Best SSD 2023: lightning fast storage options

If you are still not using one, Upgrading to an SSD is no doubt a good choice. They are much faster, reliable, efficient, and durable than HDDs (Hard disk drives). An SSD uses flash memory to store data which makes it faster than conventional HDDs.

Nowadays, SSDs are inexpensive than ever. Therefore, you should not be worried about being tight on budget. Besides, for installing the fastest SSD that offers enormous speed, you don’t need perfect PCs or laptops to take full benefit.

There is a wide range of built-in SSDs and external storage options in the market. Hence, if you are a gamer and want to boost your computer’s performance or just need to upgrade the obsolete hard drives, then the SSDs deserve consideration.

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Editor’s Top 3 Picks

Samsung 980 PRO

Capacity: 1TB
Form Factor: M.2 2280
Seq. Read Speed: 7000MB/s
Seq. Write Speed: 5000MB/s

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Samsung 970 Evo

Capacity: 500GB
Form Factor: M.2 2280
Seq. Read Speed: 3500MB/s
Seq. Write Speed: 3300MB/s

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Crucial P1

Capacity: 1TB
Form Factor: M.2 2280
Seq. Read Speed: 2000MB/s
Seq. Write Speed: 1700MB/s

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Choosing the Best SSD

It is difficult and tricky for some users to make a decision about selecting the best SSD. Because a good SSD is essential for your system to boost its performance. SSDs are available in different varieties, from sizes, capacities, and performance to their prices in today’s market. Furthermore, when buying the best solid state drive, you should also consider its compatibility and lifespan.

Hence, if you want to buy the best SSD 2023 for your PC or laptop, you cannot choose the right one. Then read our guide carefully because we have listed some of the important factors that will help you purchase the best SSD drive.

Types of SSDs

There are different types of SSDs available in the market. They are different in size, storage, speed, and price. Now it depends on you, which type of SSD you want to buy according to your budget, and whether it is compatible with your laptop’s motherboard or not?

Below are some of the important types of SSD.

SATA

SATA is an interface connector used by SSDs for connecting the system with the SSD.
To connect the laptops or desktops with SSDs, it needs a connection interface. SATA is an interface connector that provides the interface connection. SATA is known as the old two-connector system. SATA-based solid-state drives are best for older laptops and desktops that lack the newer SSD connector types. The performance of the SATA SSD is good as its file transfer speed is 4.8Gb/s (600MB/s). If your system supports this type of SSD, you will find it at an affordable price.

PCIe

Suppose you want a fast SSD that offers better performance and is not price-conscious. In that case, PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is the best choice for you. It supports 1X, 4X, 8X, and 16X lanes, whereas its transfer speed per lane is up to 985MB/s. Furthermore, NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is the best choice than AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) because NVMe is specifically designed for PCIe solid-state drives. And the AHCI was designed both for SSD and HDD a while ago. Also, the performance of NVMe is much better than ACHI.

M.2

M.2 SSDs are a work of art and are superior to all other types of SSDs. M.2 SSDs give high speed and performance. These small SSDs in size are specifically designed to be fit easily in slim devices like notebooks and tablets. Besides, its speed is up to 4GB/s. Apart from its speed, it also supports SATA 3.0, NVMe 3.0, and USB 3.0. The best M.2 SSD comes in three types of keys, and their price is also different from each other. The keys are “B”, “M” and “B+M”. The “B” keying pins (12-19) offer 2x lanes, the “M” keying pins (59-66) offer 4x lanes bandwidth, while the “B+M” keying pins increase the compatibility of both the slots.

Form Factor or Physical Size

If you want to purchase an SSD for your laptop or PC, you should check the size or form factor of the solid-state drive. The form factors show whether the SSD will fit into the chassis of your system or not. We have described below the popular form factors and how they are dissimilar from each other not just in dimensions but also in other aspects.

2.5 inch Form Factor

It is one of the common sizes for SATA SSD. The physical dimensions of 2.5 inches SATA SSD is the same as that of 2.5 inches hard drive used in laptops or desktops. Though the 2.5 inches hard drives are heavier than the 2.5 inches SATA SSD. A 2.5 inch SSD can be used on desktops and laptops.

M.2 Form Factor

M.2 is a small form factor for SSDs. These solid-state drives are available in different sizes that are 2280, 2260, 22110, 2230, and 2242. The first two digits show the width in millimeters, and the other digits show the length of SSD in millimeters. 2230, 2242, and 2260 are very compact form factors, but only a few solid-state drives are available in these sizes. The most common and popular form factor is 2280. Most motherboards support up to 2280 form factor.

The M.2 SATA and NVMe PCIe SSDs are available in the M.2 form factor. Also, for differentiation between these two, the M.2 SATA solid-state drive has two notches at the connector end. The M.2 NVMe has one notch at the end of the connector. M.2 solid-state drives can be used in laptops and desktops if their motherboard has an M.2 slot and supports the M.2 SATA or NVMe SSDs.

mSATA Form Factor

mSATA or Mini-SATA solid-state drive is a small and old form factor that has been replaced by the M.2 form factor. It can be used in laptops through the mSATA slot. It has a width of 30mm and a length of 50.95mm. The mSATA drives are rare nowadays, but if your laptop has an mSATA slot, you can buy and use it on your laptop.

Speed

You should buy the fastest SSD if you want optimal performance, but such a solid-state drive comes with a price. When it comes to speed or performance than the NVMe SSDs are much faster than the SATA SSDs. The PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs are six times faster than the fastest SATA solid-state drives. The sequential read speed of PCIe Gen 3 NVMe SSD is up to 4000MB/s, and the write speed is up to 3500MB/s. On the other side, the read and write speed of SATA solid-state drives are up to 550MB/s and 520MB/s. Moreover, the PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs are 40% faster than the PCIe Gen 3 NVMe solid-state drives and have the read and write speed up to 5000MB/s and 4400MB/s. But you should note that the fastest SSDs are expensive, and you have to spend some money to upgrade or replace your old hard drive.

Storage

Storage capacity is the most important thing for a user after the speed of the SSD. Nowadays, you can find an SSD with a storage capacity of up to 4TB. Though, the price of SSDs remains high when compared with hard drives of the same size. You can also find 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB SSDs. Now it depends on you how much storage capacity you want for your system.

Lifespan

The SSDs have a limited number of writes. It means that data can be written or rewritten for a limited period on SSD. When it is over, you may face data corruption. Generally, the lifespan of an SSD is expressed in the TBW rating. The TBW rating stands for Terabytes Written or Total Bytes Written. If you buy an SSD with having 100 TBW rating, then it means that you can write up to 100 TB data on it over time. So, when you are purchasing an SSD, you should look for its lifespan.

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Best SSDs to Buy in 2023

1. Samsung 980 PRO

For next-level computing

The 980 Pro has redefined Samsung’s entire product lineup and is set on the run to outclass most of the competitor’s excellent SSDs. Although it’s a bit pricey but offers the most brutal performance than the competitor’s Gen 4 SSDs. Due to the PCIe Gen 4 interface, the Samsung 980 Pro delivers 2 times faster and responsive performance than the PCIe 3.0 SSDs. Instead of using a 2-bit MLC flash, the company has used its latest 1xx-layer layer V6 V-NAND 3-bit TLC flash for the first time in this Pro series SSD, making it one of the best fastest M.2 NVMe SSD. Moreover, the 980 Pro SSD offers a sequential read and write speed of 7GBs and 5GBs. As the SSD comes in a compact form factor, i.e. M.2 2280, this is why it can be easily plugged into desktops and laptops. It provides reliable and stable performance during intense situations due to the thermal heat controller. Hence, with all these incredible features and robust performance, the 980 Pro is a perfect SSD for next-level computing, including but not limited to professional gaming, task-intensive software and media creation.

2. Samsung 970 EVO Plus

Unbeatable Value & Performance

Samsung’s 970 EVO Plus is the fastest, efficient, and best performing M.2 NVMe SSD affordable. The 970 EVO Plus is a major addition by Samsung to its previous 970 EVO. It is 57 percent faster than the latter one as claimed by the company. The EVO Plus drives offer a sequential read speed of up to 3500MB/s and write speed up to 3300MB/s which is enough for hardcore gamers and professionals. Using the latest 9x-layer V-NAND tech, coupled with its Phoenix controller and firmware optimizations, increases random write performance substantially by boosting 800MB/s. Not only does the write speed, but it also improves the random read performance of the M.2 NVMe SSD.

The storage capacity of this best M.2 SSD is 500GB, which is enough for all your casual data or 3D and 4K content, along with its speed. Furthermore, the 970 EVO Plus uses a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface to communicate with the host/motherboard. This fastest SSD model comes in M.2 2280 form factor and fits an M-key style interface. Due to the M.2 2280 form factor, EVO Plus SSDs are compatible with desktops and laptops. In addition to this, the 970 EVO Plus comes with a 5 years warranty and covers 600TBW over the drive’s life. Also, the EVO Plus is equipped with “Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard,” which monitors and maintains the drive’s temperature if the drive gets too hot.

3. Crucial P1

Power-efficient SSD

Crucial P1 is a budget-oriented QLC-based M.2 SSD and is the company’s first PCIe NVMe push. The P1 offers good performance and fast speed compared to the SATA drive. Still, it is slower than most PCIe drives. The performance that it gives at such a low price is a fair trade-off for budget-minded upgraders for their work. The sequential read and write speed of P1 is 2000MB/s and 1700MB/s. An SSD with such read and write speed is fine for casual users but not for pro gamers and professionals. The P1 features the latest Micron’s 64-layer 3D QLC flash and Silicon Motion NVMe SSD controller to achieve the top speed.

The best internal SSD is armed with 1TB storage and SLC buffer to boost the performance by absorbing the incoming data. Crucial P1 uses a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface connection for communication with the host system. Moreover, to ensure compatibility with laptops and notebooks, the 500GB and 1TB models come in M.2 2280 form factor and are single-sided. But the 2TB model is a bit thicker and double-sided. The P1 comes with a warranty of 5 years. Beyond that, the 1TB Crucial P1 covers 200TBW, which is less than other SSDs. Furthermore, to protect it from overheating, the P1 has Crucial Adaptive Thermal Protection. Still, it is not that workable as the Samsung 970 EVO Plus.

4. Crucial MX500

Long Life Rigid Drive

The Crucial MX500 is an aggressively priced SATA SSD that can upgrade mainstream laptops or PCs. MX500 is not that fast as the PCIe or M.2 based SSDs. Still, it is the fastest SSD among the SATA-based drives that will boost your system performance if you want to replace your older HDD. Crucial MX500 gives a sequential read and write speed of up to 560MB/s and 510MB/s, respectively. It is supreme for everyday situations but not for large data transfer because of its low speed. MX500 is powered by Micron’s new 64-layer 3D NAND and SMI SM2258 controller for obtaining maximum speed.

Crucial MX500 offers a huge storage capacity of 2TB. Though its speed is not that much appreciable but the storage it gives, you will not find any SSD at this price range. Alongside this, it has an SLC buffer for increasing its performance. Instead of using PCIe with the NVMe interface for connection, 2TB MX500 has a SATA bus interface for connection with the system. Moreover, the 2TB model is only available in a 2.5-inch form for compatibility with laptops and PCs. In contrast, the 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB models come in both 2.5 inch and single-sided M.2 2280 form factors. The MX500 has a 5 years limited warranty and a much higher endurance rating of 700TBW.

5. Samsung 860 EVO

Long lifespan, Solid Performance

Compared to its predecessors, it is much faster, durable, and affordable. 860 EVO is a SATA-based SSD that is available in multiple storage capacities and form factors. The best SSD offers maximum performance by reaching a sequential read and write speed up to 550MB/s and 520MB/s. So, if you are working on 4K videos and 3D content, this SSD will give you smooth responses. Under the hood, 860 EVO features 64-layer V-NAND tech, JMX controller, and LPDDR4 DRAM for improved speed and power efficiency.

Samsung 860 EVO has a storage capacity of 1TB, which is sufficient for the majority of the users. As it is a SATA SSD, that’s why there is no PCIe but a SATA bus interface for connection with laptops or PCs. Further, for compatibility issues, the 1TB 860 EVO comes in 2 form factors. One is a 2.5-inch form factor, and the other is the mSATA form factor. Due to this, it is the best solid state drive compatible with many systems. Also, if you want more storage capacity, you can find EVO’s 2TB and 4TB SSDs available in the M.2 2280 form factor. The 1TB 860 EVO brings in a 5 years limited warranty rated for 600TBW endurance over its lifespan.

6. WD Black SN750

High performance at a lower price

Black SN750 is the best gaming SSD with record-breaking writing speed at a low cost. It has the same hardware components as its predecessor. But what makes it different from its predecessor is its updated firmware to boost the performance and updated SSD dashboard. The best NVMe SSD has a peaked read speed of up to 3470MB/s and a write speed of 2600MB/s. Its write speed is a bit lower than its read speed. Still, its remarkable performance is enough for gamers and normal users. The Black SN750 is loaded up with 64-layer 3D NAND tech, WD custom NVMe controller, and 512MB DRAM to give you an excellent speed.

WD Black gives you a huge storage space of 500GB/512GB. The best SSD for gaming communicates over the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface connector using the NVMe 1.3 protocol. Hence, most of the desktops have SATA interfaces. Thus you have to check your desktop motherboard before purchasing this SSD whether it has an NVMe or SATA interface because NVMe is not compatible with SATA. In parallel with this, it has an M.2 2280 form factor. SN750 comes with a 5 years limited warranty and a 300TBW endurance rating. Considering all the good specs and speed, its TBW rating is low. Still, it is best for gaming at this price.

7. Samsung 970 Pro

Pricey but Mighty

The high price of the Samsung 970 Pro will keep away people with tight budgets, but professional users will just love it. 970 Pro is Samsung’s latest and fastest consumer M.2 SSD. It follows its predecessor’s footmarks of presenting great read and write speed. The best NVMe SSD delivers a sequential write speed of up to 2700MB/s and a read speed of up to 3500MB/s for gaming and other enthusiasts. As it has a promising performance, the same goes for its storage space. 970 Pro has a storage space of 512GB that is enough for your games and other data. Still, if you want more storage, you can have its 1TB SSD, but you have to spend extra money.

Under the hood, the best SSD 2023 has 64-layer 3D V-NAND tech, Samsung’s new Phoenix controller, MLC NAND flashes for expert gamers, and 4K and 3D designers. Besides this, it has used PCIe Gen 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.3 interface connector and M.2 2280 form factor for communication and compatibility with your system, i.e., PC or laptop. The best solid state drive has a warranty of five years and a durability rating of 1200TBW. Furthermore, to protect your SSD from overheating, it has Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard. A long story short, the Samsung 970 Pro is the game crusher in the SSDs world.

8. HP S700 Pro

The unsung almost hero

Moving on to another SSD that you definitely can’t resist. It is one fine SSD launched by HP solely for business users and laptop or PC upgraders. The best SSD drive offers you superb performance and durability at a low price. HP S700 Pro comes with a storage of 512GB. This means, along with more RPM rates, you’re achieving more space for saving your huge files ultimately. The S700 Pro is a SATA 3 based SSD, but it still delivers good sequential read and writes speed. The read speed of it is up to 565MB/s, and the write speed is up to 520MB/s. An SSD with this fast file transferring speed is too much for office or business users and will leave you no choice to upgrade your PC or laptop with another SSD.

This impressive SSD is equipped with Micron’s 384Gbit 3D TLC NAND tech, SMI SM2258 controller, HP tuned firmware, and up to 1GB DRAM cache for astonishing performance. In addition, this best SSD of 2023 has a SATA bus interface for communication with the motherboard and a 2.5-inch form factor. That’s why it will be wise if you check your laptop’s or PC’s motherboard that it has a SATA slot and 2.5-inch form factor or not. The warranty of the S700 Pro is lower than the other SSD. Yet, it’s a good warranty for 3 years. It has a 650TBW endurance rating which is sufficient for business people because they use small files for their professional work.

9. ADATA XPG SX8200

Best SSD for Gaming

Data is one of the most reliable manufacturers in bringing quality gaming accessories to the market. They have a variety of efficient SSDs lineup. Among them is ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro, which surely takes professional gaming to another level assisting the processor to easily undergo power consumptive processing. It is useful for gaming, professional content creators who mostly deal with high-end video and photo editors, graphics designers, 3D artists, engineers for their engineering-related intensive programs, etc. Atata XPG SX8200 Pro pays perfectly for what it costs in terms of efficient and reliable performance.

Coming towards the Adata XPG SX8200 Pro specifications, it provides a read sequential speed of almost 3500MB per second and a write sequential speed capability of 3000MB per second. The CPG SX 8200 holds an M.2 2280 form factor that fits perfectly inside a system, not taking much space. The SSD provides a massive storage capacity to store all your day-to-day files securely. It provides a 1TB storage capacity. Adata XPG SX8200 Pro comes with a PCIe NVMe Gen3x4 interface that is not compatible with SATA M.2 2280, so be careful and check wisely whether your motherboard supports it or not.

10. Addlink S70

High Sequential but Affordable

Do you want to get a budgeted and speedier SSD? Add link S70 is the best shot for you to go for. It is the best M.2 NVMe SSD that gives a performance beyond your expectations. S70 is perfectly built for high-end applications, gaming, photo and video editing, and 3D content. S70 is rated for the sequential read speed of up to 3400MB/s and write speed up to 3000MB/s. As it has such a fast speed, the same goes for its spec. The best SSD features 64-layer 3D TLC NAND memory, Phison’s E12 controller, and 512MB DDR3L cache that will enhance your system’s performance.

Speaking about its storage capacity, the 1TB Add link S70 can store all of your data easily with no data loss. On top of that, S70 is compatible with sleek laptops due to its PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe interface and M.2 2280 form factor. The best SSD 2023 comes with a 5 years limited warranty and a lifespan of 800TBW. S70 is an excellent SSD for casual users and professionals due to its speed and endurance rating at this price range. In short, Add link S70 is an SSD that you will thrill by its performance after you install it in your system.

11. Corsair Force MP600

Aggressive Looks, Nice Performance

Force MP 600 by Corsair is the best SSD 2023 with PCIe 4.0 x4 interface using NVMe 1.3 protocol. It’s the latest and fastest SSD having a sleek design. Due to its bandwidth, the MP600 offers improved performance that other SSDs can’t, but it will cost you a bit more. It’s designed so that it can easily be fixed in the new Threadripper TRX40 or AMD’s Ryzen X570 boards. Along with this, the most reliable SSD has an M.2 2280 form factor. Apart from that, the Corsair Force MP600 has a 1TB storage space. Also, with Corsair’s SSD Toolbox, you can monitor your SSD’s health.

The best SSD gives a phenomenal sequential read and write speed. Its read speed is up to 4950MB/s, and its write speed is up to 4250MB/s. With this amazing speed and performance, you can do anything you want with your SSD. It is transferring large files, playing games, or 4K and 3D content designing. The Force MP600 is geared with BiCS4 96-layer TLC memory, Phison’s E16 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe controller, and DDR4 DRAM to boost your system speed. Talking about its warranty and durability, MP600 comes with 5 years warranty and a 1800TBW rating.

SSD FAQs

How to check if I have an SSD or HDD on my laptop/PC?

If you want to check whether your Windows laptop or MacBook is configured with which type of hard drive (SSD or HDD) as a storage device. Then there are certain simple techniques through which you can check it.

For Windows 10 Laptop/PC:
The easiest way of checking hard drive type in your laptop or PC can be done through the following steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R
2. A Search Bar will appear, where you have to type dfrgui, and click OK.
3. A new window will open, and under the MediaType column, you will see the type of hard drive, whether SSD or HDD used in your laptop or PC.

For MacOS:
The process of checking the hard drive type, i.e., SSD or HDD on macOS, differs from Windows. Here’s how to check it

1. Click the Apple logo in the top left corner of the desktop and choose About this Mac.
2. A new window will open, where you have to click on the Storage section.
3. There you’ll see a description of the storage device under the hard drive icon.

How to install an SSD?

If you want to upgrade your laptop’s SSD or replace the laptop’s HDD by installing a new SSD. We recommend that you have to check the form factor and interface of the new SSD, whether it’s compatible and easily fits in your laptop. If you are already familiar with the interface and compatibility, then replacing or upgrading the storage device with SSD won’t be a problem for you.

To install the SSD on a laptop, you need to turn off the laptop and remove the back panel. Then unscrew all those screws which have securely held the hard drive. After that, lift the old drive up to 30 or 40-degrees and gently pull it back. Now, place the new SSD at 30-45 degrees in the same slot and gently push it forward until it snaps into its place. Next, screw it in, and finally, place the back panel on your laptop. Mission accomplished, and the SSD is ready to use.

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Conclusion

A hard drive is a thing of the past. Hard drives are slow, and they do not give that performance which you expect from them. That’s why the HDDs are now partially or fully replaced by solid-state drives (SSDs). Compared to HDDs, SSDs offer a good speed and are better performers. After RAM and Processor in PCs or laptops, the storage component matters significantly for normal users or professionals. So, if your PC or laptop has a hard drive, then it is recommended that you replace it with an SSD so that you take full advantage of your system. Here we have compiled a list of the best SSDs that will boost your system performance. Still, some of these SSDs are budget-oriented, and others are performance-oriented and are a little expensive. Now it depends on your system, profession, and budget that lets you buy the perfect SSD.