This post includes the best internal solid-state drives (SSDs) I’ve reviewed that are relevant and available to purchase.
Migrating your computer from a hard drive to a solid-state drive (SSD) or from a SATA SSD to an NVMe is by far the most gratifying upgrade.
So, getting the right drive is naturally an important task. Pick one today!
Dong’s note: I last updated this frequently revised post on November 23, 2022.
Best SSDs of 2022: The lists
You’ll find standard SATA and NVMe drives here, divided into two lists in reviewed order with the latest on top.
NVMe and SATA are two different internal storage types — more about them in this post on SSD basics.
Seven best NVMe SSDs of 2022 (and alternatives): A must for a top-performing computer, server, or game console
Newer and much faster NVMe SSDs require a host with an M.2 slot. Most computers released in the past five years have this slot built-in, but you can upgrade to one on almost all desktop computers via a PCIe adapter.
7. Sabrent Rocket 4 series
This is the latest drive on this list, the number is not the rating.
Sabrent’s Rocket 4 series includes:
Both are excellent SSDs.
Pros
Excellent NVMe performance, available in up to 8TB (the Plus model) capacity, high endurance
Useful Dashboard software; valuable bundle backup software
Microsoft DirectStorage API support (Rocket 4 Plus-G model)
Cons
Only a 2-year warranty without registration
No hardware encryption or user-accessible feature
6. Samsung 990 PRO
The Samsung 990 is Samsung’s latest in its flagship NVMe SSDs with an incremental improvement to previous models, which remain to be excellent.
Similar alternatives from Samsung:
Pros
Excellent PCIe 4.0 performance
Helpful Samsung Magician software with lots of useful settings and features
Cons
No new or break-through features
5. Silicon Power XPower XS70
The Power XPower XS70 is easily the best PCI 4.0 NVMe SSD from Silicon Power.
Alternative:
Pros
Fast performance with up to 4TB of capacity
High endurance with competitive pricing
Cons
Bulky, no non-heatsink version
No security or any user-accessible features
4. WD Black SN850
The SN580 is not the latest NVMe SSD from WD but it remains the best deal.
Similar alternatives from WD:
Pros
Helpful Dashboard software
Available in heatsink version
Cons
Different performance grades between capacities
3. Seagate IronWolf 525
The IronWolf 525 is an excellent PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for PCs and NAS servers with the best endurance rating.
Alternative:
Pros
Excellent real-world, including RAID, performance
Three years of data rescue services included
Cons
Slower than PCIe 4.0 rivals
2. Micron Crucial P5 Plus
The Crucial P5 Plus is the top PCIe 4.0 from Micron and has remained one of the best among its peers.
Alternative:
Pros
PCIe 4.0 support, backward compatible with PCIe Gen 3
Helpful Storage Executive software
Cons
Comparatively modest endurance
1. SK hynix Gold P31
This is the oldest drive on this list, the number is not the rating.
Pros
Fast performance, high endurance
Three best SATA SSDs of 2022 (and alternatives): Kind of slow but still plenty fast and relevant
The SATA standard is much slower than the NVMe above but still significantly faster than any traditional hard drive.
A SATA SSD will fit in the place of any regular hard drive and, therefore, will make an easy and satisfying upgrade in any computer that still runs on a hard drive.
Or you can use one as a secondary backup drive of a pimped-out rig that runs on the top NVMe drive.
3. Samsung SSD 870 EVO: Arguably the best SATA drive to date
This is the latest drive on this list, the number is not the rating.
The 870 EVO is the latest SATA SSD from Samsung and might be the company’s last drive of the standard.
Similar alternatives from Samsung:
Pros
Top-notch SATA performance
Useful software with an excellent feature set
2. WD Red SA500: A versatile SATA NAS SSD that’s also great for PCs
The WD RED SA500 is unique since it’s available in both M.2 and SATA form factors. It’s an excellent choice for a NAS server and a budget PC alike.
Pros
Affordable with a long warranty
2.5-inch and M.2 form factors
Cons
Relatively low endurance when compared to competing drive
No NVMe version, 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch mounting bracket not included
1. Micron Crucial BX500: The low-cost replacement SSD for a budget computer
This is the oldest drive on this list, the number is not the rating.
Pros
Good performance and endurance
Useful software and features
Cons
No encryption, bare-bone specs
No higher capacities than 960GB
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 to general data transferring tasks, such as when you want to back up or recover data.
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 machine.
