Best 180GB MLC DRAM-less SSDs
There are 5 180GB MLC DRAM-less SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Corsair Force Series™ GT at 555 MB/s read at 180GB, and the highest-rated for endurance is the Kingston SSDNOW KC300 (1785 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 525–555 MB/s at 180GB.
Why this configuration
A 180GB MLC DRAM-less SSD is a legacy endurance choice. MLC stores two bits per cell instead of three, so these older drives take far more rewriting than a modern budget drive, at a much higher cost per gigabyte.
Usually chosen for: write-heavy secondary roles and keeping older machines useful.
Good fit: value builds and gaming where cost per gigabyte matters.
Look elsewhere for: databases, virtual machines and other sustained random-write workloads.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 180GB ratings where published (5 of 5 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 180GB run 480–525 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 180GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Intel 520 128GB, 250GB, 180GB | Mid-range | LSI SandForce SF-2281 | 550 | 36 | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  Intel 525 mSATA 128GB, 250GB, 30GB, 60GB, 180GB | Mid-range | SandForce’s SF-2281 | 550 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Intel 530 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 80GB, 180GB, 360GB | Mid-range | SandForce SF-2281 | 540 | 36.5 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Kingston SSDNOW KC300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 60GB, 180GB | Mid-range | SandForce SF-2281 | 525 | 1785 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Corsair Force Series™ GT 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 60GB, 90GB, 180GB | Value | SandForce SF-2281VA1-SDC-ES | 555 | — | Find on Amazon |
The parts, explained
MLC NAND is older and costs more per gigabyte, but is very durable.
DRAM-less drives use the Host Memory Buffer (HMB) instead — cheaper, and fine for everyday use and gaming, with a small penalty under heavy random writes.
Common questions
Is a DRAM-less 180GB SSD good enough?
For gaming and everyday use, yes — HMB covers those workloads well. If you run sustained heavy random writes (databases, VMs), a drive with a DRAM cache stays more consistent.