Best 250GB SATA MLC SSDs
There are 71 250GB SATA MLC SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Mushkin REACTOR ARMOR3D at 565 MB/s read, and the highest-rated for endurance is the Samsung 860 PRO (4800 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 285–565 MB/s at 250GB.
Why this configuration
A 250GB SATA MLC SSD is a legacy high-endurance choice. These older MLC SATA drives are slow by today's standards but exceptionally durable, which is why they still appear in always-on and write-heavy roles.
250GB covers an OS and core apps with little room for a large game library.
Usually chosen for: keeping an older system alive, or a rugged secondary/logging drive.
Good fit: budget upgrades, older PCs and second drives.
Look elsewhere for: large-file creative work where NVMe pulls ahead.
Ranked list
The top 20 of 71 are listed. The full SSD catalogue filters on every spec.
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 250GB ratings where published (5 of 71 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 250GB run 370–530 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 250GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung 860 PRO 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Top-tier | SAMSUNG MJX CONTROLLER (3-Core, 8- | 560* | 4800 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung 840 PRO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Top-tier | Samsung's 3-Core MDX Controller | 540* | 73 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 |  ADATA SU900 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | Silicon Motion SM2258H (1-Core, 4- | 560* | 1600 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  ADATA SX950 250GB, 500GB, 960GB, 1.92TB | High-end | Silicon Motion SM2258G (1-Core, Cl | 560* | 1600 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Crucial MX100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  Crucial MX200 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550 | 320 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  Crucial MX200 M.2 250GB, 500GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550 | 160 | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  Samsung 830 SERIES 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 64GB | High-end | SAMSUNG S4LJ204X01-Y040 | 520* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Corsair Performance Series™ Pro 128GB, 250GB | High-end | Marvell 88S-9174 BKK2 | 515* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  Crucial M500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9187 | 500* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  Mushkin REACTOR ARMOR3D 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 (1-Core, 4-C | 565* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  Mushkin STRIKER 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Phison PS3110-S10 (4-Core, 55nm CM | 565* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  ADATA SP920 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 560* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  Corsair Neutron XT 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Phison PS3110-S10 (4-Core, 55nm CM | 560* | 124 | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  Corsair Neutron XTi 250GB, 500GB, 960GB, 1.92TB | Mid-range | Phison PS3110-S10 (4-Core, 55nm CM | 560* | 1280 | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  OCZ VERTEX 4 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Indilinx(IDX400M00-BC) Everest 2 | 560* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  TeamGroup VULKAN 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258G | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 18 |  Crucial BX300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 555* | 160 | Find on Amazon |
| 19 |  Kingston SSDNOW KC100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | SandForce SF-2281 | 555* | 640 | Find on Amazon |
| 20 |  Crucial M550 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 250GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
250GB fits an OS plus core apps.
SATA III tops out around 550 MB/s, but it is the cheapest interface and fits any 2.5-inch bay or older laptop.
MLC NAND is older and costs more per gigabyte, but is very durable.
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.