Best 480GB, 500GB & 512GB Solid State Drive For The Money
Report Data Collected On: 1/Jan/2019
If your laptop or desktop computer has a good amount of RAM and a performer CPU installed in it, and you’re still compromising with the performance? then you really are missing out the SSD’s fun.
A sluggish drive is a huge storage bottleneck factor, what people still bear over the last two decades. Even the SSD market hit the billion dollars industry tag in 2010, but because of the over-priced drives. Nobody’s spending 700 dollars for a 240 gigs drive or 340 dollars for the 120 GB variant.
And now in 2018, the competition is on fire and you can buy a top end 512 gigs drive for only about 200 dollars. So, What else more?
Even these drives can fix the performance issue in your old computers, but having one in your new computer is like compulsory. You just can’t argue over the 20 or 25 times better performance as compared to the top end available hard drive out in the market.
Why use a 480GB or 500GB Solid State Drive?
From a gamer’s perspective, these drives can boot your game loading speed, but not the FPS. And that’s why the 500GB variant is like gold to the budget gamers because you can at least install your 4 mainstream games in it and the rest of library can be stored into the secondary hard drive.
Use can use an M.2 or mSATA SSD (which one is compatible) in your old gaming laptop and can still use your old hard disk as a secondary drive.
Now this year, you can see the enormous performance difference over the past few series. The transferring speed goes up to 3.5 GB per second, which doesn’t feel like real until you see it from your eyes.
So, if you are really ready to make a change, then just go for it.
Let’s See The Top SSD’s List
I’ve taken an oath to get you best out of your purchase and that’s why I already maintained SSDs Data into a sheet which took me months of work, just to compare out the flawless solid-state drive available at the marketplace. I compared 160+ SSDs only under this storage category.
SSDs are available in 4 different types, 2.5 Inch, M.2, mSATA, and PCIe. To know more; How to buy SSD (Solid State Drive) for PC & Laptop?
Or if have any concern about the compatibility with your current selection, then here; Check SSD (2.5/mSATA/M.2/PCIe) Compatibility with Laptop or Desktop Motherboard
For performance comparison, just mainly look for the maximum numbers in spec under your budget and that will work for you.
So, let’s starts with;
#Best 480GB, 500GB & 512GB 2.5 Inch SSDs Available In the Market
3rd 2.5 Inch – WD Blue 3D NAND WDS500G2B0A
- Form Factor: 2.5 inches, 7mm
- Interface: SATA 6Gb/s
- Max Sequential Read/Write Speed: 560 MB Per Second / 530 MB Per Second
- Max Random Read/Write Speed: 95,000 IOPS / 84,000 IOPS
- Warranty/support: 5 Years Limited Warranty
- Endurance {Terabytes Written/lifetime}: 200 TBW
- NAND Type: Western Digital 3D NAND
- Price: 80.99$ {Check Current Price}
Short Review: The WD Blue is known for its high performance, enhanced capacity, reliability, and high computing speed. It comes with the 3D NAND, which uses the technology to improve its capacity along with helping to reduce the interference from cell-to-cell forms which improves the reliability.
The device features an endurance up to 200 TBW. It raves about its high power efficiency as it draws up to 25% lower than the previous generations of any WD drivers.
It enables the user to work longer and hence increases the productivity.
The sequential read and write speeds are up to 560MB/s to 530MB/s which improves the boot-up time of the system, better application response, and quicker transfer speeds. The drive is designed in such a way that it helps to prevent data loss in case of any small incidents. It has various Error Correction Technologies which ensures that personal data remains safe. It features 1.75M hours MTTF (Mean Time to Failure) as well.
The device comes bundled up with the certification from the WD functional integrity testing lab which is verified for its compatibility with various sets of computing systems. Every single driver is made to go through a series of compatibility and reliability tests to ensure the high standards and performance.
With the help of the WD SSD dashboard, users can monitor the drive’s storage capacity, the operating temperatures, along with SMART attributes. It also features ways to clone your drive, make a proper backup of your operating systems, various settings, and personal data.
In my Opinion;
Perfect drive for the money you’ll spend. This month the price drop to 81 dollars from 120$, which surely doesn’t dig a hole in your pocket.
Click on link to check out the current price of “WD Blue 3D NAND WDS500G2B0A“: @Amazon US ($80.99), @Amazon UK (£80.91), @Amazon IND (₹9,899.00), @Best Buy ($94.99), @Walmart ($139.00), @Newegg ($89.99).
2nd 2.5 Inch – SAMSUNG 850 PRO MZ-7KE512BW
- Form Factor: 2.5 inches, 7mm
- Interface: SATA 6 Gb/s Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gb/s & SATA 1.5 Gb/s interface
- Max Sequential Read/Write Speed: 550 MB Per Second / 520 MB Per Second
- Max Random Read/Write Speed: 100,000 IOPS / 90,000 IOPS
- Warranty/support: 10 Years Limited Warranty
- Endurance {Terabytes Written/lifespan}: 300 TBW
- NAND Type: Samsung 32 layer 3D V-NAND
- Price: 254.19$ {Check Current Price}
Short Review: Samsung’s 850 Pro uses the innovative 3D V-NAND Architecture, which results in enhanced performance while using a relatively smaller footprint breaking the conventional density limits. It provides a sequential read and writes speed ranging from 550MB/s to 520MB/s which helps to offer a class-leading performance.
The device is known for its high endurance. It can handle over 300 TBW (Terabytes Written) over the complete lifespan, this results in over 80 GB of read and write operations on a daily basis ranged over a 10-year period. And it packs up a powerful 10-year warranty period.
The driver comes with an efficient design enabling you to work for a longer period of time, increasing the productivity. It uses less energy while simultaneously providing high-class performance, it can go in an ultra-power state mode to save maximum energy.
It also features an end to end integration solution which leads to low power consumption owing to LPDDR2 DRAM Cache Memory with an energy efficient Samsung 3-core MEX Controller which leads to an enhanced level of performance for a smooth experience of the computing system.
The driver protects personal data with an SED (Self-Encrypting Drive) Technology embedded with an AES 256-bit hardware-based. It ensures total security without any loss in performance.
It also comes with the TCG Opal alongside IEEE 1667 protocol to ensure maximum security. It also features a Crypto Erase, which enables you to quickly erase the data or sanitize your drive, giving the user full control over the management of the device.
In my Opinion;
I know the 255$ price tag doesn’t cheer you up, but still for those who wanted to use the drive in a computer who run most of the time in a day. Then the 10 years warranty period is like a big deal to me. But still, 255$ isn’t that worthy because in 266$you can buy “ADATA SU900 ASU900SS-1TM-C” who also ranks third in our “Top Best 1TB SSD (2.5 Inch/mSATA/M.2/PCIe) – Monthly Updated” article.
Click on link to check out the current price of “SAMSUNG 850 PRO MZ-7KE512BW “: @Amazon US ($254.19), @Amazon UK (£208.09), @Amazon IND (₹20,499.00), @Best Buy (N/A), @Walmart (N/A), @Newegg ($257.99).
1st 2.5 Inch – SAMSUNG 860 PRO MZ-76P512BW
- Form Factor: 2.5 inches, 7mm
- Interface: SATA 6 Gb/s Interface, compatible with SATA 3 Gb/s & SATA 1.5 Gb/s interface
- Max Sequential Read/Write Speed: 560 MB Per Second / 530 MB Per Second
- Max Random Read/Write Speed: 100,000 IOPS / 90,000 IOPS
- Warranty/support: 5 Years Limited Warranty
- Endurance {Terabytes Written/lifespan}: 600TBW
- NAND Type: Samsung 32 layer 3D V-NAND
- Price: 167.99$ {Check Current Price}
Short Review: Samsung 860 Pro is known for its reliability. It runs with the latest version of V-NAND Technology along with a robust controller which is algorithm based, capable of handling heavy workload seen in high-end PCs, NAS (Network Attached Systems), and workstations with more consistent and sustained level of speed. This is a very big advancement for gamers and business professionals.
The sequential read and write speeds range from 560MB/s to 530MB/s owing to the refined controller. It raves about its high endurance, it can safely store 4K videos and 3D data used up by applications along with rendering them.
It comes packed with a 5-year or 600 TBW warranty with the industry-leading endurance. It helps in faster communication with the home system resulting in more efficiency of the device.
The device comes with an improved queued trim, which enhances the Linux compatibility. Along with the refined ECC (Error Correction Code) algorithm, a new MJX Controller is installed in order to generate high speed and hence improve the performance of the computing system for a smooth and uninterrupted user experience.
The developments in the device make it more compatible with a varied range of computing systems. The Samsung Magician Software comes as an add-on to provide an intuitive and simple user interface.
The data is protected by various security option selections. It features an AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption, which also has TCG Opal and IEEE 1667. The device also gets frequent updates which are easy to install to enhance the performance and stability.
In my Opinion;
Excellent product from an industry-leading brand. Who mainly known for its ultimate endurance or you can say ‘life expectancy’.
Click on link to check out the current price of “Samsung 860 PRO MZ-76P512BW“: @Amazon US ($167.99), @Amazon UK (£247.33), @Amazon IND (₹18,000.00), @Best Buy ($249.99), @Walmart (N/A), @Newegg ($166.99).
#Best 480GB, 500GB & 512GB mSATA SSDs Available In the Market
1st mSATA – Samsung 860 EVO MZ-M6E500BW
- Form Factor: mSATA
- Interface: SATA 6 Gb/s Interface
- Max Sequential Read/Write Speed: 550 MB Per Second / 520 MB Per Second
- Max Random Read/Write Speed: 97,000 IOPS / 88,000 IOPS
- Warranty/support: 5 Years Limited Warranty
- Endurance {Terabytes Written/lifespan}: 300TBW
- NAND Type: Samsung V-NAND 3bit MLC
- Price: 114.99$ {Check Current Price}
Short Review: Samsung’s 860 Evo raves about its enhanced performance, specifically designed to increase the computing power of mainstream laptops and personal computers. It comes with the latest V-NAND Technology which results in a fast computing speed and high reliability.
The device speeds are very efficient and consistent under heavy workloads, which enables quick multi-tasking modes with quicker file transfer rates. The sequential read and write speeds range from 550MB/s to 520MB/s, owing to its intelligent TurboWrite technology which gives an excellent performance rate.
It features up to 8 times higher TBW (Terabytes Written) as compared to the 850 Evo. The drive ensures secured storage of files and data and it renders 4K videos and 3D data which is used by latest applications. It comes bundled up with a 5-year limited warranty.
The drive establishes a better fluid connection with the host system, resulting in faster computing speeds and performance level. The refined ECC Algorithm along with a new MJX Controller successfully generate faster speed and enhanced compatibility with Linux system is improved by the queued trim. The Samsung Magician software gives a simple and intuitive user interface, enabling you to handle your drive with ease with a better management.
It ensures data protection by various security options, it supports AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption bundled with TCG Opal and IEEE 1667 which prevents any risk to your personal data. Along with regular notifications for updates in the firmware which aims at improving the performance and stability of the system without any hurdles.
In my Opinion;
This one is also good but if you can spend 63 more dollars you can actually buy “SAMSUNG 860 EVO MZ-M6E1T0BW” who also ranks 1st in our “Top Best 1TB SSD (2.5 Inch/mSATA/M.2/PCIe) – Monthly Updated” article.
Click on link to check out the current price of “Samsung 860 EVO MZ-M6E500BW“: @Amazon US ($114.99), @Amazon UK (£89.98), @Amazon IND (₹15,297.00), @Best Buy ($130.99), @Walmart (N/A), @Newegg ($164.43).
#Best 480GB, 500GB & 512GB M.2 SSDs Available In the Market
2nd M.2 – SAMSUNG 970 EVO MZ-V7E500BW
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Interface: PCIe Gen 3.0 x4
- Max Sequential Read/Write Speed: 3400 MB Per Second / 2300 MB Per Second
- Max Random Read/Write Speed: 370,000 IOPS / 450,000 IOPS
- Warranty/support: 5 Years Limited Warranty
- Endurance {Terabytes Written/lifespan}: 300TBW
- NAND Type: Samsung V-NAND 3-bit MLC
- Price: 147.99$ {Check Current Price}
Short Review: Samsung’s 970 Evo defines the computing power of the next generation with its exceptional performance. It is known for its amazing speed and enhanced reliability. It comes packed with the latest V-NAND, a new Phoenix Controller along with an intelligent TurboWrite Technology which is an advancement to high-end gaming experience along with 4K and 3D graphics editing. It can handle intensive workloads resulting in high performance with the NVMe feature boosting its performance.
The sequential read and write speeds are up to 3,400MB/s to 2,300MB/s, enabling faster transfer speeds and efficient performance of the system. The 970 Evo comes with a design flexibility with a great capacity and exceptional endurance level to give a new standard of sustainable performance. It comes packed with a 5-year limited warranty period.
The device is known for its unparalleled reliability to achieve better performance in a long-term of computing. The 970 Evo comes with a nickel coated controlled along with a heat spreader for better and superior heat dissipation. For maintaining the performance levels, it comes with the Dynamic Thermal Guard which monitors and maintains an optimal temperature for smooth functioning.
It also comes with an advance drive management, Samsung’s Magician Software, which enables you to keep track of the development of your drive with the simple to use management system. It is super user-friendly embedded with tools to help monitor the drive’s speed and health resulting in enhanced performance of the system for an efficient and productive computing experience.
In my Opinion;
You just can’t hesitate while choosing this drive over any other M.2 SSD in the market. Perfect performance with a perfect price tag who fits perfectly in your budget.
Click on link to check out the current price of “Samsung 860 EVO MZ-76E250B/AM“: @Amazon US ($147.99), @Amazon UK (£78.52), @Amazon IND (₹21,999.00), @Best Buy ($147.99), @Walmart (N/A), @Newegg ($147.99).
1st M.2 – SAMSUNG 970 PRO MZ-V7P512BW
- Form Factor: M.2 80mm
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 1.2
- Max Sequential Read/Write Speed: 3200 MB Per Second / 1500 MB Per Second
- Max Random Read/Write Speed: 330,000 IOPS / 300,000 IOPS
- Warranty/support: 3 Years Limited Warranty
- Endurance {Terabytes Written/lifespan}: 600TBW
- NAND Type: Samsung V-NAND Technology
- Price: 197.99$ {Check Current Price}
Short Review: The Samsung 970 Pro is a beast known for handling intensive workloads on workstations and PCs. It gives the ultimate performance due to the presence of Samsung’s NVMe SSD and the V-NAND Technology, and the Phoenix Controller in a compact M.2 form factor to satisfy the needs of creative tech enthusiasts and business professionals.
The sequential read and write speeds range from 3,200MB/s to 1500MB/s, which comes to be about 30 percent higher as compared to the previous generation, which is a great advancement. The device raves about its high sustainable performance, with up to 100 TBW packed with a 3-year limited warranty period.
It features an enhanced endurance due to the latest installation of the V-NAND Technology. It achieves another level of driver’s performance with Samsung’s nickel coated controlled along with the heat spreader which enables better heat dissipation.
The 970 Pro features a Dynamic Thermal Guard Technology, preventing any damage from the excessive heat. It monitors and maintains the optimal temperature for operations and simultaneously keeps the performance stable for better and efficient computing experience by users, enhancing its efficiency on the long-run.
The Samsung Magician software helps the user keep track of the drive’s content and performance, hence it makes the drive management simpler by the user. The user-friendly tools included help in keeping the device updated, tack the drive’s speed and health, and along with boosting the performance of the system for a better computing experience.
In my Opinion;
The one with the eye-catching performance, and will never let you down in any performance needy condition. And you know the “SAMSUNG 970 EVO MZ-V7E1T0BW” who only costs 297$ for a 1TB variant has better performance spec as compare to this top-rated drive of our under 512GB category list.
For “SAMSUNG 970 EVO MZ-V7E1T0BW” review: Top Best 1TB SSD (2.5 Inch/mSATA/M.2/PCIe) – Monthly Updated
Click on link to check out the current price of “Samsung 860 EVO MZ-76E250B/AM“: @Amazon US ($197.99), @Amazon UK (£99.44), @Amazon IND (₹30,200.00), @Best Buy ($284.99), @Walmart (N/A), @Newegg ($197.99).
#Best 480GB, 500GB & 512GB PCIe SSDs Available In the Market
Sorry to say but not a single good PCI Express SSD card is available in the market who worth its price under this 480GB, 500GB & 512GB SSD category.
But the good part is, you can use NVMe M.2 SSD card on your computer even without having an M.2 slot on your computer’s motherboard;
And to do that, you only need an “M.2 to PCIe Card Adaptor” just as shown in the example picture given below and you are ready to go.
M.2 to PCIe Adapter – Single/Dual/Quad/DIMM.2/RAID
M.2 adapters are specially designed to allow the computers to support M.2 devices which lack the M.2 slot. But you need to double check before choosing it as it comes in two compatibility variables the first one is the length while the second is the Key… Read more
And that’s our top 6 list of the best 480/500/512 GB (2.5/mSATA/M.2/PCIe) SSD what you can get for your desktop or laptop computer. Stay tuned for more! – So, what will you pick, if you wanted one for yourself? Let me know in the comments below:
Happy Shopping!!!
