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If your computer is starting to feel a little sluggish, or you’re tired of waiting for games and apps to load, upgrading to one of the best SSD options out there can be a game-changer. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are much faster than traditional hard drives, helping your system boot up in seconds, load large files instantly and make everyday tasks feel snappier. Whether you’re upgrading a laptop, building a gaming PC or just want extra storage for work or creative projects, the right SSD can seriously improve performance.
But with so many specs to consider — PCIe Gen 4, Gen 5, SATA, NVMe — it’s easy to get lost in the jargon. That’s where we come in! We’ve rounded up the best SSD options to help you find the right balance of speed, capacity and price, so you can get the upgrade you need without overpaying for features you won’t use.
Table of contents
Best SSDs in 2025
Crucial Best SSD (SATA) Crucial MX500 Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB | Connection: SATA | Read speed: 560 MB/s | Write speed: 510 MB/s You don’t have to look far to find the best SATA SSD: it's the Crucial MX500. With sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and a $100 MSRP for the 1TB model, this internal SSD offers a hard-to-beat combination of excellent performance and value. It also comes with a five-year warranty for additional peace of mind. But, best of all, it frequently goes on sale for as little as $45. I’ve been using a 1TB MX500 drive to store my music, photos and games for years, and it has yet to give me any problems. Pros Affordable
SATA compatibility
Five-year warranty Cons Not as fast an NVMe $100 at Amazon
Crucial Best SSD (Gen5 NVMe) Crucial T700 Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Connection: M.2 | Read speed: 11,700MB/s | Write speed: 9,500MB/s I don’t recommend buying a Gen5 NVMe, even if you have the hardware needed to run one. The read speeds might look impressive on paper, but the reality is that few games and apps can take advantage of those capabilities right now. Still, if you’re set on outfitting your computer with the fastest possible storage, I think the Crucial T700 offers a compelling mix of price and performance. The T700 is one of the fastest NVMe drives on the market right now, and after launching at $180, it’s possible to find it on sale for about $143. Note that if your motherboard didn’t come with a heatsink for your NVMe drives, you will need to buy the T700 model that includes one, which further increases the cost. Pros Very fast
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