Best 500GB PCIe 3.0 MLC SSDs
There are 15 500GB PCIe 3.0 MLC SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Samsung 960 PRO M.2 at 3500 MB/s read. Sequential reads across the group span 1900–3500 MB/s at 500GB.
Why this configuration
A 500GB PCIe 3.0 MLC SSD is an affordable NVMe step up from SATA. Gen3 is roughly six times SATA's throughput yet often costs little more, making it the easy default for a first NVMe drive or a laptop that only supports Gen3.
500GB is a sensible OS-plus-a-few-games size.
Usually chosen for: budget builders, laptop upgraders and anyone leaving SATA behind.
Good fit: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
Ranked list
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 500GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung 960 PRO M.2 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Top-tier | SAMSUNG POLARIS CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500* | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung PRO 970 M.2 500GB, 1TB | Top-tier | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500* | 1200 | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Plextor M8PeY 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS1093 | 2500* | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Plextor M8PeG 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS1093 | 2500* | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Samsung 950 PRO 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Samsung UBX | 2500* | 400 | Check price on Amazon |
| 6 |  Kingston KC1000 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Phison PS5007-E7 | 2700* | 1000 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  OCZ RD400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | TOSHIBA TC56NCP070GSB (POSSIVELMEN | 2600* | 296 | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  OCZ RD400 AIC 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | TOSHIBA TC56NCP070GSB (POSSIVELMEN | 2600* | 592 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Plextor M8PeGN 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS1093 | 2500* | 768 | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  Apacer Z280 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Value | Phison PS5007-E7 | 2750* | 698 | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  Patriot HELLFIRE 250GB, 500GB | Value | Phison PS5007-E7 | 2550* | 230 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  ADATA SX9000 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | — | Marvell 88SS1093 | 2800* | 1000 | Find on Amazon |
| 13 | — | Phison PS5007-E7 | 2800* | — | Find on Amazon | |
| 14 |  Zotac SONIX PCI-e 500GB | — | Phison's PS5007-E7 | 2600* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  ADATA XPG SX8000 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | — | Silicon Motion SM2260 (Dual ARM Co | 1900* | 640 | 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.
PCIe 3.0 x4 reaches about 3,500 MB/s — plenty for everyday use and gaming, and cheaper than Gen4.
MLC NAND is older and costs more per gigabyte, but is very durable.