Best 128GB PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSDs
There are 31 128GB PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Samsung PM961 at 2800 MB/s read at 128GB, and the highest-rated for endurance is the Gigabyte NVMe SSD (1600 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 560–2800 MB/s at 128GB.
Why this configuration
A 128GB PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD is an affordable NVMe step up from SATA. Gen3 is roughly six times SATA's throughput yet often costs little more, making it the easy default for a first NVMe drive or a laptop that only supports Gen3.
At 128GB this is really a boot or cache drive rather than a main library.
Usually chosen for: budget builders, laptop upgraders and anyone leaving SATA behind.
Good fit: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
Ranked list
The top 20 of 31 are listed. The full SSD catalogue filters on every spec.
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 128GB ratings where published (24 of 31 drives), not the family headline figure. 22 of the 31 are rated slower at 128GB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 128GB run 400–1600 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 128GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Plextor M8PeG 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS1093 | 1600 | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung PM961 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Samsung Polaris Controller "S4LP07 | 2800 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Mushkin PILOT 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2262 | 2710* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  OCZ RD400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | TOSHIBA TC56NCP070GSB (POSSIVELMEN | 2200 | 296 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Integral M Series M.2 2280 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2263XT (2-Core, 4 | 1800 | 256 | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  Intel ® SSD 760P SERIES 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2262G (2-Core 575 | 1640 | 576 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  Plextor M8PeGN 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS1093 | 1600 | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  Biostar M500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Possivelmente Silicon Motion SM226 | 1500 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Patriot P300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SMI 2263XT / Phison | 1600 | 320 | Check price on Amazon |
| 10 |  TeamGroup MP33 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2263XT | Phison P | 1500 | 1000 | Check price on Amazon |
| 11 |  Apacer Z280 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | Phison PS5007-E7 | 2750* | 698 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  HP EX900 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2263XT (Remarcado | 2100* | 200 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  ADATA XPG SX6000 Lite 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Realtek’s RTS5763DL | 1800 | 480 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  Corsair MP300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | Phison PS5008 | 1600* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  Apacer AS2280 P2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | Phison PS5008-E8 | 1580* | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  Transcend 110S 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2263XT (2-Core, 4 | 1500 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  ADATA XPG GAMMIX S10 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2260 (Dual ARM Co | 660 | 640 | Find on Amazon |
| 18 |  ADATA XPG GAMMIX SX7000 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2260 (Dual ARM Co | 660 | 640 | Find on Amazon |
| 19 |  Galax GAMER 120-M.2 128GB | Value | PHISON PS3111-S11-13 (1-Core 40nm, | 560* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 20 |  Patriot SCORCH M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Low-end | Phison PS5008-E8-10 | 1700 | 300 | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 128GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
128GB suits a boot drive or a light secondary disk.
PCIe 3.0 x4 reaches about 3,500 MB/s — plenty for everyday use and gaming, and cheaper than Gen4.
The M.2 form factor plugs straight into the motherboard with no cables.