Migrating your computer from a hard drive to a solid-state drive (SSD) is by far the most gratifying upgrade. So, getting the right drive is naturally an important task. Below is the list of the best SSDs I’ve tested, in reviewed order, latest reviews. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see how their performance stacks up.
Dong’s note: This is a frequently updated post.
- Best SATA an NVMe SSDs of 2020: The list
- 10. Samsung SSD 870 QVO: A sizable and excellent SATA upgrade for any computer
- 9. Seagate IronWolf 510: A NAS NVMe that works well as a super-fast PC SSD
- 8. Silicon Power A80: A generic NVMe that rocks
- 7. WD Blue SN550: A Fast and affordable NVMe SSD
- 6. WD Red SA500: A versatile SATA NAS SSD that’s also great for PCs
- 5. SK hynix Gold S31: The nice new kid on the block
- 4. Seagate IronWolf 110: A standard SATA SSD with extreme endurance
- 3. WD Blue SN500 SSD: The easy low-capacity, modest NVMe upgrade
- 2. Micron Crucial BX500: The low-cost replacement SSD for a budget computer
- 1. Samsung 970 EVO Plus: The ultimate NVMe solid-state drive
- Best SSDs of 2020: SATA vs. NVMe performance
Best SATA an NVMe SSDs of 2020: The list
This list includes both standard SATA drives and NVMe drives which are two different types of internal storage. If you don’t know the difference between the two types, check out this post.
In a nutshell, the former is a standard drive that works with almost any desktop computer while the latter is much faster and requires a host that has an M.2 slot.
10. Samsung SSD 870 QVO: A sizable and excellent SATA upgrade for any computer
Samsung SSD 870 QVO
Pros
- Affordable
- Excellent performance for daily task,
- Useful software
- Up to 8 TB of storage space
Cons
- Sequential write speed is slow in extended tasks
- Comparatively low endurance
- Not available in M.2 design
9. Seagate IronWolf 510: A NAS NVMe that works well as a super-fast PC SSD
Seagate IronWolf 510 SSD
Pros
- Extremely high endurance
- Excellent real-world performance
- High capacity
- 2-year of data rescue services included
- 5-year warranty
Cons
- The write speeds could use some improvement
- Comparatively expensive
- No SATA versions
8. Silicon Power A80: A generic NVMe that rocks
Silicon-Power P34A80 NVMe SSD
Pros
- Fast performance for daily usage
- Affordable, high-endurance
- Generous five-year warranty
Cons
- Performance reduction in extended operations
- Generic feel, no user-accessible features
7. WD Blue SN550: A Fast and affordable NVMe SSD
WD Blue SN550 NVMe Internal SSD
Pros
- Affordable
- Fast performance for general usage
- Useful dashboard software
- High endurance
Cons
- Capacity caps at 1TB
- Relatively low performance in demanding tasks
- No hardware encryption
6. WD Red SA500: A versatile SATA NAS SSD that’s also great for PCs
WD Red SA500 NAS SATA SSD
Pros
- Affordable with long warranty
- Excellent performance
- 2.5-inch and M.2 form factors
- High capacity
Cons
- Relatively low endurance when compared to competing drive
- No NVMe version, 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch mounting bracket not included
5. SK hynix Gold S31: The nice new kid on the block
SK Hynix Gold S31 SSD
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Fast performance
- Longevity
Cons
- Storage caps at 1TB
- No user-accessible features
4. Seagate IronWolf 110: A standard SATA SSD with extreme endurance
Seagate IronWolf 110 NAS SSD
Pros
- Extremely high endurance
- Fast performance
- Long warranty and easy to use
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Runs hot
- No M.2 or NVMe version
3. WD Blue SN500 SSD: The easy low-capacity, modest NVMe upgrade
WD Blue SN500 NVMe Solid-State Drive
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Fast performance and high endurance
- Useful software and features
Cons
- No encryption, two-lane MVNe specs
- No higher capacities than 500GB
2. Micron Crucial BX500: The low-cost replacement SSD for a budget computer
Crucial BX500 solid-state drive
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Good performance and endurance
- Useful software and features
Cons
- No encryption, bare-bone specs
- Short 3-year warranty
- No higher capacities than 960GB
1. Samsung 970 EVO Plus: The ultimate NVMe solid-state drive
Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe solid-state drive
Pros
- Fast performance at affordable pricing
- High endurance
- Easy to use with lots of features
Cons
- Can't handle sustained sequential writes at high speed
Best SSDs of 2020: SATA vs. NVMe performance
When reviewing solid-state drives, I generally only stack drives of the same type (SATA or MVMe) against one another. Since this list includes both types, however, you’ll find below performance charts of all drives. So, you’ll see here how SATA drives stack up against NVMe counterparts.
Sequential (copy) performance
This chart shows how fast solid-state drives perform when copying a large amount of data from one place to another. It applies general data transferring tasks, such as when you want to backup your data or, recovering data from a backup
Random access performance
Random access performance shows how a solid-state drive affects the host computer’s overall performance. It represents tasks like launching an application or editing a large data file.
Now that you have found out which drive you should get. Check out how you can migrate a hard drive to an SSD or do an MVMe upgrade on your Windows 10 machine.
Why no SanDisk SSD? Great budget SSD and good performance options. I have two 960GB Ultra IIs that are going strong 4-5 years now.
They haven’t made new ones for a long time, WP. The one you mentioned I reviewed in my past life at CNET, not on this site.