Best Solid State Drives(SSDs) are thousands of years ahead of Hard Disk Drives(HDD). They consume less energy, and they are faster and firmer than their clunkier and traditional mates. Actually, mechanical failure and other similar problems are a widespread phenomenon with older hard drives. As such, switching to SSD is one of the best things you can do for your computer.

Now because it has been a while since SSDs were first released into the market, getting the best SSD doesn't cost a fortune like it used to be before. And upgrading is not only for bulky s or owners of the latest PCs; anyone with a compatible system can take advantage of the speed and sturdiness an SSD affords s. Most laptops and ultrabooks nowadays come standard with SSDs, not just because of their high speeds but also because of their compact design. They are small, flexible when it comes to storage, and run silently. Even if your old computer came with an SSD, the latest versions are faster, affordable, and have bigger storage capacities.

That said, there are hundreds of SSDs on the market right now, and determining the right one for your needs can be a hard nut to crack. To help you separate the wheat from the chaff, this guide lists the best SSDs on the market today. From the fastest M.2 models to the cream of the crop when it comes to gaming, you will definitely find something that will work for you here regardless of your budget.

Editors choice

1. Samsung 970 EVO Plus

9.60 / 10
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Apart from a few additional features here and there that make it pricer and better, the 970  is relatively similar to the 860.  Just like the 860 Evo, it comes with the V-Nand state of the art technology offering improved bandwidth and lower latency. Nonetheless, it has better write and read speeds going up to 2500MB per second and 3500MB per second, respectively.

Also, it comes armed with Samsung's Magician Software for flawless and fast file transfers. It is designed to update its firmware regularly to keep it secure and optimized to counter any security breach issues. There is also a dynamic thermal guard feature for heat dissipation.  It keeps heat in check, allowing the drive to function optimally throughout.

Now, with the superior features, it also comes a price. The SSD is a bit expensive for average gamers. That notwithstanding, this SSD is one of the best the tech industry has to offer. The 250GB  for around $50 while the 1TB version goes for about $150.

Key Features
  • Write Speed 3300 megabits_per_second
  • Read Speed 3500 Megabytes Per Second
  • It comes with the new V-NAND Technology
  • It features the Samsung Magician Software
  • It has Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard
Pros
  • Amazing performance
  • Good value
  • Solid endurance
  • 5-year limited warranty or 600 TBW (Terabytes Written)
Cons
  • Speed slows down a bit when the cache exceeds
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Samsung 970 EVO Plus

There is absolutely no doubt that Samsung has the best to offers in this sector. That is why a couple of their units made it to this list. And if the price tag of the 970 Evo bombarded you, the 970 Pro may be a sound alternative for you. After all, the post almost the same features but at different prices.

For most s, even heavy gamers, there is actually no need for a Pro level drive. However, if you are looking for an absolute solid-state drive at a slightly lower price, then the 970 pro is for you. While it features slightly lower seq. Write and read speeds than its Evo counterpart; it will give its technically snappier and pricier sibling a run for its money.

Both units have a five-year warranty, but the Pro has an endurance limit of up to 1200TB. The EVO, on the other hand, has 300TB and 600TB versions only. So if the price is an issue, but you want something that will help you run a heavy machine churning through enormous amounts of data often, Pro's locked in reliability will help.

Key Features
  • V-NAND technology for reliable and unrivaled performance
  • Superfast read speeds up to 3,500MB/s
  • Endurance up to 1,200 TBW
  • Seamless cloning/file transfers with Samsung’S Magician Software
  • Automatic firmware updates
  • 2280 form factor
Pros
  • Samsung's Dynamic Thermal Guard minimizes the risk of overheating and REDUCES performance drops
  • Continuous speed under load
  • Unparalleled Reliability
  • Samsung Magician software to help help you keep an eye on your drive.
Cons
  • Minor additional features over rivals
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Samsung 970 PRO 512GB

Another feature-packed SATA unit available at a pocket-friendly price tag is the Silicon Power 512GB. Its 7mm slim design means it can fit well even in the smallest notebooks. It also spots 3D Nand flash technology for fast data transfer, significantly improving experience, particularly when gaming.

Its SLC cache technology helps minimize write amplification giving the drive a longer lifespan through enhanced endurance. The Silicon 512GB also comes with a Toolbox that helps s update the drive seamlessly as well as monitor the performance and health. The Tool Software allows you to run several tests to get complete and accurate details about your Solid State Drive. This is very handy in case the unit is having any issues.

On the flip side, it has lower random write and read speeds. Similarly, it is only available in three capacities, all less than 1TB. The maximum is 512GB storage capacity. Simply put, for less than $50 for the 512GB option, this unit is solid. It features various handy features for great performance and security.

Key Features
  • It has a 7mm slim design for slim notebooks
  • It features 3D NAND technology
  • It s Garbage Collection technology and the TRIM command
  • 3-year limited warranty
Pros
  • Excellent for people on a tight budget
  • Tool software for check-ups
  • -friendly software
Cons
  • Low random read and write speeds
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Silicon Power 512GB

Samsung's storage units are some of the best in the industry. And this 860 Evo is not any different. While its SATA feature is not as speedy as those of M.2 versions, it still makes your system feel smoother and snappier than any hard disk drive. It is also compatible with most storage solutions, desktop motherboards, and laptops.

Yes, it is not the cheapest, but it is robust and super fast with performance metrics that hit the highest limits of a SATA SSD. In a CrystalDiskMark test, the Samsung SDD had unbeatable speeds of 563MB per second with an equally remarkable seq. Write speeds of up to 532MB per second. Similarly, it had an average speed of 479MB per second in large file read tests positioning it at the top when it comes to SATA drives.

Its endurance rating is also impressive. The 500 GB model is rated 300TBW, and the 1TB one can tackle 600TBW. This technically means that it will serve you for several years without problems. If your storage need is bigger, there are also 4TB and 2TB versions of the 860 Evo.

When it comes to after-sales service, it comes with a whopping five-year warranty on each unit, and new buyers can enjoy up to 520 MB per second write and 550MB per second read speeds. Now, while the SDD doesn't come cheap( actually it is pricier than most alternatives), keep in mind that Samsung states that you can use the drive for more than five years without problems. Other cheaper options work reasonably well for casual usage, but if you want a reliable and fast SATA drive, you won't be wrong with the 860 Evo!

Key Features
  • Designed with Samsung’s state of the art V-Nand Technology
  • High write and speeds of up to 520MB/s and 550MB/s, respectively
  • Comes with enhanced encryption and security features
  • Compatible with most appliances
Pros
  • Solid endurance
  • Great performance
  • 5 year warranty
Cons
  • SATA 3 protocol limits potential
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Samsung 860 EVO

A few years ago, finding an NVMe storage drive that is superfast was almost impossible. But that has changed with the PCIe 4.0! If you have compatible hardware, throw this drive and enjoy speeds of up to 4,400MB per second(write) and 5,000MB/s per second(read).

You simply can't get such speeds anywhere else, making this drive one of the most responsive and reliable flash storage solutions. The parent company( Sabrent) also added other nice features to the SSD like over-provision, error correction, bad block management, and wear leveling to improve endurance and reliability. Don't forget that the firmware is also upgradeable.

Comes with the free Sabrent Acronis True Image for Sabrent Software for flawless cloning. If you need a specific sector size to clone your existing SSD, there is a new Sabrent tool that enables you to format the entire Rocket drive and choose a sector size of your choice (512-bytes or 4K bytes).

Now, like most high-end drives, the only flaw to the feature-packed solution is the price. PCle 4.0 is a fairly new technology, so be prepared to part with a colossal amount.

Key Features
  • PCIe 3.1 Compliant / NVMe 1.3 Compliant
  • Power Management for APST / ASPM / L1.2
  • s SMART and TRIM commands
Pros
  • Ridiculous data speeds
  • Enormous storage capacity
  • Up to 2TB
  • Flawless cloning
  • Up-gradable firmware
Cons
  • Need PCIe 4.0
  • A bit expensive
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Sabrent Rocket Q 8TB

Although most will agree that nothing is perfect under the sun, some things are 99.9 percent perfect! In the world of SATA SSDs, the Crucial MX500  3D is a good example of such. It is more or less the same as the 860 Evo in of performance, reliability, speed, and durability.  It comes with sequential write and read speeds of up to 510MBs per second and 560MBs per second, respectively.

The tool utilizes the Micron 3D Nand cutting edge technology making it highly robust and ideal for gaming.  Another feature that makes it a near-perfect SSD is integrate Power Loss Immunity! The feature allows it to save work if your laptop/PC shuts down abruptly or the power cuts. So no more worrying about losing your data when you get this drive. What's more, its AES 256 bit encryption keeps your data safe throughout and considerably minimizes your system's chances of getting hacked.

On the other side of the coin(0.01%), there is an area that Crucial can do better.  For instance, models with a slightly lower capacity are a bit slower. But the difference is very minimal. In fact, you won't even notice unless you are extremely keen. That said, at only $50, this model is one of the best  SATA drives right now. It is compatible with most devices and comes with a 5-year warranty.

Key Features
  • Integrated Power Loss Immunity and a 5-year warranty
  • 2.5 inches
  • SATA 6.0 Gb/s
  • Micron 3D NAND technology
  • Ultra-safe with encryption that is AES 256-bit hardware-based
Pros
  • Great money value
  • It is one of the best in its class
  • Advanced features like AES AND IPLI
Cons
  • It has a slightly slower speed
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Crucial MX500 250GB

The Kingston 240GB A400 is a SATA III drive perfect for gaming enthusiasts on a budget. While the price tags of SSDs have dropped considerably over the last few years, most of them are still expensive because they use better technology than their HDD counterparts. And because of that, most gamers do not get an opportunity to enjoy their invaluable pros. Even if the rate per Gigabyte of a solid-state drive is slightly cheap, most of them aren't available at lower storage capabilities. Fortunately, this A400  offers some relief to such players. It has options from 120GB to 1.92TB. And because of the low starting storage capacity, the price is also pocket friendly.

This doesn't mean that it compromises on speed or performance. Actually, it is 15 times faster than an ordinary hard drive. It has excellent write and read speeds of up to 450MB per second and 500MB per second.  The high speeds can help almost all types of systems. Even the older ones run considerably better. What's more, unlike hard drives with moving components, this model uses flash memory to run, making it durable and almost impossible for it to fail.

Its design is also flexible and is compatible with most desktops and laptops.It comes in various capacities: 120GB, 240GB, 480GB, 960 GB and 1.92 TB. The 120GB one goes for only $20 catering for every gamer. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with accessories, and its performance is a bit low compared with other similar SSDs. That notwithstanding, it is a good alternative to hard disk drives, and you will feel the difference almost instantly when you try it.

Key Features
  • Comes with a three-year warranty
  • Available in various capacities from 120 GB to 1.9TB
  • Designed with a flash memory making it durable and reliable
Pros
  • Affordable
  • Durable and reliable
  • Available in various capacities
Cons
  • Not as good as other SSDs
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Kingston 240GB A400

The Western digital San Disk X600 from SanDisk offers an amazing way to enhance your desktop PC or laptop's performance and responsiveness. It strikes a great balance between affordability, reliability, and performance without breaking the bank.

It racks speeds of up to 440MB per second and 530MB per second when it comes to writing and reading speeds, respectively. While it is not as fast as drives like the Samsung Evo, for instance, for the price tag, you are getting a reliable drive from a well-known brand-SanDisk popularly known for making the best solid drives and SD cards. And that's not all, to top it all, the appliance comes with a 3-year factory limited warranty.

Now, this drive is perfect for gaming and lightweight usage. However, if you are a videographer or photographer and want something faster and more responsive for your Mac or PC, the Extreme Pro Portable would be your best bet. According to the manufacturer, the 1TB model costs $200 (only $30 more than the standard version) and delivers two-times its speed with up to 1050MBs per second transfer rate.

It is compatible with Windows PC and is ruggedized with a rating of IP55, meaning it can handle a sustained spray of water or any other non-corrosive liquid.  It is shock-resistant and is designed with a USB-C interface. This includes both USC-A to USB-C and USB-C to USC-A cables.

Key Features
  • Digital Storage Capacity:1 TB
  • 2.5 Inches
  • 560 Megabytes Per Second
Pros
  • Reliable with a good warranty
  • Well priced
  • Shock resistant
  • Decent performance
Cons
  • Tops out at 1TB
  • Three-year warranty
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Western Digital SanDisk X600 1TB

The M.2Western digital SN750 is a PCle*4SSD measuring only 22mm wide and 80mm long. It runs on Western Digital's 3D TLC NAND. The system is only on one side of the board, which means the SSD can fit well even in slim laptops' narrow confines.

The drive has a 1GB per 1MB NAND to DRAM cache ratio, which means you will get 256MB for $120, 250 GB DRIVE, 512MB with the $230, 500GB model and 1GB with the $450, 1TB storage capacity. It comes with a 5-year warranty and rates 600TBW for the 1TB drive, 200TBW for the 250GB one, and 300TBW for the 500GB drive. These rates are more than enough, even for heavy s. You will find it hard to reach those limits in more than ten years of daily use. In of performance, this drive closely matches Samsung's 960 Pro.  It only falls short on non-queued sequential reading with CrystalDiskMark 5.

Key Features
  • Model M.2 2280
  • An exclusive WD BLACK SSD dashboard that enhances gaming performance
  • Ideal for enthusiasts building custom desktops or gaming rigs
  • NVMe drives not compatible with the SATA interface
Pros
  • Top-notch performance
  • Priced more like a budget NVMe SSD than a model
  • Five-year warranty
Cons
  • Easy to confuse with an older WD Black SSD that was also M.2/NVMe
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WD_Black SN750 500GB NVMe

Featuring 530 MB per second and 560MB per second write and read speeds, this Western Digital Blue drive offers superb value for light and new SSD s. It gives you a noble option for 2.5-inch drives as well as an M.2 module to choose from, based on what you have on your motherboard.

Now, when compared to other SSD's in the same category, you will see any difference or improvement in of performance. However, when compared to older HDDs, there is a considerable enhancement in loading times for games and software. This means that if you have an older SSD or HDD, you can go for this drive, but if you have an SSD in the same category, you won't get much from the WD Blue.

That notwithstanding, it is a good upgrade from an older generation solid-state drive or HDD for games. The pricing is also not bad as you can get a 1TB version or 500GB version at slightly lower price tags than most similar drives. Actually, it allows you to go up to 4TB if you need additional storage capacity.

Key Features
  • NVMe drive not compatible with SATA interface
  • It has WD's FIT Lab certification for wide compatibility
  • Read Speed 2400 Megabytes Per Second
  • Type of product M.2 2280
Pros
  • able software to keep it updated
  • It comes with a 3-year limited warranty
  • Other capacities of up to 1TB available
  • Speedy performance
Cons
  • Relatively low performance in heavy tasks
  • No hardware encryption
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WD Blue SN550 500GB

Getting the ideal SSD for your needs is crucial if you want to get the best from your computer.  Slow storage hard drives are a big snag, making your computer's processor sit there fidgeting clock cycles as it waits for data. To speed things up, you need a modern SSD.  But which one do you go for?  There are thousands of products and parameters. That multiplied by the different features each SSD has, makes choosing the right one a big challenge. Consider these aspects before you settle on a product:

Maximum Speeds & Flash Memory

Most Solid State drives are designed with a maximum sequential write speed of more than 300MB per second and a max. Sequential read of more than 500MB per second.  Your computer's motherboard must have  SATA III or SATA 6.0 Gbit/s to integrate well with such speeds. If the computer has SATA II or SATA 3.0 Gbit, go for an SSD with a max seq, write speed of around 150MB per second, and max seq read speed of about 250MB per second. Primarily if your controller was made in 2012 or before SATA 3.0 Gbit/s is your best bet.

There are two main types of consumer-grade solid-state drives depending on the NAND flash memory used in the design: Triple Level Cell(TLC) and Multi-level Cell(MLC). The main difference between the two versions is that TLC can store more data on every cell, making its products cheaper, hence a more affordable unit. However, note that this has its own disadvantages that compromise endurance and enhance the rate of errors. But this is not a big problem nowadays because modern units come with an error rectifying code to help counter such issues.

Based on your needs, if you are a gaming enthusiast and looking for a product that will last for a while and can endure even the toughest terrains, without compromising on performance, go for a multi-level cell. But if your usage is not heavy, but want high speeds, a triple-level cell will do the job well.

SATA III Compatibility & ECC Memory

As mentioned earlier, if your computer s SATA III, go for an SSD that s the interface for maximum speeds and seamless operation. However, keep in mind that SATA III consistent drives are backward compatible, which means they can work on any controller model. If you plan to upgrade your PC to include a SATA III system soon but still want high speeds on your current system, go for a SATA III solid-state drive. However, if you upgrade several years from now, go for SATA II because it is slightly cheaper.

This feature shows an SSD's reliability. As the name suggests, ECC( Error Correcting Code) memory helps the SSD identify and rectify any corrupted data preventing the system from working properly.  It also gets rid of worthless information on the drive.

Like purchasing any type of product, an SSD creator's name and position play a critical role in crediting its products. Currently, most robust and dependable drives come from tech giants like SanDisk, Crucial, Corsair, OCZ, Samsung, and Intel. It is also a good idea to go through reviews of a drive's consumers before you buy it. Most online stores like Amazon have unbiased reviews on most products.