Upgrading to a good SSD can make your computer feel brand new again. Apps open faster, files move in a blink and even older machines start to feel a lot more responsive. It is one of the easiest ways to breathe life into a laptop or desktop without replacing the whole system, and the performance boost is something you notice right away.
There are plenty of SSDs to choose from, though, and the naming alone can be confusing if you are not already familiar with the specs. Some drives are built for simple upgrades, while others offer speeds that benefit creators or gamers. To help you sort through it, we tested a wide mix of options and pulled together the best SSDs you can buy right now.
Table of contents
Best SSDs in 2026
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 $170 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
Supports DirectStorage
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