SSDs are an upgraded version of mechanical hard drives as they are comparatively fast which greatly improves the performance of the computer. Memory capacity normally is one of the deciding factors while either buying a laptop or building a desktop PC and it mainly depends on the usage of a person. Normally the 500GB SSD is quite enough if you have mixed usage of the computer that includes office work, playing games and watching movies. If you are looking for a 500GB SSD for your computer, then read this guide as I have given a list of 5 best 500GB SSDs.
5 Best 500GB SSDS
SSDs are normally differentiated on the basis of their specifications and performance so below is the list of 5 best 500 GB SSDs based on their specification and performance:
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- Samsung 970 EVO Plus
- SK Hynix Platinum P41
- Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus
- FireCuda 530
- WD Black SN 850
1: Samsung 970 EVO Plus
If you have some sort of budget constraint and need a fast and reliable SSD then you should consider the Samsung 970 EVO Plus as it is having comparatively less cost than other fast SSDs available in the market. Samsung also provides Samsung Magician and Migration software that one can use to monitor the SSD and clone the data of one SSD on another. Another optional thing that Samsung provides with its SSDs is NVMe driver download that can make Windows run better and also this SSD becomes compatible with Windows 7. For further details you can see the table that shows the specifications of the Samsung 970 EVO Plus:
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| Specifications | Samsung 970 EVO Plus |
| Memory Technology | Samsung 9x-layer V-NAND TLC |
| Form factor | Single sided M.2 2280 |
| Sequential write (MBps) | 3200 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 480,000 |
| Sequential Read (MBps) | 3500 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 550,000 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3 |
| Memory Capacity | 500 GB |
Before buying Samsung 970 EVO Plus go through its pros and cons:
Pros
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- Come with Windows NVMe driver
- Comes with a Samsung Magician software
- Free migration software
- Higher data transfer rates
Cons
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- Sequential speed tends to get low under load
- Slight lag in random throughput
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2: SK Hynix Platinum P41
Another budget SSD that is allrounder is SK Hynix Platinum P41 as it comes with an Aries controller that is 176 layer TLC to make it stand out among its competitors. Like other SSDs it also comes with a software named SK Hynix Drive Manager which not only helps in monitoring the vitals of the drive but also gives a tool to clone the SSD. Below the table shows the specifications of the SK Hynix Platinum P41:
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| Specifications | SK Hynix Platinum P41 |
| Memory Technology | SK Hynix 176-Layer TLC |
| Sequential write (MBps) | 4700 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 960,000 |
| Sequential Read (MBps) | 7000 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 1000,000 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 |
| Memory Capacity | 500 GB |
| Form factor | M.2 2280 |
Before buying SK Hynix Platinum P41 go through its pros and cons:
Pros
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- Excellent performance under load
- Allrounder performance
- Good power efficiency
- Economical
Cons
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- No heat sink
- No 4 TB option
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3: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus
The SABRENT 500GB Rocket 4 Plus comes with a 4th generation PCIe which is best for high end computers and is also a good choice for upgrading your PS 5 SSD. Moreover, it comes with a PS 5 plate that dissipates the heat and can easily be fixed in the PS 5 SSD slot. Unlike other SSDs, this SSD comes with a thermal tape and installation guide which also make its installation easy. It also comes with a software called Acronis, moreover it is the best choice for those who want to save some bucks rather than buying Samsung or WD SSDs. For further details you can see the table that shows the specifications of the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus:
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| Specifications | Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus |
| Memory Technology | Micron 96-Layer TLC |
| Sequential write (MBps) | 3700 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 350,000 |
| Sequential Read (MBps) | 7000 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 700,000 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 |
| Memory Capacity | 500 GB |
| Form factor | M.2 2280 |
Below are some of the pros and cons of buying Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus:
Pros
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- Considerably good sequential performance
- Compatible with PS 5
- Comes with the heatsink and thermal tape
- Large dynamic cache
Cons
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- Thermal throttling
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4: Seagate FireCuda 530
If you can spend some extra bucks for performance, then you can go for the Seagate FireCuda 530 as it is much better than Samsung and WD SSDs. One of the main features is that these SSDs come with a three years of data recovery service for free which is really helpful in case you lose any of your data. Moreover, its 4th generation PCIe interface is quite fast which makes it a high performer among its competitors. Below the table that shows the specifications of the Seagate FireCuda 530:
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| Specifications | Seagate FireCuda 530 |
| Memory Technology | Micron 176-Layer TLC |
| Sequential write (MBps) | 3000 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 400,000 |
| Sequential Read (MBps) | 7000 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 700,000 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 |
| Memory Capacity | 500 GB |
| Form factor | M.2 2280 |
Below are some of the pros and cons of buying Seagate FireCuda 530:
Pros
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- Efficient and robust PCIe 4.0
- Best for PS 5
- Comes with the heatsink
- Rescue data recovery service free up to three years
Cons
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- Expensive
- No 256-bit encryption
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5: WD Black SN 850
This is one of the best SSDs you can find on the market right now as it is fast and has a long life. Moreover, Western Digital provides a WD dashboard software that can be used to monitor the SSD. Similarly, they also provide a cloning software for free which you can use to safely transfer the data into another drive. The specifications of the WD Black SN850 are given below:
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| Specifications | WD Black 850 |
| Memory Technology | BiCS4 TLC having 96-layers |
| Sequential write (MBps) | 4100 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 800,000 |
| Sequential Read (MBps) | 700,000 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 570,000 |
| Memory Capacity | 500 GB |
| Form factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 |
Before buying WD Black 850 go through its pros and cons:
Pros
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- Comes with a robust recovering dynamic cache
- Comes with a WB Dashboard software
- Free cloning tool
- Higher data transfer rates
Cons
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- Heatsink is must for good performance
- Consumes high power even in idle state
Conclusion
SSDs have become popular because of their compact size, speed and robustness as these things greatly improve the overall performance of the computer. There are a number of SSDs available in the market that one can buy but not all are good when compared on the basis of price and performance. Keeping in view the performance and price I have given a list of 5 best SSDs having a memory capacity of 500GB and among them I recommend the Seagate FireCuda 530 as it comes with a free data recovery service which no other manufacturer provides till now.
