Best 1TB SATA TLC DRAM SSDs
There are 27 1TB SATA TLC DRAM SSDs compared here. The fastest is the HP S700 PRO at 570 MB/s read at 1TB, and the highest-rated for endurance is the Western Digital RED SA500 (2500 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 500–570 MB/s at 1TB.
Why this configuration
A 1TB 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.
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; workstation and creative loads that hammer random I/O.
Look elsewhere for: large-file creative work where NVMe pulls ahead.
Ranked list
The top 20 of 27 are listed. The full SSD catalogue filters on every spec.
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 1TB ratings where published (27 of 27 drives), not the family headline figure. 1 of the 27 are rated slower at 1TB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 1TB run 480–560 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 1TB) | 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 EVO 870 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | High-end | Samsung MKX "Metis" Controller (3- | 560 | 2400 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 | Samsung 860 EVO 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | High-end | SAMSUNG MJX CONTROLLER (3-Core, 8- | 550 | 2400 | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 | Samsung EVO 860 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG MJX CONTROLLER (3-Core, 8- | 550 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 5 | Samsung 850 EVO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | High-end | Samsung MGX Controller (2-Core, 8- | 540 | 300 | Check price on Amazon |
| 6 | Samsung 840 EVO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 750GB | High-end | Samsung's 3-Core 400MHz MEX Contro | 540 | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 7 | Samsung 850 EVO M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Samsung MGX Controller (2-Core, 8- | 540 | 150 | Check price on Amazon |
| 8 | Crucial MX500 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258H (1-Core, 4- | 560 | 700 | Check price on Amazon |
| 9 | ADATA SU800 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G (1-Core, Cl | 560 | 1600 | Check price on Amazon |
| 10 | Kingston KC600 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2259 | 550 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 11 | HP S700 PRO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 570 | 650 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 | Crucial MX500 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258H (1-Core, 4- | 560 | 360 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 | Western Digital RED SA500 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Mid-range | MARVEL 88SS1074 (2-Core, 4-Canais, | 560 | 2500 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 | ADATA ULTIMATE SU800 M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 560 | 800 | Find on Amazon |
| 15 | TeamGroup DELTA MAX RGB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 16 | TeamGroup VULKAN 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 17 | TeamGroup DELTA R RGB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 18 | TeamGroup DELTA S TUF Gaming Alliance RGB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 19 | TeamGroup DELTA PHANTOM GAMING RGB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G (POSSIVELME | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 20 | TeamGroup TEAM GROUP T-FORCE DELTA RGB 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 560 | 240 | 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.
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.