The very best SSDs in 2025

In case your pc is beginning to really feel somewhat sluggish, otherwise you’re uninterested in ready for video games and apps to load, upgrading to among the finest SSD choices on the market is usually a game-changer. Stable-state drives (SSDs) are a lot sooner than conventional arduous drives, serving to your system boot up in seconds, load massive recordsdata immediately and make on a regular basis duties really feel snappier. Whether or not you’re upgrading a laptop computer, constructing a gaming PC or simply need additional storage for work or inventive initiatives, the fitting SSD can severely enhance efficiency.

However with so many specs to think about — PCIe Gen 4, Gen 5, SATA, NVMe — it’s straightforward to get misplaced within the jargon. That’s the place we are available! We’ve rounded up the most effective SSD choices that can assist you discover the fitting steadiness of velocity, capability and worth, so you will get the improve you want with out overpaying for options you gained’t use.

Desk of contents

Finest SSDs in 2025

Essential

Capability: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Connection: M.2 | Learn velocity: 11,700MB/s | Write velocity: 9,500MB/s

I don’t suggest shopping for a Gen5 NVMe, even in case you have the {hardware} wanted to run one. The learn speeds may look spectacular on paper, however the actuality is that few video games and apps can reap the benefits of these capabilities proper now.

Nonetheless, when you’re set on outfitting your pc with the quickest potential storage, I feel the Crucial T700 affords a compelling mixture of worth and efficiency. The T700 is likely one of the quickest NVMe drives in the marketplace proper now, and after launching at $180, it’s potential to search out it on sale for about $143. Word that in case your motherboard didn’t include a heatsink to your NVMe drives, you have to to purchase the T700 mannequin that features one, which additional will increase the fee.

Execs

• Very quick
• Helps DirectStorage
• 5-year guarantee

$140 at Adorama

WD_BLACK

Capability: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB | Connection: M.2 | Learn velocity: 7,300MB/s | Write velocity: 6,300MB/s

Offered you personal the mandatory {hardware}, Gen4 NVMe drives provide fairly good worth proper now. After testing a couple of totally different fashions, I ended up shopping for the Western Digital WD_Black SN850X for my very own system. It’s very quick, delivering learn speeds of as much as 7,300MB/s, and I used to be in a position to pay lower than $100 for the 1TB mannequin throughout a sale.

Should you’re set on shopping for a Gen4 mannequin, however need to avoid wasting cash, Western Digital affords the extra inexpensive SN770. It’s not as quick because the SN850X, but when your system has one Gen4 NVMe slot, it’s nice for storing Home windows and your most essential apps.

Execs

• Quick
• DirectStorage assist
• 5-year guarantee

$94 at Amazon

Essential

Capability: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Connection: M.2 | Learn velocity: 3,500MB/s | Write speeds: 3,000MB/s

A earlier model of this information advisable the Essential P2 as an important finances Gen 3 NVMe decide, however as Gen4 and now Gen5 NVMe drives have entered the market, producers like Micron have discontinued a few of their entry-level Gen4 fashions. The excellent news is that their outdated high-end Gen3 drives at the moment are extra inexpensive than ever. Take the Crucial P3, as an example. Micron initially priced the 1TB mannequin at $90, however in current months, it’s been on sale for as little as $40. That’s nice worth for a drive that gives 3,500MB/s learn speeds.

Execs

• Inexpensive and incessantly on sale
• 5-year guarantee

Cons

• Might be sooner
• Endurance stats should not the most effective

$60 at Adorama

SABRENT

Capability: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Connection: M.2 | Learn velocity: 5,000MB/s | Write velocity: 4,300MB/s

Should you’re assured sufficient to open your Steam Deck to put in a brand new, increased capability NVMe, the Sabrent Rocket 2230 is a superb small-sized NVME. It’ll slot into the Steam Deck’s M.2 slot with out problem, and also you don’t want to fret about it overheating. With current reductions on this mannequin, it’s dropped sufficient in worth the place you could possibly lower your expenses by shopping for the 512GB Steam Deck OLED mannequin and putting in extra storage later.

Cons

• Costly relative to full-sized NVMe drives

$100 at Amazon

Corsair

Capability: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB | Connection: M.2 | Learn velocity: 7,100 MB/s | Write velocity: 6,800MB/sec

Engadget has a separate information devoted to the best PlayStation 5 SSDs, however when you got here to this web page searching for a suggestion on what NVMe to purchase to your PS5, look no additional than the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX. It meets all of Sony’s compatibility necessities and comes with a pre-installed heatsink, which means all you should do is set up it into your PS5 and also you’re good to go.

Execs

• Excellent PS5 compatibility
• Pre-installed heatsink
• Simple to put in

Cons

• Cheaper so as to add your personal heatsink

$170 at Amazon

Essential

Capability: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Connection: USB-C | Learn velocity: 1,050MB/s | Write velocity: 975MB/s

For carrying recordsdata on the go, the Crucial X9 Pro is a transportable SSD with the correct mix of efficiency, options and value. There are technically sooner choices on the market, however its 10 Gbps speeds needs to be fast sufficient for the backups and file transfers most individuals do with an exterior drive, and it outpaced most different fashions inside its efficiency class in our benchmark exams. It’s tremendous tiny and sufficiently rugged on prime of that, with an IP55-rated case constructed from aluminum and rubber. A five-year guarantee helps as effectively. Simply word that the included USB-C cable is pretty quick, and there’s no adapter for USB-A ports within the field. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Shopping for Recommendation

Execs

• IP55-certified water and dirt safety
• 5-year guarantee

Cons

• No USB-A cable included
• Not the quickest

$89 at Amazon

SAMSUNG

Capability: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | Connection: USB 3.1 | Learn velocity: As much as 400MB/s relying on the mannequin | Write velocity: As much as 400MB/s

The Samsung Fit Plus has about all of the options you could possibly need on a USB drive. It connects to your pc over USB 3.1 and helps file switch speeds of as much as 300MB/s. The Match Plus can be compact and has a helpful slot for attaching it to your keychain. The one draw back of Samsung’s USB drive is that it’s on the dear facet.

Execs

• USB 3.1
• Glossy design
• 5-year guarantee

Cons

• Is likely to be too small
• No indicator mild

$23 at Adorama

How we take a look at SSDs

I’ve both examined or personally use every day each storage drive advisable on this checklist. Out of our prime picks, I purchased 4 with my very own cash after doing a few dozen hours of analysis. Individually, Engadget Senior Reporter Jeff Dunn has additionally examined a handful of our suggestions, together with the Essential X9 Professional listed above.

What to search for in a PC SSD

Essentially the most inexpensive approach so as to add quick space for storing to a pc is with a 2.5-inch SATA drive. It’s additionally one of many best when you don’t need to fear about compatibility since virtually each pc made within the final 20 years will embody a motherboard with Serial ATA connections. For that purpose, the most effective SATA SSDs are a wonderful alternative if you wish to lengthen the lifetime of an older PC construct. Set up is simple, too. When you’ve secured the inner SSD in a drive cage, all you should do is to attach it to your motherboard and energy provide.

The one draw back of SATA drives is that, when it comes to responsiveness, they’re slower than their high-performance NVMe counterparts, with SATA III limiting information transfers to 600MB/s. However even the slowest SSD will likely be considerably sooner than the most effective mechanical drives. And with high-capacity, 1TB SATA SSDs costing about $100, they’re a very good bulk-storage possibility.

In case your PC is newer, there’s a very good probability it consists of area for a number of M.2 SSDs. The shape issue represents your ticket to the quickest SSDs in the marketplace, however the tough half is navigating all of the totally different requirements and specs concerned.

M.2 drives can characteristic both a SATA or PCIe connection. SSDs with the latter are often known as Non-Unstable Reminiscence or NVMe drives and are considerably sooner than their SATA counterparts, with Gen3 fashions providing sequential write speeds of as much as 3,000MB/s. These drives depend on NVMe NAND know-how for his or her superior efficiency and sturdiness. You will get twice the efficiency with a Gen4 SSD, however you’ll want a motherboard and processor that helps the usual.

Should you’re working an AMD system, meaning at the least a Ryzen 3000 or 5000 CPU and an X570 or B550 motherboard. With Intel, in the meantime, you’ll want at the least an eleventh or twelfth Gen processor and a Z490, Z590 or Z690 motherboard. Understand that Gen4 SSDs usually price greater than their Gen3 counterparts as effectively.

Costlier nonetheless are the most recent Gen5 fashions, which supply sequential learn speeds of as much as 16,000MB/s. Nevertheless, even when your pc helps the usual, you’re higher off shopping for a extra inexpensive Gen4 or Gen3 drive. In the intervening time, only a few video games and functions can reap the benefits of Gen3 NVMe speeds, not to mention Gen4 and Gen5 speeds. What’s extra, Gen5 NVMe drives can run sizzling, which might result in efficiency and longevity points. Your cash is healthier spent on different elements, like upgrading your GPU, for now.

As for why you’d purchase an M.2 SATA drive over a equally specced 2.5-inch drive, it comes right down to ease of set up. You add M.2 storage to your pc by putting in the SSD straight onto the motherboard. That will sound intimidating, however in apply the method entails a single screw that you simply first take away to attach the drive to your pc after which retighten to safe the SSD in place. As an added bonus, there aren’t any wires concerned, making cable administration simpler.

Word that you would be able to set up a SATA M.2 SSD into an M.2 slot with a PCIe connection, however you possibly can’t insert an NVMe M.2 SSD right into a M.2 slot with a SATA connection. Until you need to proceed utilizing an outdated M.2 drive, there’s little purpose to reap the benefits of that characteristic. Talking of backward compatibility, it’s additionally potential to make use of a Gen4 drive via a PCIe 3 connection, however you gained’t get any of the velocity advantages of the sooner NVMe.

One final thing to think about is that M.2 drives come in numerous bodily sizes. From shortest to longest, the frequent choices are 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110. (The primary two numbers symbolize width in millimeters and the latter denote the size.) For probably the most half, you don’t have to fret about that since 2280 is the default for a lot of motherboards and producers. Some boards can accommodate a couple of dimension of NVMe SSD due to a number of standoffs. That mentioned, verify your pc’s documentation or firmware earlier than shopping for a drive to make sure you’re selecting up a appropriate dimension.

Should you’re shopping for a alternative SSD for the Steam Deck or Steam Deck OLED, issues are simpler. For Valve’s handheld, you have to a 2230 dimension NVMe. Easy. Should you don’t need to open your Steam Deck, it’s additionally potential to increase its storage by putting in a microSD card. Engadget has a separate guide dedicated to SD card storage, so verify that out for extra shopping for recommendation.

I alluded to this earlier, however the most effective shopping for recommendation I can provide is don’t get too caught up about being on the bleeding fringe of storage tech. The sequential learn and write speeds you see producers checklist on their drives are theoretical and real-world efficiency benchmark exams differ lower than you assume.

In case your finances forces you to decide on between a 1TB Gen3 NVMe and a 512GB Gen4 mannequin, go for the higher-capacity one. From a sensible standpoint, the worst factor you are able to do is purchase a kind of SSD that’s too small for wants. Drives can gradual dramatically as they method capability, and you’ll in all probability find yourself buying one with a better gigabyte capability sooner or later.

What to search for in transportable and USB flash drives

Moveable SSDs are a considerably totally different beast to their inner siblings. Whereas learn and write speeds are essential, they’re virtually secondary to how an exterior drive connects to your PC. You gained’t get probably the most out of a mannequin just like the SanDisk Excessive Professional V2 with out a USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 connection. Even amongst newer PCs, that’s one thing of a premium characteristic. For that purpose, most individuals are finest off shopping for a transportable drive with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt connection. The previous affords switch speeds of as much as 10Gbps. The very best exterior arduous drives additionally let you switch information out of your Home windows PC to a Mac, or different machine, if appropriate. Remember to contemplate this beforehand when you plan to make use of your transportable drive throughout a number of units.

Moreover, when you plan to take your drive on journeys and commutes, it’s worthwhile to purchase a mannequin with IP-certified water and dirt proofing. Some corporations like Samsung provide rugged variations of their hottest drives, together with the Samsung SSD T7 Defend, with a excessive endurance ranking. For added peace of thoughts, 256-bit AES {hardware} encryption will assist forestall somebody from accessing your information when you ever lose or misplace your exterior SSD.

A few of the similar options contribute to an important thumbstick drive. Our favourite picks for finest finances exterior SSD fashions characteristic USB 3.0 connections and a few type of {hardware} encryption.

A word on console storage

If PC gaming isn’t your factor and also you personal an Xbox Collection X|S or PS5, outfitting your fancy new console with the quickest potential storage is way extra easy than doing the identical on PC. With a Collection X or Collection S, your choices are restricted to choices from Seagate and Western Digital. The previous affords 512GB, 1TB and 2TB fashions, with probably the most inexpensive beginning at a not-so-trivial $90. Western Digital’s Enlargement Playing cards are cheaper, with pricing beginning at $80 for the 512GB mannequin. The excellent news is that each choices are incessantly on sale. Your finest guess is to set an alert for the mannequin you need by utilizing a worth tracker like CamelCamelCamel.

With Sony’s PlayStation 5, upgrading the console’s inner storage is barely extra concerned. As an alternative of using a proprietary resolution, the PS5 makes use of NVMe storage. Fortunately, there aren’t as many potential configurations as you’d discover on a PC. Engadget maintains a comprehensive guide to the best SSDs for PS5; in brief, your finest guess is a high-capacity Gen4 drive with a built-in heatsink. Try that information for a full checklist of gaming SSD suggestions, however for a fast go-to, contemplate the Corsair MP600 Professional LPX I like to recommend above. It meets all of the reminiscence specs for Sony’s newest console and also you gained’t run into any clearance points with the heatsink. Corsair affords 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB variations of the drive. Anticipate to pay about $110 for the 1TB variant and about $200 for 2TB.

For these nonetheless taking part in on a earlier era console, you will get barely sooner sport load occasions from a PlayStation 4 by swapping the included arduous drive to a 2.5-inch SSD, however going out of your approach to take action in all probability isn’t price it at this level and also you’re higher off saving your cash for one of many new consoles and updating your working system as a substitute.

SSD FAQs

What dimension SSD is finest?

There isn’t any one dimension suits all rule for SSDs, however we typically suggest getting at the least a 1TB SSD when you’re seeking to improve PC or sport console storage, or trying so as to add an exterior drive to your toolkit. A 1TB drive will likely be lots for most individuals who want additional space for storing for pictures, paperwork and applications. Should you’re a hardcore gamer, it’s possible you’ll need to put money into much more storage contemplating many high-profile titles at present can take up a ton of area.

Is a 256GB SSD higher than a 1TB arduous drive?

The quick reply is that it is determined by what you want your drive for. Basically, SSDs are sooner and extra environment friendly than HDDs, however HDDs are often cheaper. We suggest springing for an SSD for many use instances at present — upgrading a PC, saving essential pictures and paperwork, storing video games long run, and so forth. However when you’re targeted on getting probably the most quantity of additional area potential (and sticking to a finances), an HDD may very well be a very good possibility for you.

Does larger SSD imply sooner?

Getting an even bigger SSD doesn’t all the time translate right into a sooner drive general. An even bigger SSD will present a better storage capability, which implies extra space for storing digital recordsdata and applications. To grasp how briskly an SSD will likely be, you’ll need to take a look at its learn/write speeds: learn speeds measure how briskly a drive can entry data, whereas write speeds measure how briskly the drive can save data. Most SSDs checklist their approximate learn/write speeds of their specs, so make sure you try these numbers earlier than you make a purchase order.