Best 128GB SATA TLC DRAM SSDs
There are 20 128GB SATA TLC DRAM SSDs compared here. The fastest is the ADATA SU800 at 560 MB/s read at 128GB. Sequential reads across the group span 500–560 MB/s at 128GB.
Why this configuration
A 128GB SATA TLC DRAM 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.
At 128GB this is really a boot or cache drive rather than a main library.
Usually chosen for: reviving older machines, cheap capacity upgrades and second drives.
Good fit: everyday all-rounder use, from OS drive to game library; workstation and creative loads that hammer random I/O.
Look elsewhere for: large-file creative work where NVMe pulls ahead.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 128GB ratings where published (5 of 20 drives), not the family headline figure. 1 of the 20 are rated slower at 128GB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 128GB run 300–470 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 128GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung 850 PRO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Top-tier | Samsung 3-core 400MHz MHX Controll | 550 | 450 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung 850 EVO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | High-end | Samsung MGX Controller (2-Core, 8- | 540* | 300 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 |  Samsung 840 EVO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 750GB | High-end | Samsung's 3-Core 400MHz MEX Contro | 540* | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 |  Samsung 750 EVO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | High-end | Samsung MGX Controller | 540* | 100 | Check price on Amazon |
| 5 |  Samsung 850 EVO M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Samsung MGX Controller (2-Core, 8- | 540* | 150 | Check price on Amazon |
| 6 |  OCZ TRION 150 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | High-end | Toshiba TC58NC1000 (Phison PS3110- | 550* | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  ADATA SU800 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G (1-Core, Cl | 560 | 1600 | Check price on Amazon |
| 8 |  ADATA ULTIMATE SU800 M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 560 | 800 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  HP S700 PRO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 560 | 650 | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  TeamGroup TEAM GROUP L5 3D 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G | 500* | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  ADATA SP550 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2256K | 560* | 360 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  Mushkin TRIACTOR 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2256 | 560* | 230 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  Transcend SSD230S 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 560 | 1120 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  Kingston UV400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | MARVEL 88SS1074 (2-Core, 4-Canais, | 550* | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  Kingston UV500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB, 1.92TB | Value | MARVEL 88SS1074 (2-Core, 4-Canais, | 520* | 800 | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  Kingston UV500 M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | MARVEL 88SS1074 (2-Core, 4-Canais, | 520* | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  Silicon Power VELOX V55 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | — | PHISON PS3108-S8-I | 560* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 18 |  Toshiba Q300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | — | Toshiba TC358790 | 550* | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 19 |  Zotac T500 128GB, 250GB, 960GB | — | Phison PS3110-S10 (4-Core, 55nm CM | 550* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 20 |  Fattydove RACING 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | — | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 530* | — | 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.
SATA III tops out around 550 MB/s, but it is the cheapest interface and fits any 2.5-inch bay or older laptop.
TLC NAND is the mainstream choice — a solid balance of endurance, speed and cost.
An onboard DRAM cache keeps the flash mapping table on the drive, holding random performance steady under sustained load.
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.