Best SATA SSDs
Top sata ssds ranked by transparent trust scores.
8 products ranked
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Top Pick
9.4
Excellent
Samsung 870 EVO 1TB
Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
#1
9.4
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Best overall SATA performance
- Excellent sustained writes
- 5-year warranty
Cons
- Pricier than budget SATA drives
- SATA interface limits max speed
Don't buy this if…
- SATA SSDs max out at ~560 MB/s regardless of the drive quality; if your system has an M.2 slot, an NVMe drive offers much faster speeds.
#2
9.2
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #2 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Hardware encryption support
- Free cloning software included
- Excellent reliability track record
Cons
- Slightly slower sustained writes than 870 EVO
- Older controller design
Don't buy this if…
- The included Acronis cloning software requires online activation and has a limited license tied to the drive serial number.
#3
9.0
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #3 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Available in 2.5-inch and M.2 SATA
- Reliable WD NAND
- Good value
Cons
- Lower endurance than 870 EVO
- Basic WD Dashboard software
Don't buy this if…
- The M.2 SATA version uses the SATA protocol, not NVMe; make sure your M.2 slot supports SATA if choosing that form factor.
#4
8.7
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #4 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Affordable high-capacity storage
- Samsung reliability
- Intelligent TurboWrite cache
Cons
- QLC NAND has lower endurance
- Sustained writes drop after cache fills
Don't buy this if…
- QLC NAND is best for read-heavy workloads like game libraries; avoid using as a primary drive for frequent large file writes.
#5
8.5
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #5 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Cheapest SSD available
- Dramatic upgrade from HDD
- Low power consumption
Cons
- No DRAM cache
- Lower endurance rating
Don't buy this if…
- This is a DRAMless SSD, which means random I/O performance degrades as the drive fills up; keep at least 20% free space.
#6
8.3
Good
Consensus
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Ranked #6 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Fully in-house NAND and controller
- Excellent power efficiency
- Strong sustained performance
Cons
- Less mainstream brand recognition
- Older NAND generation
Don't buy this if…
- SK hynix's SSD management software has limited features compared to Samsung Magician or Crucial Storage Executive.
#7
8.1
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #7 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Very affordable per GB
- Simple reliable design
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- No DRAM cache
- Slower than top SATA drives
Don't buy this if…
- Another DRAMless design; performance is adequate for secondary storage but not recommended as a primary OS drive.
#8
7.9
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #8 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Affordable 2TB capacity
- Micron 3D NAND
- Good for large storage needs
Cons
- DRAMless design limits random I/O
- Lower write endurance
Don't buy this if…
- DRAMless SSDs like the BX500 can stutter during heavy random write workloads; best used for media storage and game libraries.
Quick Comparison
How We Rank
Composite trust score from expert reviews, user sentiment, complaint analysis, and value assessment.
Trust Score
Weighted composite of all factor scores
Expert Score
Aggregated expert review ratings
User Sentiment
Community votes and review analysis
Value Score
Price-to-performance ratio
Freshness
Recency of reviews and data
Change Log
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