We rated, reviewed, & compared 23 of the best solid state drives across various budgets. These top SSDs and NVME M.2 drives are perfect for gamers or anyone else looking for incredibly fast computer storage.
If you’ve been living in a cave for the past five years and you’ve just re-entered into society, then you probably haven’t heard of solid state drives. Don’t worry… I’m here to get you back up to speed… Solid state drives are basically storage devices much like mechanical hard drives. They hold large amounts of data and information for your computer.
Where SSDs stand out is the speed in which they are able to retrieve data for you. In fact, SSDs are able to hit sequential read speeds of 10-100 times faster than traditional hard drives.
All that extra speed means that your computer will boot up faster, your files will be opened more quickly, and your programs, applications, and games will load up in a fraction of the time.
While in most cases, a Solid State Drive won’t increase your frame rates, it will dramatically increase the speed in which programs and applications open up, data will load (and your games, too, if they’re stored on your SSD), which willl significantly cut down on waiting time.
Does this give you a direct boost to your in-game gaming experience? Not really… Does it make the overall functionality of your computer better? Absolutely.
In any case, if you don’t have an SSD, then you strongly need to consider getting one…
In this post, I will go over the best SSDs for gaming computers in 2018 at various price ranges for different budget sizes. I’ve broken down the categories into four different price ranges: SSDs under $50, SSDs between $50-$100, SSDs between $100-$200, and SSDs over $200. I’ve also added a section dedicated specifically to the best NVME SSDs on the market, which are an even faster type of SSD.
I’ve listed a few different SSD options for each price range and while there are definitely some other worthy solid state drives in these price ranges, I felt these offered the best returns for PC gamers.
THE BEST M.2 NVME SSDS FOR GAMING
In the span of 4-5 years, SSDs have completely revolutionized how we store our files and programs not just once, but twice. First, with the introduction of Solid State Drives themselves and, now, with the rapid rise of M.2 NVME modules.
Where solid state drives brought a huge increase in drive performance when they were initial introduced (through higher read/write speeds) M2 NVME module have brought just as significant of a performance increase over their disk counterparts.
In fact, whereas some of the best disk-oriented SSDs on the market offer read and write speeds of over 500 MB/s, the top M2 NVME SSDs offer read speeds over 3000MB/s and write speeds over 2000MB/s.
And, the good news is that they don’t cost that much more than the standard SSDs. However, you will need to ensure that your motherboard has an M.2 port in order to get one.
If you are looking for one of the better M.2 NVME SSDs out there, though, the options below will give you a range of choices to choose between.
M.2 NVME SSDS (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)
Samsung 960 PRO |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 1TB |
READ SPEED | 3500 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 2100 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Samsung 960 PRO
The Samsung 960 PRO 1TB is the SSD you get when you have to have the fastest and most powerful option available. It is a high-end product with a matching price tag, to be sure. However, it boasts some excellent specs even if you’re just looking. It is another example that shows Samsung is on top of its game.
The SSD comes in three flavors, 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB. It has the PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 2280 form factor using the NVMe protocol for lightning fast speed. It has a read speed up to 3,200 MB/s and a write speed up to 1,900 MB/s. It can read and write a 30GB folder in an amazing two minutes. The storage type is Samsung’s own V-NAND. The only place where it lags is 4k performance.
That said, it’s a solid performer that moves into the next generation if just for speed alone in its sleek 0.87 x 3.15 x 0.09” size. It manages temperatures well despite its high performance. For the user looking for the absolute fastest solid state drive around, the Samsung 960 PRO 1 TB is hard to beat.
This internal drive is easy to install with speeds that make it highly responsive. You can easily manage the SSD with Samsung’s Magician software for optimal performance. For good measure, Samsung includes its Dynamic Thermal Guard to keep it from overheating. The unit comes with a limited five-year warranty.
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Samsung 960 EVO |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 500GB |
READ SPEED | 3200MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 1900MB/s |
SATA | NVMe PCIe |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
Samsung 960 EVO
The Samsung 960 EVO 500GB is a more affordable internal solid state drive that its star performer, the 960 PRO. However, the SSD delivers solid performance that will make it a popular choice for serious gamers and professional applications with few compromises. This less expensive model uses some of the same technology that makes the 960 PRO a standout.
Under the hood, the SSD has a PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 2280 form factor with an NVMe 1.2 interface. The Samsung 960 EVO is fast with a read speed of 3,200 MB/s and a write speed of 1,800 MB/s. It comes in three capacities, 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB. When you talk about fast performance, you also have to consider temperature control which Samsung covers well.
Its Polaris controller helps it run smooth and cool, while the Dynamic Thermal Guard (DTG) keeps things in check during heavy workloads. Copper layers within the design protect the core elements. Also, Samsung’s improved TurboWrite technology kicks up its performance a notch. It has an endurance rating of up to 200 TBW (terabytes written).
For optimal performance, the SSD uses Samsung’s TurboWrite technology for creating a write buffer area to ramp up speeds. Users can also tailor its performance to their preferences with Samsung’s Magician Software. The Samsung 960 EVO 500GB comes with a three-year limited warranty, a bit less than the 960 PRO at five years. However, it’s a minor point.
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WD Black 256GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 256GB |
READ SPEED | 2050MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 700MB/s |
SATA | NVMe PCIe |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
WD Black 256GB
The WD Black 256GB isn’t a high-performance SSD with the serious gamer. Rather, its niche is the entry-level NVMe SSD buyer looking to upgrade to manage a heavier workload. In terms of the SSD market, WD is late to the party but with a decent offering using their SanDisk planar TLC NAND. If you’re upgrading a notebook, it’s a solid choice for the money.
The WD Black comes in 256GB and 512GB capacities. It has a PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe interface and a Marvell 88SS1093 controller. The SSD has a read speed of 2050 MB/s and a write speed of 700 MB/s, 100MB less than the 512GB version. The company boasts that it has an industry-leading 1.75M hours Mean Time To Failure (MTTF), but it has an 80 TBW.
The WD SSD Dashboard software allows users to manage and optimize the performance of the SSD for their needs. It also includes the Acronis software to back up and clone the existing drive. On the downside, its packaging lacks the necessary specs that would belie the fact that the Black series isn’t the high-performance SSD it suggests.
However, the WB Black 256GB has several outstanding points. One of its clear advantages is the price as an affordable entry-level NVMe SSD. To its credit, the company priced it right. That is especially true for notebook users because of its excellent battery life. It comes with a generous five-year warranty that takes away a bit of the sting of the low TBW.
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MyDigitalSSD 120GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 120GB |
READ SPEED | 2600 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 1300 MB/s |
SATA | NVMe PCIe |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
MyDigitalSSD 120GB
The MyDigitalSSD 120GB may not have the name recognition of other SSD brands, but it has the clout to back up its entry-level PVIe NVMe offerings. The words behind its acronym, Bullet Proof eXpress (BPX), provide a clue. The product delivers reliable service that the company stands behind with a generous five-year warranty for SSDs of its class.
MyDigitalSSD is the market leader in its niche for several reasons. Its price point is comparable to well-known brands in its market. It has a Phison PS5007-E7 Controller with sequential read/write speeds of 2,600MB/s and 1,300MB/s, respectively. The Flash Forward (Toshiba / SanDisk) 15nm 2D MLC flash improves its write performance.
It can reach speeds of 150,000 IOPS for 4K Random Reads and 265,000 IOPS of 4K Random Write performance, not bad for an entry-level SSD. Overall, it offers more performance-per-dollar than many other brands in its class. The MyDigitalSSD has a 1.4 PB (1,400 TB) endurance rating that bests the top performers like the Samsung 960 PRO 2TB.
The SSD comes in 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB capacities with equally impressive speeds which make it an even better buy for an entry-level NVMe SSD. Comparable models using the Phison 5007 controller typically exceed its price point. Similar SSDs can’t match its endurance rating.
That fact alone gives the MyDigitalSSD an edge. And the packaging even includes a screwdriver and extra mounting screw. The company has thought of everything with this one. It delivers higher performance at a cheaper price.
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THE BEST SSDS FOR GAMING UNDER $500
In the span of a couple of years, 1TB SSDs have gone from being close to $1,000, to now just over $200.
That’s right, you can now get a full terabyte of solid state drive storage for just a little over $200.
So, if you have a large budget and you don’t even want to have to deal with the hassle of installing a traditional hard drive, then you can rely solely on an SSD, because the five options listed below will give you all of the storage you will ever need.
In my opinion, the best option here is probably the SanDisk Ultra II, simply because of the price. The performance between all of these drives are so similar that you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in real-world use anyways, so you might as save some money.
However, if you’re looking for the fastest SSD for gaming, you might want to go with the higher end Samsung 850 Pro, which has half the storage capacity, but outperforms the other options on this list.
SOLID STATE DRIVES UNDER $500 (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)
Samsung 850 EVO 1TB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 1TB |
READ SPEED | 540 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 520 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Samsung 850 EVO 1TB
The Samsung 850 EVO 1TB SSD has a couple of things going for it that the other drives on this list don’t…
First off, the 850 EVO 1TB has 40 extra GBs of storage in comparison to the 960GB drives listed above. In the grand scheme of things, though, 40 extra GBs when we’re talking over 950GBs of total space probably isn’t a big deal because if you actually needed that extra 40 GBs, you will probably just go out and get another drive.
Still, though, more capacity is always nice…
The second thing the 850 EVO has going for it is that it performs better than the other drives on this list.
Unfortunately, though, neither of those two things are worth the extra ~$80-$90 or so that this drive costs in comparison to the SanDisk Ultra II. And, because the Ultra II has almost the same performance, in my opinion, there really aren’t a whole lot of reasons to choose the Samsung 850 EVO over it.
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SanDisk Ultra II 960GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 960GB |
READ SPEED | 545MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 525MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
SanDisk Ultra II 960GB
SanDisk’s Ultra II 960GB SSD is, in my opinion, the best option in this price range for a couple of reasons that go hand-in-hand with each other.
For starters, the Ultra II has the performance to compete with the other drives on this list with a 550 MB/s sequential read and 500 MB/s sequential write. It also has much better random read speeds and write speeds than the ADATA SSD listed above.
And, it’s also priced better than the other three 1TB SSDs listed here.
So, while it may not be as cheap as the ADATA SP550 960GB SSD, it does perform better. And, it is also priced better than the options that do perform similar to it. And, ultimately, that’s why it gets the top nod in this price range.
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Crucial MX300 1TB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 1TB |
READ SPEED | 530 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 510 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Crucial MX300 1TB
Crucial has been no stranger to this list and their MX300 series of SSDs have appeared on all but the sub-$50 price range. So, it’s no surprise to see them have a competitively-priced 1TB SSD as well.
In my opinion, the Crucial MX300 is probably the best price-to-performance option on this list as it comes in at a fairly affordable price.
While all of the options in this price range provide similar sequential read/write speeds, the Crucial MX300 does come in a little bit behind the SanDisk Ultra II’s and Samsung 850 EVO’s speeds.
However, if you want to save some money without sacrificing too much performance, then the Crucial MX300 is definitely a solid option.
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ADATA SP550 960GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 960GB |
READ SPEED | 520 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 490 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
ADATA SP550 960GB
ADATA’s SP5550 960GB SSD is the most affordable 1TB SSD on this list. However, as it doesn’t quite have the performance that the other drives on this list due, it’s hard to say it’s the best option in this price range.
While it’s 520/490 MB/s sequential read and write speeds aren’t too bad, it’s random read and write speeds are not quite on par with the others on this list.
Still, though, the performance difference shouldn’t be too significant and for barely over $200 the thought of getting a 1TB SSD is enticing.
If it were me, though, I’d probably save the extra ~$20 or so and get the Crucial MX300.
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Samsung 850 PRO 512GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 512GB |
READ SPEED | 550 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 520 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Samsung 850 PRO 512GB
The Samsung 850 Pro line of SSDs have long been regarded as the top dogs. However, in my opinion, and through experience with multiple SSD brands, the real-world uses between the top SSDs are often so similar that it doesn’t really make sense to pay more for the “premium” options.
Still, I figured I’d add the 850 Pro to the list for anyone who feels differently and wants the most performance absolutely possible.
Ultimately, the 850 Pro is probably the best SSD for gaming and it is one of the first to be powered by Samsung’s V-NAND technology. However, for the same price you can get a drive with double the capacity without very much loss in performance. There is a 1TB version of this drive as well, but it runs over $500.
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THE BEST SSDS FOR GAMING UNDER $200
In the $100-$200 price range you are looking at getting a ~500GB SSD with excellent performance.
It wasn’t too long ago that 500GB SSDs cost a few hundred dollars or more, but now with prices continuing to drop, you can get a high-end 500GB SSD for under $200 (including quite a few options for a little over $100.)
In my opinion, the Samsung 850 EVO is again the best option in this price range, but the PNY CS1311 480GB unit isn’t far behind, and with a much better price, the PNY SSD is probably the best price-to-performance SSD in this price range.
Ultimately, though, unlike the other price ranges listed above, all of the SSDs in this price range are pretty similar to each other in terms of performance and there really isn’t a bad option.
SOLID STATE DRIVES UNDER $200 (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 500GB |
READ SPEED | 540 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 520 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB
If I’m picking the best value SSD in this price range I’d probably pick the PNY CS1311 480GB SSD. If I’m picking the best performing SSD in this price range, it’s probably up for grabs between the PNY CS1311, the SanDisk Extreme Pro, or this SSD, the Samsunng 850 EVO 500GB SSD.
The Samsunng 850 EVO has a 540 MB/s sequential read speed and a 520 MB/s sequential write speed, putting it right on par with the SanDisk Extreme Pro and the PNY CS1311.
However, whereas both of those units come with a little bit less capacity and because the Samsung 850 EVO has a 5-year warranty compared to their 3-year warranty, in terms of the overall value, the 850 EVO gets a boost.
Still, though, at almost $50 more than the PNY CS1311, it’s difficult to choose this Samsung SSD over it… In the end, I’d say that if you have a bigger budget, get this SSD. If you are working witha tighter budget, go with the PNY.
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PNY CS1311 480GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 480GB |
READ SPEED | 550MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 520MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
PNY CS1311 480GB
In terms of price-to-performance in this price range, the PNY CS1311 480GB SSD is probably the best. In fact, based on performance alone, the CS1311 480GB unit would be one of the best in this price range.
So, with its high performance combined with having the lowest price tag of the five SSDs here, it’s hard to ignore this unit.
It sports a 550 MB/s sequential read speed and a 520 MB/s sequential write speed, which is on par with, or better than, the rest of the drives in this range.
Ultimately, if you don’t have much over $100 to spend on an SSD, but you want as good of a drive as possible, then this PNY SSD is probably your best bet.
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Crucial MX300 525GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 525GB |
READ SPEED | 530 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 510 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Crucial MX300 525GB
For about $150, you can get Crucial’s MX300 500GB SSD. It has a little more storage capacity in comparison to the rest of the options in this price range, but it also has a bit slower read/write speeds.
In fact, at 530 MB/s reads and 510 MB/s writes, even the PNY CS1311 edges out in terms of specifications.
Again, though, in real-world uses, the difference is probably negligible at best. And, with that in mind, the slower read/write speeds probably won’t matter that much, especially when you consider you’ll pay less for the Crucial MX300.
In the end, The MX300 is a great price-to-performance option that will serve as a nice storage option for gamers looking to build a mid-to-high-end gaming PC.
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Samsung 850 Pro 256GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 256GB |
READ SPEED | 550 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 520 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Samsung 850 Pro 256GB
The Samsung 850 Pro has 256 GB of capacity and uses the SATA III 6Gb/s interface. As the first drive developed based on 3D VNAND flash technology, though it’s no longer the only drive that uses the architecture, its memory is fabricated by stacking 32 cell layers on top of each other to produce high-density performance in a smaller SSD footprint. This means you’ll see around twice the speed, density, and endurance that you would see in a conventional flash.
This model has up to 550 MB/s read, and 520 MB/s write capacity. Its random read/write IOPS performance clocks in at up to 100k and 90k respectively.
The new VNAND technology also helps to preserve the life of the drive. This SSD can handle a minimum of 150 Terabytes Written over its lifetime, which means it will process up to 40 BG daily over a 10-year period before you’ll experience any issues. Coupled with one of the best warranties we’ve seen on SSD’s, a 10-year limited warranty from the manufacturer, this model is built to last.
The 850 Pro has a few nice additional features to help you get the most out of the life of the SSD. Dynamic Thermal Guard Protection keeps your system performing at max capacity while ensure it isn’t overheating through an integrated throttle feature. Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) technology utilizes its built-in AES-256-bit disk encryption engine that protects your data automatically without compromising the performance of your system.
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THE BEST SSDS FOR GAMING UNDER $100
In the $50-$100 range, you’re essentially looking at getting a 240-250GB SSD. In my opinion, this is the current sweet spot for SSDs.
The reason is that, while ~250GB isn’t a monstrous amount of space, it is enough space to hold most people over for a while until they can add an additional drive.
And, 250GB SSDs have come down quite a bit in cost as well so they won’t break your budget as well.
Ultimately, if you have a moderate budget or larger and you’re building a high-end gaming PC you probably have enough room to fit in a 250GB SSD… so why not do so?
What follows is a list of five of the best gaming SSDs between $50-$100.
SOLID STATE DRIVES UNDER $100 (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)
Crucial MX300 275GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 275GB |
READ SPEED | 530 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 500 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 5-Year |
Crucial MX300 275GB
While the Crucial MX300 275GB SSD is right with the Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD in terms of performance, the Crucial SSD costs a little bit more, thus making the Samsung drive the better price-to-performance option.
Where the Samsung 850 EVO offers 540 MB/s sequential read speeds and 520 MB/s sequential write speeds, the M3200 offers a little bit slower read speeds (530 MB/s) and a little bit slower write speeds (500 MB/s).
In real-world scenarios the differences probably aren’t noticeable and so it’s safe to say that these two will perform pretty similarly. However, unless the MX300 goes on sale and drops in price below the 850 EVO, the Samsung unit is the better buy.
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Samsung 850 EVO 250GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 250GB |
READ SPEED | 540MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 520MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
If you have over $75 to spend, your best bet for an SSD is probably the Samsung 850 EVO 250GB.
While the Crucial MX300 is fairly similar in terms of performance, the Samsung 850 EVO 250GB comes in at a little bit lower of a price tag, making it the better deal.
With sequential read speeds up 540 MB/s and sequential write speeds of 520 MB/s, the EVO is the highest performing SSD in this price range, narrowly edging out the MX300.
Ultimately, unless the MX300 goes on sale, then the Samsung 850 EVO is the best 250GB SSD in this price range.
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Kingston V400 240GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 240GB |
READ SPEED | 550 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 490 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
Kingston V400 240GB
Kingston’s V400 is another really solid option in this price range. In fact, it’s a bit cheaper that the Samsung EVO and Crucial MX300, despite having similar specs.
For a little bit less than the Crucial MX300 it has a higher sequential read speeds and slightly slower write speeds. (It has a 550 MB/s read speed and 490 MB/s write speed compared to the MX300’s 530/500 MB/s sequential read/write speed.
So, if you want to save a little bit of money without sacrificing too much performance, the Kingston V400 240GB SSD is a nice option.
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SanDisk Plus 240GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 240GB |
READ SPEED | 530 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 440 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
SanDisk Plus 240GB
The SanDisk Plus 240GB SSD is currently one of the most affordable ~250GB SSDs on the market. However, while it is one of the cheapest 240GB SSD available, it’s performance is a little bit lacking in comparison with the competition.
With a 530 MB/s sequential read speed and a 440 MB/s sequential write speed it doesn’t quite stack up to the Crucial MX300, Samsung 850 EVO, or Kingston V400 all of which have faster read speeds and much better write speeds.
So, while the SanDisk is the cheapest option on this list, it probably isn’t the best option for the money.
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THE BEST SSDS FOR GAMING FOR $50
While I have broken down this guide into price range categories, I could have just as easily broken it down into storage capacity categories as well.
The reason is that the performance difference doesn’t change too much as capacity increases (although, it does to a point).
However, I decided price range would be the best way to break it down… especially for beginners.
The good news, though, is that just a few years ago there weren’t really any SSD options for ~$50. And, back then, 120GB SSDs were going for over $100. Now you can get a 120GB SSD for ~$50.
While 120GB isn’t a ton of space, you can definitely use a 120GB SSD as your boot drive and for a few of your most-used programs and you can use a traditional hard drive for everything else.
SOLID STATE DRIVES FOR $50 (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)
PNY CS1311 120GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 120GB |
READ SPEED | 545MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 525MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
PNY CS1311 120GB
For just a couple of bucks more than the ADATA SSD listed below you can get the PNY CS1311 120GB SSD, which is a little bit faster overall.
Where the ADATA SP550 SSD sports a 560/410 MB/s sequential read/write speed, the PNY CS1311 120GB SSD features a 550/520 MB/s sequential read/write speed.
So, while just a tad bit slower in the sequential read speed, the PNY SSD is significantly faster in sequential write speeds.
And, for just a couple of bucks more and with the same capacity, why not go with the faster drive?
Ultimately, though, the PNY CS1311 is probably the best budget SSD in this price range.
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Kingston HyperX FURY 120GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 120GB |
READ SPEED | 500 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 500 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
Kingston HyperX FURY 120GB
The HyperX FURY by Kingston is a 120 GB SSD that uses a Sand Force 2281 controller and SATA Rev 3.0 which delivers 6 Gb per second of performance. This model has read and write speeds of up to 500 MB per second.
It uses MLC NAND to produce a consistently high-speed performance from the SSD which results in faster boot times, file execution, and overall application loading. It will improve the overall speed of your system, and give you a few perks in gaming as well.
While you’re playing, maps and levels load faster thanks to the boost in frames per second. While it won’t give you the storage capacity you need if you’re a high-level gamer, it’s enough power for entry-level enthusiasts and casual players. If you’re looking to make a minimal investment to get a significant performance boost to your system, and some performance advantages when your logging gaming hours, this is an economical SSD choice.
The HyperX FURY’s slim 2.5-inch drive comes in a 7mm size making it possible to fit it in a wide variety of systems, including thin notebook storage slots. It has no moving parts, which means less of a risk of something breaking or wearing out over time making it more durable than some other choices on the market.
Kingston offers a limited three-year warranty with this model, which is standard in the industry for SSD’s at this price point.
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ADATA SP600 64GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 64GB |
READ SPEED | 560 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 410 MB/s |
SATA | SATA 6Gb/s |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
ADATA SP600 64GB
The 64 GB SP600 by ADATA is an entry-level SSD that gives you a performance boost over your standard hard drive for less than $50. It uses SATA III 6.0 Gb/s hardware connectivity and delivers read and write speeds of up to 360 and 130 MB per second respectively.
The SP600 has enhanced stability thanks to its construction. It has no moving mechanical parts, which means it’s less likely to corrupt data or has issues if it faces adverse conditions than a standard hard drive. This model is also quiet and generates less heat than what you get standard allowing it to drain less battery life and last longer.
This option is 7mm thick and will fit in most systems, including ultra-slim notebooks. It comes with a 2.5mm, and 9.5mm spacer included if you need it to size to your drive bay.
Like other SSDs at this price point, it has a 3-year limited warranty to protect against manufacturer defects or catastrophic failures. This is pretty standard in the industry.
This SSD is a very beginner-friendly upgrade, and it comes complete with Acronis True Image HD software to make the installation as simple as possible. This package manages the data migration from your conventional hard drive to the upgraded SSD and allows you to configure, optimize, and monitor your system status once the transfer is complete.
The SP600 falls at the very top of the price point of this category, and it’s worth noting that for as little as $10 more you could get up to 120 GB of storage. While this model is a great deal and very budget friendly, factor in your future performance needs to ensure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck with your upgrade.
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Kingston V400 120GB |
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TECH SPECS
CAPACITY | 120GB |
READ SPEED | 550 MB/s |
WRITE SPEED | 350 MB/s |
SATA | SATA III |
WARRANTY | 3-Year |
Kingston V400 120GB
Kingston’s V400 SSDNow 120GB SSD is also a viable $50 option if you are in the market for an affordable SSD.
It sports both a 550 MB/s sequential read speed and a 350 MB/s sequential write speed. While these numbers aren’t as good as some of the other drives listed in this price range, they aren’t horrible.
So, while I would definitely recommend the PNY CS1311 over it, if the Kingston V400 went on sale or saw a significant price drop in comparison with the PNY drive, it would definitely make it more viable of an option.
But as the prices stand right now, there are definitely better options for the money.
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WHICH SSD IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
No, a solid state drive isn’t going to help you get higher framerates and it won’t improve your crappy laptop to the point to where you can actually start playing a game yyou weren’t able to play previously.
However, an SSD can significantly improve your system’s performance (outside of gaming), dramatically reduce your boot and load times, and just make your computer feel faster in general.
And, seeing as how prices have come down quite a bit, it has never been more affordable to add an SSD to your new gaming computer. o, if you’re in the market for a new SSD, you can use the 20 different options listed above as a guide to help you make your decision.
George says
To my experience, I noticed that SSDs don’t really offer huge improvements in games like they do with the OS. The difference in loading times was very minimalist. My SSD only managed to shine in MMO-RPGs as they take several times longer to load with an HDD.
Paul says
Hi, so if I install an NVME I do not need an additional SSD just a slower HDD for mass storage? In other words the NVME SSD would replace the need to for the SSD?
Really useful info and knowledge. Made my life somewhat easier.
Mat says
Can I buy a gaming laptop with a 256gb ssd, and later add another 256gb ssd, with the intent to raid them and make 512gb of boot dirve space for the games? storage and data isn’t a problem, as i can use external drives for that.
I ask, because after just a few years of updates(Windows 7 among others), the boot drive can fill up and limit space.
will 2 256gb SSDs raided make 512gb of boot space to access my permanent games and store all Windows 8 or 10 updates?
Thanks!
Daniel says
About the Crucial MX200 250GB- i found an MX300 275GB for about 30$ cheaper on Amazon (canadian prices). In reviews i looked up, it seems people rate these pretty similar, MX300 slightly higher. How come I find this price then? Also, how come the MX300 is not on this list? Is there some hidden problem with it, or is it just too recent?
Thanks for the excellent guide btw
Tycho says
In The Netherlands the PNY CS1311 960GB SSD is 90 euro’s
Do you now anything about that? Because i can’t find any reviews on the 960GB version.
Tycho says
Forget i Saïd anthony the prices are good now.
Melvin H. says
I got a question, can I go SSD only and I do have the money for a 500GB or do I really need a HDD to go with it?
Isabella says
Depends on how much storage you think you need. I’m in the process of building a computer, and I got a 480gb drive. I have less than a dozen games though. If 500gb is enough for what you need now and you can afford it, then I’d recommend you get that. You can always add a hard drive or even another SSD later.
xDeuiii says
I’ve read a few bad reviews about the Crucial BX200 240GB. Is that true?
Brent Hale says
Hey xDeuiii, how’s it going?
The Crucial BX200 line serves as a budget-friendly SSD option, rather than one of the higher end models. However, for the majority of users—especially ones who have never had an SSD before—the BX200 will be fine.
If you want something more extreme, check out the Samsung EVO 850 Pro, or SanDisk Extreme Pros.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the Best,
Brent
Brandon says
SSD greatly impacts your gaming experience, particularly your FPS (Frames Per Second) to correct your opening statement in this article.
Brent Hale says
Hi Brandon, thanks for reading and commenting.
However, an SSD has no impact on FPS, only an impact on game load times.
Jay says
Actually, SSD’s can have an impact on frames, specifically in open world games. This is due to how levels are streamed from disk in real time. Using an SSD reduces stutter from streaming (Therefore increasing average FPS) A great example of this is Arma 3.
Brent Hale says
Well, technically, yes, an SSD can help the average FPS in the final product of a benchmark. But it actually isn’t giving an FPS boost… What is really happening is it is just softening the blow that comes from that outlying FPS drop when you are loading more of the map.
So, while it will minimize the FPS drops that come from loading more map, installing an SSD won’t give someone more FPS in a given scenario. I don’t want to mislead people into thinking that if they have a low-end PC that they can just go out and get an SSD and see an FPS improvement.
Jay says
Excellent point. My bad. :)
Victor Su says
Hey guys! If you are interested in buying an ssd I suggest you check out this video! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BxhRNRXtJRI
Tweak says
Not that it is a big problem but your last entry is for a Crucial SSD yet your information/specs are for a Corsair SSD…
Dave Ritterbusch says
My experience with the Samsung EVO 250GB SSD is not the same as those above. The one I purchased lasted 90 days before crashing. Just bad luck? My advise – stick with the HDD’s for now.
Dylan says
It was probably defective, or you tortured it. You should check the warranty
stephen says
I have been with conputers for a while now but the thought of owning a gaming rig has never occured to me till now. With that said I do not know how to assemble the different parts and I would really appreciate it if you sent the set-up guide.
Thanks in advance.
Brent Hale says
Hey Stephen, how’s it going?
If you sign up for our newsletter you’ll get our free guide, which will take you through the building process one step at a time.
Also, if you’re more of a visual learner (or you just want to get a feel of what it’s like to build a system before you do) I’d recommend watching some videos on YouTube.
This is one of the best assembly videos out there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_56kyib-Ls
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.