Best 500GB SATA Crucial MLC SSDs
There are 9 500GB SATA Crucial MLC SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Crucial BX300 at 555 MB/s read, and the highest-rated for endurance is the Crucial MX200 (320 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 500–555 MB/s at 500GB.
Why this configuration
A 500GB SATA Crucial 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. Crucial 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: 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
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 500GB ratings where published (3 of 9 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 500GB run 450–500 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 500GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Crucial MX100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  Crucial MX200 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550 | 320 | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Crucial MX200 M.2 250GB, 500GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550 | 160 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Crucial M500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | High-end | Marvell 88SS9187 | 500* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Crucial BX300 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2258 | 555* | 160 | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  Crucial M550 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  Crucial M550 mSATA 128GB, 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS9189 | 550* | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  Crucial BX100 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2246EN | 535 | 72 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Crucial M4 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 64GB | — | MARVELL 88SS9174-BLD2 | 500* | 72 | 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.
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.
Staying with Crucial means consistent firmware, tooling and warranty handling across the range.
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.