Best 1TB SATA TLC DRAM-less SSDs
There are 23 1TB SATA TLC DRAM-less SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Reletech P400 at 3500 MB/s read at 1TB. Sequential reads across the group span 500–3500 MB/s at 1TB.
Why this configuration
A 1TB SATA TLC DRAM-less 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.
1TB is the capacity most single-drive builds settle on.
Usually chosen for: reviving older machines, cheap capacity upgrades and second drives.
Good fit: everyday all-rounder use, from OS drive to game library; value builds and gaming where cost per gigabyte matters.
Look elsewhere for: databases, virtual machines and other sustained random-write workloads; large-file creative work where NVMe pulls ahead.
Ranked list
The top 20 of 23 are listed. The full SSD catalogue filters on every spec.
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 1TB ratings where published (23 of 23 drives), not the family headline figure. 4 of the 23 are rated slower at 1TB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 1TB run 430–3100 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 1TB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Lexar NS100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Marvell 88NV1120 (Dual Core ARM Co | 550 | 512 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Crucial BX500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 960GB | Value | SILICON MOTION SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 540 | 720 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 |  Mushkin SOURCE 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Mushkin SOURCE II 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 960GB | Value | SILICON MOTION SM2259XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Mushkin SOURCE M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  ADATA SU750 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Realtek RTS5733DMQ (2-Canais) | 550 | 800 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  Mushkin TRIACTOR 3DL 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 80GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 550 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  TeamGroup EX2 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 550 | 1600 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Patriot P200 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SMI 2258XT | 530 | 1000 | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  Silicon Power ACE A55 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 530 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  TeamGroup MS30 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 530 | 480 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  Reletech P400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Low-end | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 3500 | 3670 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  Gigabyte SSD 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Low-end | PHISON PS3111-S11-13 (1-Core 40nm, | 550 | 800 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  KingDian S280 SATA III SSD – 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Low-end | VARIANTE 1: Silicon Motion SM2256K | 550 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  Netac N500S 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 60GB, 320GB, 720GB | Low-end | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 550 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  Netac N600S 1TB, 720GB | Low-end | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 550 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  Western Digital GREEN 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Low-end | Variante 1: SILICON MOTION SM2258X | 545 | 160 | Find on Amazon |
| 18 |  Torosus TOROSUS 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 60GB | Low-end | Silicon Motion SM2246XT (Possivelm | 530 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 19 |  Weijinto WEIJINTO 500GB, 1TB, 960GB, 720GB | Low-end | SILICON MOTION SM2259XT (1-Core, 4 | 520 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 20 |  Hikvision E-100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | — | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 480 | Find on Amazon |
The parts, explained
1TB is the mainstream single-drive capacity.
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.
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 1TB 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.
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.