Solid State Drives

Solid State Drives can offer high-speed data transfer and reliability when compared with a traditional mechanical hard disk drive. Even though the initial investment is a bit on the higher side, swapping your outdated HDD for one of the best SSD in the market will result in significant improvement in your system performance. In this article, we bring you the sixteen best SSDs available in the Indian market at present. To know more about these products and their capabilities in detail, let’s dive straight into the article without any further ado. Best SSD’s In India 1. Samsung 980 ProOverall Best Pick2. WD Black SN850Runner-up Pick3. Seagate FireCuda 520Best Economical SSD Drive4. HP EX950Mid-range M.2 SSD5. Crucial P5 All-round Performer6. ADATA FalconBest Build Quality7. SEAGATE Barracuda Q5Best Affordable NVMe SSD8. WD Blue WDS100T2B0ABest Budget SATA SSD9. Crucial MX500Value for Money SSD10. SAMSUNG 970 EVO PlusReliable NVMe SSD11. Kingston NV1-ELarge Capacity M.2 SSD12. SEAGATE FireCuda ST1000LX015 Best Hybrid SSHD13. Samsung 870 QVOAffordable 1TB SSD14. ADATA XPG SX8200 ProCompact NVMe SSD15. Crucial BX500Feature-rich SSD16. Kingston A2000Honourable Mention 1. Samsung 980 ProOverall Best Pick Ultra-fast read and write speedsV-NAND 3-bit MLC flash memoryPerfect for gaming and video editing BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Excellent thermal management 5-year limited warranty Samsung magician software support Cons Expensive The South Korean tech giant Samsung requires no introduction among Indian consumers - this consumer electronics company has a large set of audience across the planet and is a strong contender to Apple. What we have here for you is the Samsung 980 Pro SSD drive which is expensive but compensates for that in terms of raw performance. Design and Build Quality The Samsung 980 Pro has an M.2 form factor and it looks like a stick that will fit inside even the smallest of the motherboard enclosures without any issues. Compared to the SATA drive which looks like a box and requires more space, this M.2 drive requires minimal space on the motherboard. Samsung has not just focused on speed, this drive has excellent thermal management characteristics as well. To make sure that this SSD will offer its best performance to the user, Samsung has included the nickel-coated controller on the top and at the bottom side, there is a heat spreader label which helps in better thermal management. Thanks to the Dynamic Thermal Guard Technology, it helps maintain the SSD temperature at optimal levels. Samsung has used V-NAND 3-bit MLC flash memory in this SSD which is one of the reasons why it is expensive. However, it does make SSD power-efficient and the performance you will get will be well worth the price you pay for. Performance Installing and setting up this SSD on your laptop or desktop is a pretty straightforward task. Locating the M.2 slot on the motherboard and tightening a screw is all you need to do. Like we said at the beginning, this SS drive is all about speed. Samsung claims that this SSD has read and write speeds up to 7000MB/s and 5100MB/s respectively. You will be surprised knowing that the actual numbers are very close to what they said and in our opinion, this SSD is ideal for professional video editors, programmers, and gamers. Having this inside your workstation will speed up your system and your favourite programs will load very fast. With this 1TB variant, Samsung has assured that the drive will work fine up to 600 TBW (Terabytes Written) which is amazing. Miscellaneous With the Samsung 980 Pro, you’ll get the support of data migration software and the Samsung magician tool. The Samsung Magician will display the current comprehensive statistics of the SSD intuitively, in real-time. You can keep track of the drive's health, its read and write speed and also, check the TBW score. Verdict The Samsung 980 Pro is surely an expensive SSD storage drive but it offers blazing-fast performance, ideal for productivity and gaming purposes. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)7000/5100 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeMulti Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 years limited 2. WD Black SN850Runner-up Pick Tremendous read/write speedEasy to installClassic design BUY FROM AMAZON Pros 3D TLC NAND technology 5-year warranty Software for managing SSD Cons Heatsink model costs extra Western Digital is a US-based computer company known for selling high-quality storage products including portable HDDs and SSDs. The WD Black SN850 is an affordable internal SSD that offers excellent performance for the price of Rs.10,758. Design and Build Quality Unlike other SSD sticks, this one does not look weak, instead, it looks more powerful with its black colour. This drive is built tough - the maximum temperature it can handle is 70-degrees celsius and it can be used without a problem in a humid country like India. Equipping this SSD on the motherboard is very easy - all you need to find a place and fit one screw, and you are done. WD has implemented 3D TLC NAND flash memory which provides good performance without consuming a lot of power. Performance The read and write speed of the WD Black SN850 is excellent. WD advertises a read and write score of 7000 MB/s and 4100 MB/s respectively, and we are happy to see that numbers are true. Having said that, we can tell that this SSD will boost the performance of your desktop or laptop. It loads your program even faster and boots up the system in mere seconds. Miscellaneous WD markets two variants of this SSD - one with the heatsink and one is without the heatsink. The one we have listed is without the heatsink as one with the heatsink cost a little extra. Well, the temperature does not go that high if you are a regular user and if you do intense gaming then we recommend getting a heatsink. This 500GB will last up to 300 TBW (Terabytes Written), which is a lot and the brand has also ensured the five-year warranty. Also, install the WD black dashboard software from which you can check the health of the SSD and also turn game mode to boost the performance of the SSD. Verdict The WD Black SN850 is for non-competitive gamers and content creators. Priced under Rs.11,000, this SSD drive from Western Digital offers excellent performance for the price, and adding extra will get you a heat sink as well. Specifications Capacity500GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)7000/4100 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 3. Seagate FireCuda 520Best Economical SSD Drive Agile performanceEasy to installDrive monitoring software available BUY FROM AMAZON Pros 3 years of data recovery services It can write up to 850 TB 5-year warranty Cons - The US-based storage manufacturer Seagate manufactures some of the best SATA and NVMe SSD and portable external drives. The Seagate FireCuda 520 is an M.2 SSD that is designed for gamers and is priced under Rs.10,000. Design and Build Quality Lookwise, the Seagate FireCuda 520 is no different from other M.2 SSD we have on the list. The sticker of branding placed on the drive looks quite aggressive though and we are sure that it will look even better on the motherboard as well. The drive uses 3D TLC NAND flash memory which is power-efficient and better in comparison to MLC (multi-level cell) and QLC(quad-level cell). We are surprised that this Seagate drive can last up to 850 TBW because in WD black SN850 you will see that it is lower. Even without any heatsink, the temperature of Seagate FireCuda 520 does not reach its peak limit every time. With the chances of 1.8M MTFB (Mean time between failure), we can say that there is hardly any possibility that this drive will fail. Performance The Seagate FireCuda 520 offers 9 times better performance compared to SATA SSD.The read and write speed of this drive is 5000MB/s and 2400MB/s respectively. The scores are commendable and in actual performance, you will notice significant improvement concerning application loading and system boot up. Though the brand has marketed this drive for gamers, we believe that if you are a multitasker or operate heavy software that is a similar size to PC games then you opt for this SSD. Miscellaneous Seagate has free software available for managing its M.2 drive and you can download it from their website. The Seagate FireCuda 520 comes with a 5-year warranty.Also, you will get the rescue data recovery services for 3 years. It will come in handy if you lost your data somehow. Verdict The Seagate FireCuda 520 provides swift performance and the brand offers monitoring tools as well as five years of warranty including three years of data recovery services. Specifications Capacity500GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)5000/2400 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 4. HP EX950Mid-range M.2 SSD Excellent read and write speedIdeal for gamersPlug and play M.2 SSD BUY FROM AMAZON Pros 3D NAND technology 5-year warranty Low power consumption Cons No coating for heat management HP is a California based company that is widely popular for its laptops and related computer accessories. The HP EX950 is a superfast 1TB internal SSD that is priced at Rs.15,813 that is ideal for gamers. Design and Build Quality The HP EX950 has a simplistic design and the build quality seems pretty robust. This premium SSD has the M.2 form factor so it does not require much space on the motherboard compared to a SATA SSD. To use this SSD drive in your computer or laptop, just plug the drive in the M.2 slot on the motherboard and you are ready to go. This SSD features 3D MLC NAND flash memory technology which makes it power efficient without compromising the performance. Performance Being a premium grade M.2 SSD, the real-world performance of the HP EX950 comes second to none in its segment. This SSD has a read speed of 3500MB/s and a write speed of 2900MB/s which is almost 7 times faster compared to that of a typical SATA SSD. Once you install this SSD on your system, you will notice a significant performance bump, even if it is on an older laptop or desktop. This SSD can write 650 TBW (Total bytes written). TBW is an estimated measure of how much data read/writes an SSD can handle before its failure. A TBW of 650 is high enough that for a hardcore home consumer, the SSD will last forever under ideal conditions. Miscellaneous HP provides a 5 year of warranty on this product and the fact is, there is a one in a million possibility that the SSD will fail during normal usage. Also, HP has been doing business in India for a long time and the brand has multiple service centers across the nation so the help is nearby in case anything unfortunate happens. Verdict The HP EX950 is one of the best internal M.2 SSDs available in the Indian market for laptop and desktop computers. If you don’t mind the price, the performance of this SSD is unmatched in its segment. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write speeds (average)3500/2900 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 5. Crucial P5 Plus All-round Performer Superfast read/write speedsHigh-temperature resilienceIndustry-leading 3D NAND technology BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Suitable for desktops and laptops Low power consumption Five-year warranty Cons Write speed varies Crucial is the sub-brand of the popular American storage products manufacturer, Micron technology. The Crucial P5 Plus is a 500GB M.2 SSD priced under Rs.11,000 delivering excellent performance. Design and Build Quality This is Crucial’s first Gen4 drive but it does not look much different from Crucial P5, it has a black PCB with stickers on it that shows the brand and SSD model name. The P5 Plus has adaptive thermal protection which comes into play if the drive’s temperature crosses the mark of 80-degree celsius. The Crucial P5 Plus uses Micron's advanced 3D NAND TLC flash memory which boosts the drive performance and this is Crucial’s in-house technology because the Crucial is a subsidiary of Micron Technology. This solid-state drive can write 300 terabytes of data and it comes with AES 256-bit encryption so your drive data will remain safe from prying eyes. Unlike other SSDs, the retail box of Crucial P5 Plus contains a fitting screw so you can attach it to the motherboard right out of the box. Performance Like we discussed earlier, this SSD is using Micron’s Technology and this 500GB drive provides immense results. It has a read speed of 6600MB/s and write speed of 5000MB/s. In a test with CrystalDiskmark, the read speed goes up to 6800MB/s while the write speed remains around 4600MB/s which is still not bad in our opinion. After setting up this drive in your workstation, you will notice how fast your OS and programs will load, also the data transfer speed will be amazing. Miscellaneous Like Crucial P5, this one also gets a 5-year warranty from the manufacturer. Crucial has also provided a management software that is similar to the Samsung Magician software. It allows you to update the latest firmware and keep a check on your drive’s health. The brand has claimed that this drive has 2 million hours of MTTF(Mean time to failure) which means drive failure chances are very minimal. Verdict The Crucial P5 Plus is an excellent purchase for business and working professionals who need to upgrade their machines so the programs they use will load faster which saves time and speeds up the process. Around the price of Rs.10,000, this Crucial P5 Plus is an excellent SSD to buy. Specifications Capacity500 GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)6600/4000 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 6. ADATA FalconBest Build Quality 512GB M.2 SSDStable read/write speedsReliable performance BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Fast PCIe Gen 3×4 interface support Aluminium alloy heat sink 256-bit AES encryption Cons Not compatible with every laptop/desktop ADATA is a Taiwanese company specializing in memory and storage modules ranging from USB pen drives to portable hard disk drives. The ADATA Falcon is a 512GB M.2 SSD priced around Rs.6,909 in the Indian market. Design and Build Quality The ADATA Falcon is an M.2 SSD. It looks almost similar to that of a RAM module, but with connector pins on one side. It comes with an aluminium alloy heat sink with tiny grooves distributed all over to keep the temperature under check. By preventing the minute components from overheating, the Falcon SSD delivers uniform high-speed data transfer rates throughout its operating cycle. Before purchasing this M.2 SSD, you must make sure to check that the laptop/desktop motherboard has a compatible slot for it to fit into. Performance The ADATA Falcon utilizes the newer PCIe Gen3x4 interface which delivers robust data transfer speeds up to 3100MB/s and 1500MB/s in terms of read and write operations. This 512GB SSD employs 3D NAND Flash technology to deliver uniform and reliable performance, making it ideal for critical productivity tasks such as video editing, coding and graphics designing. Miscellaneous This premium M.2 SSD from ADATA comes with LDPC technology which automatically identifies disk error and takes steps to mitigate the same, keeping the data integrity intact. Additionally, the 256-bit AES encryption makes sure that the contents inside this storage device remain safe from the prying eyes of hackers and other miscreants. Verdict If you are after an affordable M.2 type SSD module with excellent data transfer performance and reliability, the ADATA Falcon stands second to none in its price segment. Specifications Capacity512 GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)3100/1500 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeSingle Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 7. SEAGATE Barracuda Q5Best Affordable NVMe SSD Compact and easy to mountThree-year warrantyConsistent read/write speeds BUY FROM AMAZON Pros 1-Year Rescue Data Recovery services Useful SSD monitoring software Low power consumption Cons No heat sink on the cover Seagate is a US-based storage device manufacturer which is popular around the world for its hard drives and portable storage devices. The Barracuda Q5 is a 500GB M.2 SSD from Seagate offering a swift performance compared to its SATA drive. Design and Build Quality The Seagate Barracuda Q5 is an M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4 SSD that features a 3D QLC NAND flash memory. This blue coloured SSD looks almost identical to other budget Crucial SSDs and assembling it on the motherboard is an easy task. The Barracuda Q5 does not have any dedicated thermal solution but most motherboards feature M.2 slots with a heat sink to reduce the temperature of the SSD. Performance The Seagate Barracuda Q5 has a read and write speed of 2300MB/s and 900MB/s respectively. Don’t get confused between the information on the product listing pages on E-Commerce websites - the 1800MB/s write speed is available in the 2TB variant which costs almost Rs.20,000. If you plan to upgrade from SATA HDD or SSD to this NVMe SSD, then you will notice a significant performance improvement. The system will load in seconds and the applications will load quicker as well. Miscellaneous The Seagate Barracuda Q5 comes with a 3-year limited warranty. On a positive note, the company offers 1-year Rescue Data Recovery Services by which you can request the company to retrieve your lost data free of cost. This hard drive can handle temperatures up to 85 degrees celsius which is highly improbable to attain unless you have a faulty motherboard with no exhaust fans running. The Barracuda Q5 SSD consumes only 2.2W power to run as a result, your laptop will last a little longer than expected and the battery life also will be slightly better. With the SSD monitoring software from Seagate, you can track the performance of this SSD over time. Verdict The Seagate Barracuda Q5 is an affordable 500GB NVMe SSD priced at just Rs.5,249. It has good read/write speeds and comes bundled with 1-year complimentary data rescue service. Specifications Capacity500GBSequential Read/Write speeds (average)2300/900 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeQuad Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty3 Years Limited 8. WD Blue WDS100T2B0ABest Budget SATA SSD 1TB storage capacity530MB/s write and 560MB/s read speed3-years warranty BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Single level cell technology Enhanced reliability Power-efficient Cons – Western Digital is an American data storage company that has been in the business for a while. The company produces some of the best storage-related computer peripherals in the whole world. The WD Blue WDS100T2B0A is a 1TB high capacity SSD with enhanced reliability. Design and Build Quality The WD Blue WDS100T2B0A has many built-in features to protect data that is stored inside from prying eyes as well as hardware damages. SSD’s are generally safer than mechanical hard disks as there are no moving parts involved. So even if the SSD is dropped on the ground or violently shaken, the chance of data getting corrupted is minimal. Western Digital claimed the MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) rate of this product as around 1.7 million hours. This means that the chance of the product failing is very rare. Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is the estimation of the total running hours of a product divided by the number of failed units. Performance The WD Blue WDS100T2B0A has a super grade 3D NAND memory module inside that is 25% more power-efficient than the previous generation models. This less power consumption is more visible when using this product with a laptop that runs off a battery when not plugged into a power supply. The SATA III interface of this product has a maximum data transfer capacity of about 6GB/sec which although practically is impossible to achieve. With sequential read and write speeds hovering above the 530MB/s mark, this SSD is sure to perform well and will offer a delightful experience in high-speed computing operations. Miscellaneous Western Digital offers a set of useful software suite for enhanced usability of their products. The WD SSD Dashboard application lets you manage the data storage in the hard disk along with living monitoring of SSD temperature and other variable factors. The WD Acronis True Image software lets you take one click local backups from the PC to the SSD in a very limited time frame. Even with the cutting edge technology and a 500GB storage space offered, the WD Blue 1TB SSD is priced very aggressively when compared with other big players in the market. Perhaps the WD Blue WDS100T2B0A is one of the few sub-Rs.15,000 SSD in the market featuring an SLC ( Single Level Cell) flash memory inside. Single Level Cell flash memory has increased read/write speeds and is more durable than other forms of memories in the market. It is also much more expensive. The company offers a 3-years limited warranty with this product in case any unforeseen failure occurs during its operation. Verdict The WD Blue WDS100T2B0A is a 2.5”/7mm SSD that performs excellent, given the retail price tag. It has ample 1TB storage with high-quality NAND memory modules inside. If you’re looking for an upgrade to your old and dusty HDD to give a fresh breath of thumping performance to your desktop or laptop, this should be the first choice. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)560/530 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeSingle Level CellForm Factor2.5″/7mmWarranty3 Years Limited 9. Crucial MX500Value for Money SSD Up to 560MB/s read/write speedExcellent data reliability5-year warranty BUY FROM AMAZON Pros No unnecessary heating up Single Level cell flash memory Hardware-based encryption Cons Repairs and service takes a long time Crucial, a brand from the popular company Micron is a renowned flash storage manufacturer in the whole world. The MX500 from Crucial targets those users who want to replace their traditional hard disk with an SSD having similar or comparable storage capacity. Design and Build Quality The Crucial MX500 features an aluminium outer casing that will seem like a unibody construction. At the bottom, there is a faceplate with certain ventilator holes to provide some sort of heat dissipation. The 2.5” form factor is very much suited for newer desktop systems as well as laptops with suitable storage bays underneath the chassis. Performance The Crucial MX500 comes with a 1TB storage capacity to lend enough space and then some for all your data storage needs under normal conditions. This effectively means that you won't necessarily need a second hard disk to store your files or any other data if you are not really into games and movies. Also, since the OS and all the programs and related files are on the same hard disk, opening, loading, and running them will be significantly faster. This SSD can provide up to 560MB/s of read speeds and 510MB/s of writing speed which is very good for an SSD of this capacity. The 3D NAND type memory on this SSD is very reliable and makes use of larger NAND cells to improve overall efficiency and endurance. Miscellaneous Crucial MX500 is a very energy efficient SSD that uses a fraction of energy compared to other traditional hard drives. In reality, energy efficiency may not be a big issue on desktop systems, but on laptops, this is a very crucial aspect. This SSD has adaptive thermal protection technology that adjusts the disk activity and keeps the temperature in check, maximizing efficiency. The contents of the drive are protected by 256-bit hardware-based AES encryption that will keep your files and media safe and secure. There is also software support from the company through its storage executive software that lets you manage the disks and install firmware updates which will enhance the performance and stability of the system. Verdict The Crucial MX500 is a very capable budget internal SSD suitable for those users who need lightning-fast data transfers for the overall system performance and regular storage purposes. This SSD comes with intelligent thermal controls and security features that will make your computing experiences to the next level. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)560/510 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeSingle Level CellForm Factor2.5″/7mmWarranty5 Years Limited 10. SAMSUNG 970 EVO PlusReliable NVMe SSD Suited for laptopsExcellent read/write speedsFirmware update support BUY FROM AMAZON Pros SSD Trim feature Excellent thermal controls Latest V-NAND technology Cons No Single Level Cell support Suppose you have a budget laptop that at times stutters and lags not because of the processor inside but due to the low rpm mechanical HDD inside, an SSD will save your day. But wait, what if your laptop doesn’t feature a drive bay that can’t fit a traditional SSD? Thank God, we have the M.2 SSD! Design and Build Quality The Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a 250GB M.2 SSD which uses the inexpensive Multi-Level Cell (MLC) technology for the flash memory inside. M.2 is an expansion standard that is set by the computer industry for internally mounted expansion cards for thin computing devices such as laptops and netbooks. For such devices without the provision for mounting a full-sized SSD, these M.2 slots provide a way to install the specially designed M.2 SSD that offers the same speed and performance as that of a full-sized SSD. The Samsung Evo 970 Plus is small, compact and still has that same firepower as its full-sized SSD counterpart mentioned as the runner-up on this list. Performance This M.2 SSD uses Samsung’s proprietary V-NAND technology that increases the performance of the flash memory while keeping the temperature and the power consumption minimal. Such lightweight portable computing devices, having a power-efficient component that always runs inside is of great value. With this SSD, the performance of such devices is enhanced with considerable battery saving. Also, these SSDs have no mechanical components involved and the operation is dead silent. Miscellaneous The Samsung EVO 970 Plus SSD supports the TRIM feature which is more of a rarity in the sub-Rs.10,000 segment. TRIM feature will clean the deleted files by writing over the memory blocks and keeps the SSD free of unwanted resources using up the memory. Many newer OS systems have this feature built-in but having it with the SSD is useful nonetheless. Verdict With sequential read/write speeds around 3000 MB/sec, the Samsung EVO 970 Plus is one of the best M.2 SSDs available in India. If your laptop doesn’t have a drive bay for storage expansion and swapping, this SSD is the right way to make your lap perform better. Specifications Capacity250 GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)3500/3300 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeMulti Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 11. Kingston NV1-ELarge Capacity M.2 SSD Reliable performanceSoftware for restore and backupAmple storage capacity BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Easy to set up 3-year warranty Decent TBW limit Cons Unknown flash memory type Kingston is a US-based company that manufactures flash memory products and sells them across the world. The Kingston NV1-E is a budget 1TB SSD that provides decent performance and gives massive storage capacity for the asking price of Rs.8,199. Design and Build Quality The Kingston NV1-E comes with the physical dimensions of 22mm x 80mm x 2.1mm. It’s a standard NVMe drive with M.2 form factor and the assembly procedure is the same as other M.2 drives which we have shown till now. It comes with a blue coloured PCB that reminds us of some of the best Crucial drives and on the surface, you will notice stickers that include brand identity, warnings, and safety precautions. In order to offer more space to the consumer, we think that Kingston has cut corners on the other aspects. The TBW score is only 240 and there is no mention of the type of flash memory they are using. Kingston is a trusted brand and it should be enough to satisfy people who are just buying this drive for its large capacity. The MTBF for this drive is 1.5 million hours so chances of failure are almost near to zero. Performance The score mentioned by the Kingstone for read and write speeds are 2100MB/s and 1700MB/s respectively. This drive is 4x faster than a standard SATA SSD drive and 20x times better than a traditional hard drive. The speed it provides should be plenty for a regular user who is looking for a fast-paced drive with a large storage capacity. Compared to SATA SSD and traditional HDD, the OS and installed programs will load much faster once you plug this drive in. Miscellaneous Kingston is providing a 3-year warranty with free technical support. To backup and restore drives data you can download Kingston Acronis software from their website. Verdict The Kingston NV1-E's sole purpose is to serve the user with large space by providing a decent speed. If you are someone who is looking for an internal drive that is fairly fast and has large storage capacity then Kingstone NV1-E is for you. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)2100/1700 MB/sSSD Flash Memory Type-Form FactorM.2Warranty5 Years Limited 12. SEAGATE FireCuda ST1000LX015 Best Hybrid SSHD 8GB NAND flash memoryAround 125MB/s read/write speeds1TB of total storage capacity BUY FROM AMAZON Pros 5-year warranty Available in 2.5 and 3.5-inches 5x faster than conventional HDDs Cons Heavy Seagate Firecuda is a prominent SSD lineup that has a ton of models under its belt with different storage capacities. However, the TB Firecuda ST1000LX015 stands out from the rest of the Firecuda offerings from Seagate as it is not a regular SSD but an SSHD ( Solid State Hybrid Drive). Design and Build Quality The Firecuda ST1000LX015 looks and feels much like a standard laptop/desktop HDD. It is available either in a 2.5-inch form factor or a 3.5-inch form factor. If you are purchasing this SSHD for your laptop, go for the 2.5-inch variant and if you are planning to use it with your desktop computer, the 3.5-inch variant is the way to go. This is called a hybrid drive because the Firecuda ST1000LX015 contains a smaller 8GB NAND flash memory along with a higher storage capacity mechanical hard disk drive. Since this is a mechanical disk drive, after all, it weighs around 96g, almost double that of a standard SATA SSD. Performance As we mentioned before, the Firecuda ST1000LX015 features a smaller 8GB NAND flash memory which acts similar to that of cache memory to keep frequently accessed data for quick retrieval. The larger mechanical drive works similar to that of a regular HDD, providing ample storage space for offline files. The automatic optimization of resources takes place inside the SSHD to improve the performance of the system. Seagate claims that SSHD is around 5x faster when compared to a similar 7200rpm standard HDD. Expect a stable read/write speed of around 125MB/s in real-life usage with this SSHD from Seagate. Miscellaneous With an SSHD you get to enjoy the best of both worlds. The boot times are significantly faster, app loading is relatively quick all this without compromising on the 1TB storage capacity. Seagate provides a 5-year warranty with this storage device which includes offline service from the nearest Seagate centre. Verdict The Firecuda ST1000LX015 is an ideal choice for those who want ample storage space and somewhat improved system performance under a strict budget. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)120/100 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeMulti Level CellForm Factor2.5″/7mmWarranty5 Years Limited 13. Samsung 870 QVOAffordable 1TB SSD 5x better performance than HDD256-bit AES encryptionCompanion software support BUY FROM AMAZON Pros 3-year warranty Samsung magician management software Thin and lightweight Cons Less TBW score Apart from its smartphones, television, and other accessories the brand Samsung is one tough competitor in the storage industry as well. The Samsung 870 QVO is a 1TB SATA SSD for the users who still do not have an M.2 slot on their motherboard and this SSD drive will cost you around Rs.10,000. Design and Build Quality The Samsung 870 QVO sports a metallic casing and this thin drive looks and feels premium. Samsung has used V-NAND 4bit MLC flash memory that offers reliable performance in real-time use. This SSD drive weighs 46 grams and is lightweight so it will not add much heft if you are planning to use it on a laptop. The maximum data this drive can write is 360TB which is quite low for its size and if you run too many programs daily. Performance The Samsung 870 QVO has a read and write speed of 560MB/s and 530MB/s respectively. Since this is a SATA SSD the results are quite acceptable and if you switch from the HDD then you will notice a significant boost in performance. However, we are expecting the score of read and write of 600MB/s but the given one does not disappoint in actual use so we have no complaints. Miscellaneous Samsung provides a 3-year warranty on this product and there are a whole lot of service centers in the Indian subcontinent so you can get help instantly. Samsung also provided the Samsung Magician tool which is helpful as you can see the condition of the drive and how much data has been written. Verdict The Samsung 870 QVO is good for two reasons- ample storage space for an affordable budget computer and second is a decent performance. Specifications Capacity1TBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)560/530 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeMluti level cellForm Factor2.5"/7mmWarranty3 Years Limited 14. ADATA XPG SX8200 ProCompact NVMe SSD Good read and write speedDedicated heat spreaderPower-efficient BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Safe and secure NVMe SSD 3-year warranty SSD Toolbox software for monitoring Cons - ADATA is a Taiwanese storage manufacturing company and it is the toughest rival to the brands like Seagate, Crucial, and Kingston. The ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro is a performance-based drive designed for video editors, gamers, and overclockers. Design and Build Quality The ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro looks no different than a normal M.2 SSD, as from the image you can see it has a black PCB assembled with flash memory. This PCIe Gen 3x4 drive has a dimension of 22 x 80 x 3.5mm and it weighs just 8 grams so after assembling it on the motherboard it will not add much heft. The drive is shock-resistant and can operate in temperatures up to 85-degree celsius. We are happy to see that you will get a heat spreader as well so even while doing peak operations like rendering a video or playing games, the drive will not break a sweat. The drive can write 320TB which is said to be good enough for a regular user, if you want a higher TBW score then you have to opt for a 1TB or 2TB variant. Performance Don’t get confused with the numbers shown in Amazon's product description, it's a basic marketing tactic. They show you the read and write speed of the top variant that is 2TB. For the 512GB variant, the read and write speeds mentioned in the datasheet are the 3350MB/s and 2350MB/s and the score achieved from the CrystalDiskMark is very much close and sometimes gets even higher. This SSD drive uses SLC caching and DRAM cache buffer to maintain high-speed performance. Miscellaneous The ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro comes with a 3-year warranty. ADATA has also developed a software called SSD toolbox, it's free software that lets you monitor the drive’s performance. Verdict The ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro is undoubtedly the best drive for heavy laptop/PC users. Priced under Rs.7,000, this SSD drive with a dedicated heat spreader provides excellent performance for its asking price. Specifications Capacity512GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)3350/2350 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty3 Years Limited 15. Crucial BX500Feature-rich SSD Ideal for both laptops and desktopsRead/write speeds up to 550MB/sWrite cache technology BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Three-year warranty Low power consumption Wide operating temperature range Cons Sudden variations in speeds at times Crucial is a sub-brand of US-based Micron Technology Inc, popular for its RAM modules and flash memory drives all over the world. The BX500 SATA SSD from Crucial is the younger sibling of the MX500 SSD which we had discussed above in this very same article. Design and Build Quality Crucial BX500 looks and feels almost identical to the premium MX500 SSD. The lightweight chassis feels strong and durable in hand. This SSD is rated to operate in a wide range of temperatures from 0-70 degrees, making it suitable for use in all climatic conditions. Being a standard 2.5-inch SSD, it is compatible with most of the laptops and desktops out there. Performance This 240GB SATA SSD from Crucial delivers an impressive 550MB/s read and 500MB/s read/write speeds at ideal conditions. Note that these speeds are not constant and may vary significantly depending on various factors. This write cache enabled SSD drive provides lightning-fast boot-up times and faster app loading when compared to a similarly priced HDD. Miscellaneous Since SSDs don't feature any moving parts inside, they consume much less power than a traditional SSD. Crucial claims that this SSD is about 45% more power-efficient than a comparable HDD, which in turn improves the battery life of the device. Verdict The Crucial BX500 is a no-frills SATA SSD with 240GB storage ideal for use with both laptops and desktop computers. Improved read/write speeds, courtesy of the high-quality flash memory and write cache technology makes this SSD one of the very best in its segment. Specifications Capacity240GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)540/500 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm Factor2.5″/7mmWarranty3 Years Limited 16. Kingston A2000Honourable Mention 250GB storage capacityExcellent data transfer speedIdeal for ultrabooks BUY FROM AMAZON Pros Hardware-based encryption Five-year warranty Available in different storage capacities Cons No heat sink Kingston is an American company dealing with memory and storage products. They also manage the subsidiary HyperX which is quite famous for its gaming headphones and keyboards. The Kingston A2000 is a 250GB M.2 SSD available for purchase at an affordable price of just Rs.3,715. Design and Build Quality The Kingston A2000 is an entry-level M.2 SSD with a single-sided slim design that fits well into both compatible laptop and desktop motherboards. Ideal for ultrabooks and small form factor PC’s, the A2000 SSD comes with a bare bone exoskeleton with no protection whatsoever. Performance We all know that SSDs are faster than traditional HDDs. Then again, M.2 SSD is approximately 3x faster than a SATA SSD. The same is the case with this Kingston A2000 250GB SSD. This affordable M.2 SSD provides read/write speeds up to 2200MB/s and 2000MB/s respectively. Miscellaneous One stand out feature of this entry-level M.2 SSD is that it supports hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption which ensures the files inside are safe and secure. This SSD from Kingston is available in different storage variants ranging from 250GB up to 1TB. Kingston provides a 5-year brand warranty to this SSD which is more than most of the companies offer with their SSDs. Verdict The Kingston A2000 is an affordable 250GB M.2 SSD for those who don't want to compromise on system performance with a regular SATA SSD. Specifications Capacity250GBSequential Read/Write Speeds (average)2200/2000 MB/sSSD Flash Memory TypeTriple Level CellForm FactorM.2Warranty5 years limited The list of the sixteen best SSDs available in India concludes here. We have shortlisted these products based on their performance and also taking into consideration the quality of flash memory used inside. Covering all the specific categories that our readers would be interested in is a daunting task, yet we have tried our best to do so. If you’ve any queries or suggestions, do voice them in the comment section below. Thanks for your time and have a great day ahead! Frequently Asked Questions Q. Do older laptops support SSD? A. Yes. You can replace the existing HDD inside and retrofit a SATA SSD to improve the performance of your older laptop. For M.2 SSD, there has to be a compatible slot inside that you should check before placing the order. Q. Will swapping the HDD with an SSD improve the performance of my laptop/desktop? A. For the most part, yes it will improve the performance up to an extent. The increase in data transfer speeds will be immediately visible in the application loading and system booting time. But keep in mind that, the processor inside and the RAM plays the most important part when it comes to the performance of a computer. Q. Are SSDs safe and reliable? A. Yes. SSDs are relatively more safe and reliable than a conventional SSD as there are no moving parts involved.

Solid State Drives

Best SSDs in India (December 2021)