We are going to check out the top 5 best solid-state drives in the market in 2021. We made this list based on our personal opinion and we tried to list them in order of their price, quality, durability and some other factors.
Table of Contents
Comparison Table: The 5 Best SSDs 2021
Rank | Name | Capacity | Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 250 GB – 4 TB | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ||
2 | 280 GB – 480 GB | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ||
3 | 250 GB – 2 TB | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ||
4 | 250 GB – 2 TB | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ||
5 | 250 GB – 1 TB | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
5. ADATA SD700
- Read/Write Speed up to 440 MB/s
- IP68 Dust & Waterproof
- Durable
- Affordable
- 3D NAND Flash Technology
At number 5, we have the ADATA SD700. This would be one of the best choices in the market if you’re looking for a highly reliable SSD that combines a durable construction, reasonable price and high speed. From a design perspective, the SD 700 comes in two colors such as black and yellow and both of them are ip68 rated, which means that they are dust, water, and shockproof so you will be secured from virtually anything. Hence you can choose the color that suits you the best but take in mind that both of them perform equally good, so you will be satisfied regardless of your choice.
The SD700 features a square shaped compact and lightweight construction that is accompanied by a rubber bumper which makes it easy to carry and hold so it won’t slip off your hands. Interestingly, the manufacturer claims that due to its quality design this unit can maintain its full functionality even if you drop it from around 4 feet of height on each of its 12 edges 6 faces and 8 corners, which is really cool.
In terms of connectivity, this SSD includes a USB 3.0 port that will let you have a plug and play operation on any platform you want. Or even better said the ADATA is compatible with Mac OS, Linux, Windows and Android so you won’t be limited to a specific OS.
Now let’s talk about the features. The SD700 comes in three storage capacities of which you can choose from such as 1TB, 256GB or 512GB and according to your requirements you can choose the one that satisfies your needs the best. Those who’ve had previously purchased this unit claimed that they this little gem is pretty effective and quick at the same time. It can read sequential data up to 400MB/s and writes sequential data at 430MB/s but take in mind that this may vary.
Another great thing about this SSD is the 3d NAND technology which ensures that the drive is energy efficient, packs more bits per unit volume and it maintains its optimal temperature even if you’ve been using it for some period of time. Overall, the SD700 is a top choice for everyone who is looking for a quality and durable SSD that can last for years.
4. Samsung T5
- Read/Write Speed up to 540 MB/s
- Handle drops up to 2 meters
- AES 256-bit Hardware Encryption
- Portable
- Compact
At number four we have the Samsung T5. The Samsung T5 is one of the most purchased SSDs in the market and since its release it has been continuously purchased. So let’s get quickly into action and find out why the T5 would be a top choice for you.
From a design perspective, the T5 comes in two colors including black and blue and each of them comes in four different storage sizes such as 1TB, 2TB, 250GB and 500GB. Just take in mind that each of the storage sizes varies in the price, so if you seek for more storage it will cost you more. That’s why we’ve set the 1 of 500GB because it is somewhere in the middle.
This SSD is incredibly durable due to the fact that it has a metal rounded shockproof unibody design that sits nicely unto your palms and pocket so you can take it with you anywhere you want without any problem. In addition, at the bottom you can find a USB 3.1 Gen-2 interface that provides twice more data transfer rate if you compare it with its predecessors. This means that different sized data 4k videos and high resolution photos will be loaded in a matter of seconds.
Let’s talk about the performance. The T5 has a Samsung V-NAND flash memory that makes this SSD capable of delivering reads and writes of 540 and 515MB/s accordingly. In addition, the T5 works perfectly fine with most of the operating systems available such as MacOS, Windows and Android, so it is indeed really versatile.
In terms of security, we think that Samsung has done a perfect job with implementing an aes 256-bit hardware encryption which makes the SSD incredibly tough to be harmed. Everything that is stored inside will be really difficult to be exploited, so you shouldn’t worry literally about anything. You can also have an opportunity to set an optional personal password if you seek to enhance the protection even more which is amazing. To conclude, the T5 is a top great all-rounder SSD, if you compare the benefits you receive for the money you pay.
3. Crucial MX500
- Micron 3D NAND technology
- Reads/Writes up to 560/510 MB/s
- Integrated Power Loss Immunity
- Long Lifespan
- Highly Secure
At number three, we have the crucial MX500. The crucial MX500 is an internal SSD that was crafted by a respectable brand that does a pretty good job in manufacturing top products on which you can rely. From a design perspective, the MX500 features a silver body with the blue-colored MX 500 label embedded at the center which notifies that you have an opportunity to feel the benefits of having a product of one of the greatest companies in the market.
This model comes in a variety of storage capacities including 1TB of storage, 2TB, 250GB and 500GB and regardless of your choice you will definitely have a good time with it and instantly feel the difference from the moment you insert it into your laptop. In addition, you won’t have any trouble installing it, since all you have to do is just follow the included installation guide that will grant you a hassle and frustration free installation.
Now let’s talk about its features. The MX500 uses a next-gen micron 3d NAND chip that makes it capable enough to work effectively, without spending too much energy and at the same time make your computer fast and quiet, so you won’t be distracted by any noise. Since we’ve mentioned the power we want you to know that the manufacturer has integrated a power loss immunity which will keep all of your saved work even if you somehow find yourself in a situation where the power is unexpectedly cut off. Moreover, this SSD can sequentially read and write data to up to 560 and 510MB/s respectively. While on the other said, it can read and right random data to up to 95K and 90K respectively on all file types. To be honest, this is wonderful for its price because you can quickly access your data, save dozens of files such as photos, videos tracks, and other files that are important for you.
Sequential Read MB/s | Sequential Write MB/s | Random Read IOPS | Random Write IOPS |
560 | 510 | 95K | 90K |
Before we end, there is one more thing we have to mention and that’s the dynamic right acceleration technology which generates blazing fast speeds so you won’t wait for booting and loading stuff. To conclude, we’d recommend you take the MX500 into consideration because it is reasonably priced and it offers a great value.
2. Intel Optane SSD 900P series
- Optane Technology
- Ideal for Professional users
- Fast loading times
- Sequential read up to 2500 MB/s
- Sequential write up to 2000 MB/s
At number two we have the Intel Optane. It is a premium SSD that is oriented towards those who seek high demanding professional workloads, such as users and creators. So if you’re one of them then wait until you hear what you can expect. From a design perspective, the octane 900 features a stylish black and silver body that has ventilation on the sides and an Intel logo with the products name embedded at the center.
But what makes this model so special? It’s the internal part. Well this SSD comes with a PCIe and 2.5 inch form factors that make it suitable for high demanding work tasks as we’ve stated at the beginning and even great for gaming. In addition Intel didn’t include the NAND technology but 3d xpoint instead with the intention to design an SSD that can fill the gap between RAM and storage. This technology is more expensive than NAND but it is a way faster and durable so you will highly benefit from it. For example the 3d xpoint rapidly changes the market due to the fact that it can add replace and delete information and provide a longer lifespan filled with blazing fast speed.
But now let’s talk about the performance. According to Intel, this SSD can read sequential data up to 2,500 MB/s and right up to 2,000 MB/s, which is really good in our opinion. The 480GB of capacity is also a very cool thing because you will have plenty of space to store all of your files and be equipped with hypothetically said limitless space. Moreover, Intel has included an aes 256-bit hardware encryption which guarantees a higher level of security so you will be secured from any unwanted intrusions that may happen. We would also like to mention that those who’ve had purchased this product for productivity oriented purposes, state that their multitasking OS boot times, and task switching capabilities were greatly enhanced, which is as we’ve expected.
Overall, this may not be the most affordable SSD in the market but if you want to invest in a hardware SSD that can elevate your experience to a whole new level, then the Intel Optane 900 would be a good start for you.
1. Samsung 860 Evo
- V-NAND technology
- Sequential read up to 550 MB/s
- Sequential write up to 520 MB/s
- Smart Compatibility
- SATA III 6GB/s Interface
To finish up at number one, we have the Samsung 860 Evo. The Samsung 860 Evo is a premium internal SSD that combines everything necessary to make your workstation run smoothly and quickly like never before. From a design perspective, the Evo features a tiny compact glossy black design that is accompanied by a Samsung labeling at the center and a silver square at the bottom. For your information the square is silver because it signals the difference between this model with the 860 Pro that has a red square and costs a way more so we want to make this clear from the very beginning.
This model comes in different storage capacities starting from 250GB and up to 4TB. So depending on your requirements you can choose the one that would suit you the best. Before we move to the next section we would like to inform you that this SSD is suitable for both PCs and laptop users and at the same time it is compatible with Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.
Now let’s talk about the features. The Samsung 860 Evo is based on the Intelligent TurboWrite technology and the NAND technology which will ensure sequential writes of up to 550MB/s and reads of 520MB/s for your ultimate user experience. For example, from the moment you insert this SSD into your PC, you will instantly recognize its potential. Everything starting from 4k, videos, photos, the booting time and everything related to the PC performance will be increased immediately, so you won’t deal with frustration like you’ve previously had.
As it was the case with some of the products we’ve mentioned earlier, this SSD uses an AES 256-bit hardware encryption and as you already know all of your stored files will be saved from intrusions. Moreover, we’d suggest you download the Samsung Magician software as well because it will give you an insight of the SSDs condition, help you optimize it, tune it and much more.
To conclude, the Samsung 860 Evo is a must-have for everyone who wants to move from their existing SSD to a better one that can effectively boost the performance of your PC or laptop like never before.
We always keep the reviews up-to-date with information and if any new or better products come out in the near future we will update this article so if you want the most current up-to-date information along with links upon the best prices, be sure to keep visiting. If you have any questions, be sure to leave in the comment section down below.