Best 180GB MLC SSDs
There are 5 180GB MLC 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 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: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
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.