Best 250GB PCIe 4.0 TLC DRAM-less SSDs
There are 5 250GB PCIe 4.0 TLC DRAM-less SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Western Digital Black SN770 at 5150 MB/s read at 250GB. Sequential reads across the group span 4150–5150 MB/s at 250GB.
Why this configuration
A 250GB PCIe 4.0 TLC DRAM-less SSD is the value-performance sweet spot. You keep Gen4's high sequential speed — the part game loading and everyday tasks actually use — while dropping the DRAM chip (HMB fills in) trims the price.
250GB covers an OS and core apps with little room for a large game library.
Usually chosen for: value-minded gamers and upgraders chasing NVMe speed at the lowest sensible cost.
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.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 250GB ratings where published (5 of 5 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 250GB run 4150–4900 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 250GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Digital Black SN770 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | SanDisk 20-82-10081-A1 (Polaris MP | 5150 | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | Fanxiang S660 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Value | Maxio MAP1602 | 5000 | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 | Silicon Power UD90 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Value | Phison E21T | 5000 | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 | TeamGroup MP44L 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Phison E21T, Maxio MAP1602 | 5000 | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 5 | Western Digital Blue SN580 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | SanDisk 20-82-10082 (Polaris MP16+ | 4150 | — | Check price on Amazon |
The parts, explained
250GB fits an OS plus core apps.
PCIe 4.0 x4 delivers roughly 7,000 MB/s, the current price-to-performance sweet spot for most builds.
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 250GB 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.