Best 500GB Mushkin SSDs
There are 17 500GB Mushkin SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Mushkin PILOT-E at 3500 MB/s read at 500GB. Sequential reads across the group span 500–3500 MB/s at 500GB.
Why this configuration
A 500GB Mushkin SSD is a capacity-first shortlist. Everything here is available at this size, across interfaces and price tiers, so the choice comes down to how fast you need it and how much rewriting it will take. Mushkin specifically tends to be chosen here for its firmware track record and warranty support.
500GB is a sensible OS-plus-a-few-games size.
Usually chosen for: buyers who have already settled on the size and are picking on specs.
Good fit: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 500GB ratings where published (10 of 17 drives), not the family headline figure. 4 of the 17 are rated slower at 500GB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 500GB run 400–2300 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 500GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mushkin PILOT-E 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | Silicon Motion SM2262EN (2-Core 62 | 3500 | 1300 | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  Mushkin PILOT 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2262 | 2680 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Mushkin HELIX-L 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2263XT | 2105 | 600 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Mushkin SCORPION PCI-E 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | 2x SandForce SF-2281 | 925* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Mushkin REACTOR ARMOR3D 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 (1-Core, 4-C | 565* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  Mushkin TRIACTOR 3DX 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 565 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  Mushkin STRIKER 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Phison PS3110-S10 (4-Core, 55nm CM | 565* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  Mushkin REACTOR 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2246EN | 560* | 144 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Mushkin SOURCE 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  Mushkin SOURCE II 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 960GB | Value | SILICON MOTION SM2259XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  Mushkin TRIACTOR 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2256 | 560 | 230 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  Mushkin SOURCE M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  Mushkin ATLAS VITAL™ 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | SandForce 2281 | 540 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  Mushkin TRIACTOR 3DL 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 80GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 500 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  Mushkin TRIACTOR 3D M.2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 80GB | Value | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 500* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  Mushkin ECO3 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | — | Silicon Motion SM2256 | 560* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  Mushkin ECO2 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 60GB | — | SandForce SF-2241 | 560* | — | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 500GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
500GB is a comfortable OS-and-games starting point.
Staying with Mushkin means consistent firmware, tooling and warranty handling across the range.