Best 960GB SATA TLC DRAM-less SSDs
There are 22 960GB SATA TLC DRAM-less SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Corsair Force LE200 at 560 MB/s read at 960GB, and the highest-rated for endurance is the ADATA SU650 (1120 TBW). Sequential reads across the group span 500–560 MB/s at 960GB.
Why this configuration
A 960GB SATA TLC DRAM-less SSD is a budget and compatibility choice. SATA won't win benchmarks, but it's the cheapest way to add solid-state speed and fits essentially any PC or laptop with a 2.5-inch bay.
Usually chosen for: reviving older machines, cheap capacity upgrades and second drives.
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; large-file creative work where NVMe pulls ahead.
Ranked list
The top 20 of 22 are listed. The full SSD catalogue filters on every spec.
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 960GB ratings where published (22 of 22 drives), not the family headline figure. 3 of the 22 are rated slower at 960GB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 960GB run 310–540 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 960GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Crucial BX500 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 960GB | Value | SILICON MOTION SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 540 | 720 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  ADATA SU650 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 60GB, 960GB, 1.92TB | Value | SILICON MOTION SM2258XT ou Maxio M | 520 | 1120 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 |  Corsair Force LE200 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | PHISON PS3111-S11-13 (1-Core 40nm, | 560 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Mushkin SOURCE II 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 960GB | Value | SILICON MOTION SM2259XT (1-Core, 4 | 560 | 400 | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Toshiba TR200 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | TOSHIBA TC58NC1010GSB | 555 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  Transcend SSD220S 960G 960GB | Value | Variante 1: Silicon Motion SM2256K | 550 | 320 | Find on Amazon |
| 7 |  TeamGroup Team Group GX1 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | — | 530 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 8 |  ADATA SP580 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Value | Marvell 88NV1120 | 520 | 200 | Find on Amazon |
| 9 |  Kingston A400 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB, 1.92TB | Low-end | Kingston CP33238B (Phison S11 Rema | 500 | 800 | Check price on Amazon |
| 10 |  Integral M.2 SATA III 22X80 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Low-end | PHISON PS3111-S11T | 560 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 11 |  Lexar ® NQ100 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Low-end | Lexar DM928 (Provavelmente MaxioTe | 550 | 336 | Find on Amazon |
| 12 |  Risemode Rise Mode Gamer Line 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Low-end | PHISON PS3111-S11-13 (1-Core 40nm, | 535 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 13 |  Integral C SERIES 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Low-end | Silicon Motion SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 530 | 480 | Find on Amazon |
| 14 |  Weijinto WEIJINTO 500GB, 1TB, 960GB, 720GB | Low-end | SILICON MOTION SM2259XT (1-Core, 4 | 520 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 15 |  TeamGroup L3 EVO 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | Low-end | PHISON PS310B-S8 | 500 | 240 | Find on Amazon |
| 16 |  KingSpec SSD 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 2TB, 960GB | Avoid | MK8115 Controller | 560 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 17 |  SanDisk PLUS G27 960GB | Avoid | Variante 1: SILICON MOTION SM2246X | 530 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 18 |  Kioxia EXCERIA 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | — | Toshiba TC58NC1010GSB | 555 | 240 | Check price on Amazon |
| 19 |  Somnambulist SOMNAMBULIST 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 2TB, 960GB | — | — | 555 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 20 |  Maxsun DICTATOR F7 RGB 250GB, 500GB, 960GB | — | SILICON MOTION SM2258XT (1-Core, 4 | 530 | — | Find on Amazon |
The parts, explained
SATA III tops out around 550 MB/s, but it is the cheapest interface and fits any 2.5-inch bay or older laptop.
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 960GB 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.
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.