factor: M.2
    Capacity: to 2 TB

    Plus

    • High reliability and stability
    • Available version of SSD

      • 9000 9000

        22 With 2000MB/s sequential read speeds and capacities up to 2TB, this SSD from Crucial is a good choice for those who want extra power from their drive but don’t want to overpay for it. It’s not the best option for heavy use, but it’s perfect for everyday tasks. nine0003

        The Crucial P1 uses the same Quad Layer Chip (QLC) technology as the Intel P665p we described above, but may be a better deal depending on the prices you can find online (especially at lower capacities). As always, it’s worth looking around before buying.

        Of course, Crucial is one of the most renowned manufacturers of computer components, which means you can be sure of the durability and reliability of the P1 SSD. It may work well with more expensive drives, depending on the type of tests you run. nine0003

        9,0003

        ADATA XPG SX8200 PRO

        SSD drive, suitable for almost all

        Internal / External: Internal
        Interface: PCIe NVMe
        Form Forms: M.2
        COMPLICE: up to 2TB

        Pros

        • Really good value for money
        • Robust performance levels

        Cons

        • Capacity up to 2GB only

        The Adata XPG SX8200 Pro ticks just about every box when it comes to buying the best SSD: it scores high in performance, efficiency, endurance and value for money, so it deserves a spot on your favorites list.

        Maximum capacity is 2TB, which should be enough for most people, although better cost options may be lower at lower capacities. It’s fast and responsive, with a maximum read speed of 3500MB/s, which is the best in the industry. nine0003

        This is an SSD that consistently scores well in comparison tests and will suit everyone from gamers to video producers with no issues in terms of long-term reliability. The kit also includes a heatsink if your system needs one.

        10

        Sabrent Rocket PCIe M.2

        Takes SSD to the Next Level

        Internal / External: Internal
        Interface: PCIe NVMe
        90-2: Form Factor0003

        Of course, you’ll need a compatible motherboard to get the best speed, but the technology is promising, even if games aren’t yet taking full advantage. It’s hard to argue with the 5000MB/s max read times you get with this particular SSD.

        In addition to next generation technology, Sabrent Rocket is a winner in every other area: reliability, durability, bug fixes, software support and so on. If you’re looking to save some money, check out the older PCIe 3.0 Sabrent drives. nine0003

        How to choose the best SSD

        To avoid frequent storage upgrades on your device, try choosing an SSD with as much capacity as your wallet allows. In the long run, it really is worth spending as much as you can afford.

        When choosing the best SSD for your needs, also check the drive sizes to make sure your computer has enough physical space for it and that the connections between them are compatible. nine0003

        Check out the new NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) connectivity standard that outperforms the old SATA — you really need the former if your system can support it, the latter is getting harder to find.

        However, NVMe is not a form factor: in terms of physical shape and drive size, options include an additional PCIe card (which looks like a graphics card) or PCIe M.2 (a long die), and external drives of course.

        Different SSDs suit different setups and tasks, like the best gaming keyboards or the best gaming mice. The best SSD for gaming is probably overkill for the average PC user, while the best SSD for laptops may not be fast enough for a serious gaming rig.

        Samsung vs. Crucial SSD Comparison — Who Will Win?

        SSDs are amazing. This is probably one of the best upgrades you can make if you are still using a mechanical hard drive (HDD). nine0003

        And if you’ve ever tried to buy one, you’ve likely seen plenty of offers from Samsung and Crucial with thousands of positive reviews.

        These are perhaps the two most successful SSD manufacturers in the market, building both reliable and fast storage at reasonable prices.

        Is there a difference between them? Is it possible to just buy what is cheaper? Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

        There are some significant differences between Samsung and Crucial SSDs that can easily sway you one way or the other. nine0003

        In this article, I’ll explain what these differences are and make your SSD selection a little easier!

        Differences between Samsung and Crucial SSDs

        Brand comparison between Samsung and Crucial

        A brand on its own is never a good indicator to buy something. Samsung may be a lot more famous than Crucial, , but that doesn’t mean everything Samsung releases is the gold standard .

        However, , a brand with a wide range of products and reliable products, allows you to be more confident in your purchase decision.

        Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, let me first give you a little overview of Samsung and Crucial branding.

        Samsung SSDs are the best in reliability

        Samsung needs no introduction. From washing machines to smartphones, Samsung has its toppings in every pie imaginable. nine0003

        So their presence in the SSD business shouldn’t come as a surprise.

        What the might surprise you a little about is that Samsung was one of the early pioneers to mainstream the SSD with its 32 GB PATA drive with the delightfully charming name «MCAQE32G5APP-0XA00».

        Since then, Samsung has consistently been at the top of the SSD market (and improving its product range).

        Ask any tech guy what kind of SSD you should buy and I’ll bet they will offer Samsung for its excellent performance and unrivaled reliability. nine0003

        Samsung achieves this through a very tight, vertically integrated manufacturing process.

        Everything from flash memory to controllers and DRAM is manufactured in-house to ‘s very high standards.

        I just threw in some jargon for you, but you should understand that Samsung is one of the few manufacturers that does everything for their SSDs themselves.

        This allows them to have very tight control over the quality of their SSDs, meaning that their products can sometimes be a bit more expensive than the competition, but you can be sure that they are reliable and fast .

        Crucial Solid State Drives — Best Value

        Crucial, Micron’s consumer division, is another of the best-known SSD manufacturers in operation today.

        They make everything from budget, cheap drives to relatively high-end drives, but they’ve always been more like the SSD brand for the average person because of their cheap yet fast and reliable offerings. nine0003

        Crucial achieves this combination by manufacturing most of its SSD components in-house through Micron, and supplementing some other components from external sources.

        This doesn’t give them as much control over the manufacturing process as Samsung, but they’re still in an enviable position compared to many other SSD makers who have to rely entirely on third-party components. nine0003

        The combines to make Crucial build an excellent budget SSD while delivering more than enough performance.

        Samsung vs. Crucial Performance Comparison

        We’ve come to the most glaring metric for choosing virtually any PC component: performance .

        Both Crucial and Samsung offer standard SATA SSDs and NVMe SSDs. nine0003

        It doesn’t make much sense to compare the performance of one manufacturer’s SATA SSD to another manufacturer’s NVMe SSD because the NVMe SSD is likely to perform better across the board. They are different protocols/interfaces after all, and SATA SSDs are severely limited by the SATA bus.

        Therefore, I will mainly compare the respective SSD types between Samsung and Crucial. However, if you would like a more detailed explanation of the differences between SATA SSDs and NVMe SSDs, I suggest you check out our article here. nine0003

        SATA SSD Performance

        When it comes to SATA SSDs, Samsung and Crucial are in the know. I’d give a performance graph, but that doesn’t make sense since SATA SSDs easily overdrive the SATA bus, regardless of brand.

        At the SATA stage, any SSD that is worth at least half a second of attention, completely saturates the SATA bus , so there really is no difference in performance. nine0003

        If you don’t understand what «saturated SATA bus» means, you can think of it as the road with the maximum number of cars that can drive on it at a given time. If you reach this maximum, you will not be able to add more cars.

        And SATA SSDs have reached this maximum limit a long time ago!

        Because of this, purely in terms of performance, almost any Samsung SATA SSD is equal to any Crucial SATA 9 SSD0020 .

        This is true as long as you don’t plan on transferring large amounts of data.

        NVMe SSDs — Performance

        NVMe drives make things a lot more interesting and complex. So buckle up.

        Both Samsung and Crucial offer a wide range of SSDs at different prices and with a wider range of performance features.

        If we just look at performance under optimal conditions, then the comparison between Samsung SSDs and Crucial SSDs looks like this:

        • Samsung has no offerings comparable to the Crucial P2
        • Samsung EVO 970 equally matches Crucial P3
        • Samsung EVO 970 Plus outperforms Crucial P3 Plus
        • Samsung 980 equally matches Crucial P5
        • Samsung 980 PRO is much faster than Crucial P5 Plus
        • Samsung 990 PRO is much faster than Crucial P5 Plus

        As you can see, Crucial usually dominates the market for budget devices, while Samsung dominates the market for more expensive devices. nine0003

        But , it’s not that easy. You will not work in optimal conditions all the time.

        The EVO 970 Plus may be slower than the Crucial P3 Plus, but that’s assuming you’re not transferring large amounts of data.

        If you are a photographer or someone who constantly transfers large amounts of serial data, the Crucial P3 Plus will initially be much faster than the EVO 970 Plus, but after a certain point, determined by the size of your disk, the speed will drop dramatically . To the point that it will be slower than even a mechanical hard drive.

        This is due to the nature of its flash memory QLC .

        QLC memory (4 bits per cell) allows manufacturers to create denser and cheaper solid state drives, but it is exceptionally slow . They mitigate this problem by adding a much faster SLC flash cache (1 bit per cell) as a buffer.

        So when you transfer something, it is quickly placed into the SLC memory and then slowly transferred to the QLC memory in the background. nine0003

        However, if you fill up the SLC cache before it has a chance to transfer all the data to the QLC memory, the SSD will start transferring data directly to the QLC memory, which we found to be extremely slow.

        The EVO 970 Plus does the same but uses TLC memory — one level up from QLC memory.

        TLC memory is still slower than SLC memory, but much better than QLC memory at maintaining reasonable speeds.

        Therefore, when the SLC cache in EVO 970 Plus ends, the speed also drops, but not to the level of the QLC drive. It will be about as fast as an old SATA SSD.

        This discrepancy becomes less and less noticeable as you move up to higher end SSDs such as the P5 Plus and 980 PRO because they will have either TLC or MLC memory making it much easier to handle failover. filling the SLC cache.

        And is exactly so NVMe SSDs are more complex. nine0003

        Regular SATA SSDs also have this mismatch between SLC, TLC, QLC, etc. , but to a lesser extent because they are not natively as fast as NVMe SSDs.

        With all this information comparing Samsung and Crucial becomes much more difficult .

        Crucial Samsung
        — Crucial P2 has QLC memory with large SLC 9 cache0021 – I do not recommend purchasing this disc – Samsung does not have an equivalent Crucial P2
        — Crucial P3 and P3 Plus have QLC memory with large SLC cache
        — These drives are more than good for most general use cases, but quickly fall behind if you’re transferring large amounts of data         		— Samsung EVO 970 and EVO 970 Plus have TLC memory with moderate SLC cache
        — These drives are more than good for most general use cases and handle large data transfers well
        – Crucial P5 has TLC memory with moderate SLC cache
        – These drives are more than good for most general use cases and handle large data transfers well         		— Samsung 980 has TLC memory with large SLC cache
        — These drives are more than good for most common use cases and handle large data transfers well
        – Crucial P5 Plus has TLC memory with moderate SLC cache
        – These drives are more than good for most general and enthusiast use and can perform well when transferring large amounts of data         		— Samsung 980 PRO and 990 PRO have MLC memory with moderate SLC cache
        — These drives are very fast and handle heavy data loads incredibly well, but they are overkill for most common use cases

        As you can see, comparing apples to apples is difficult.

        I can’t just say that one is definitely better than the other. You must take the data and make that choice for yourself.

        But, if you want to ignore all that and just want to know which is the fastest SSD in every aspect, it’s usually the highest numbered «PRO» offering from Samsung, currently Samsung 990PRO.

        Of course: large file sequential read/write performance is just one use case (which is lightly advertised), and if your workloads depend on high performance random read/write or access to small data (e.g., to databases), be sure to compare these performance numbers and not just the maximum consistent performance that is usually displayed on the product packaging. nine0003

        Samsung vs. Crucial Endurance Comparison

        You could talk all day about SSD read and write endurance, but it’s not really necessary because it all gives you the theoretical maximum under very ideal conditions.

        It makes no sense to use this data, because we have much more important data from the real world, and this makes one manufacturer a clear winner, the Samsung .

        For many years , Samsung had an abnormally low failure rate even on workstations , where the drives can be expected to be used fairly frequently.

        This doesn’t mean that other SSD manufacturers are unreliable, it just means that Samsung’s is exceptionally reliable .

        Whereas Crucial is not so easy. Some SSDs, such as the MX500, are incredibly reliable, while cheaper models like the BX line and P2 drives are not as reliable. nine0003

        This does not mean that they will simply break the moment you look at them, but it does mean that as the years go by it would be prudent of you to consider upgrading before the drive inevitably fails.

        SSD drive format

        From tiny M.2 drives to much larger SATA drives, both Samsung and Crucial offer a wide range of storage formats. Whatever your needs, you can find it from any manufacturer.

        Although, if you need obscure formats like eSATA drives and the like, Samsung will likely have something to offer you.

        SSD Price Comparison

        Even though SSD prices have dropped far from where they started, they can still be worth a lot of money as we upgrade to higher and higher capacities each time.

        So if you don’t have a bottomless bank account, it’s good to find something that doesn’t require you to take out a second mortgage. nine0003

        This is where Crucial shines. Crucial is truly the king of the budget. From the MX500 to the P3 and up, they offer incredible value for the average person at an incredible price.

        Are they the most efficient or reliable? Of course not. But, like no other, they combine performance and reliability.

        While most Samsung drives are 15-50% more expensive than their Crucial counterparts. Given the high quality of their discs, it’s understandable why they’re more expensive. But, if you don’t need the most reliable SSDs, you’re probably better off saving that money for other components. nine0003

        Which SSD to get — Samsung or Crucial

        The question you are here for. Which disc should I buy?

        If you have read everything I wrote above, you should already understand that it is much more difficult than just recommending this or that.

        There are so many factors involved that you really need to gather all this information and make your own decision.

        However, I can still express my personal thoughts.

        SATA 9 SSDs0494

        For many of you reading this, the Crucial MX500 will serve you well for years to come.

        They’re as fast as Samsung SATA SSDs and just as reliable. I have used them for many budget builds and none have let me down.

        If you’re on a budget and looking for the fastest, most reliable SATA SSD. Then buy the Samsung 870.

        NVMe SSDs

        Get either the Samsung 970 EVO Plus or the Crucial P5 Plus. nine0003

        In most cases, these two SSDs are more than good enough to last you for years.

        You will not notice a slight difference in performance between them, unless you are transferring huge amounts of data.