1
Samsung 860 PRO
250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Best 500GB SATA 2.5" SATA SSDs
500GBSATA2.5" SATA
There are 167 500GB SATA 2.5" SATA SSDs in our database (1 with a direct Amazon product link). The fastest is the Reletech P400 at 3500 MB/s read, and the highest-rated for endurance is the Kingston DC500M (9110 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 350–3500 MB/s.
Why this configuration
A 500GB SATA 2.5" SATA SSD is a budget and compatibility choice. SATA won't win benchmarks, but it's the cheapest way to add solid-state speed and fits essentially any PC or laptop with a 2.5-inch bay.
500GB is a sensible OS-plus-a-few-games size.
Usually chosen for: reviving older machines, cheap capacity upgrades and second drives.
Good fit: budget upgrades, older PCs and second drives.
Look elsewhere for: large-file creative work where NVMe pulls ahead.
Ranked list
Ranked by tier, then link type, then sequential read. Drives we hold a product link for show a price button; the rest open an Amazon search on the manufacturer part number. Stock and prices are not shown here — they change too often.
2
Samsung 850 PRO
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
3
Samsung 840 PRO
128GB, 250GB, 500GB
4
Seagate IronWolf 110
250GB, 500GB, 960GB, 1.92TB, 3.84TB
5
Samsung EVO 870
250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
6
Samsung EVO 860
250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
7
Samsung 850 EVO
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
8
Samsung 840 EVO
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 750GB
9
Samsung 750 EVO
128GB, 250GB, 500GB
10
ADATA SU900
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
11
ADATA SX950
250GB, 500GB, 960GB, 1.92TB
12
Crucial MX100
128GB, 250GB, 500GB
13
Crucial MX200
250GB, 500GB, 1TB
14
Gigabyte UD PRO SSD
250GB, 500GB, 1TB
15
OCZ TRION 150
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB
16
Gigabyte SSD UD PRO
250GB, 500GB
17
Samsung 830 SERIES
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 64GB
18
HyperX Savage SSD
250GB, 500GB, 960GB
19
Crucial M500
128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB
20
Crucial MX500
250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
The parts, explained
500GB is a comfortable OS-and-games starting point.
SATA III tops out around 550 MB/s, but it is the cheapest interface and fits any 2.5-inch bay or older laptop.
The 2.5-inch form factor drops into any laptop or desktop drive bay.
Common questions
Is SATA fast enough in 2026?
For an OS, apps and most games you won't notice the difference versus NVMe in daily use. NVMe pulls ahead mainly on large file transfers and load-heavy creative work.
How do the links to Amazon work here?
19 of the 167 drives listed have a direct product link; for the rest we link an Amazon search on the manufacturer part number, which lands on the right listing. We deliberately don't display stock or prices on this page — check both on Amazon, they change constantly.