Crucial MX500 500GB
Score: 79/100
Samsung 870 EVO
Score: 79/100Rankings
The Crucial MX500 500 GB is a 2.5-inch SATA SSD that delivers near-maximum SATA-III speeds, includes a 256 MB DRAM cache and AES-256 hardware encryption, and offers 180 TBW endurance with a 5-year warranty. Its drawbacks are the inherent speed ceiling of SATA and occasional write-performance throttling under heavy mixed loads. It is best suited for budget-conscious desktop or notebook upgrades seeking reliable, secure storage.
The Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SATA SSD delivers top-tier SATA performance, a dedicated DRAM cache and strong endurance in a compact 2.5" form factor. It is limited by the SATA III interface and can see latency spikes under heavy sustained writes. Best suited for users upgrading laptops or desktops who need reliable, high-capacity SATA storage.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
500 GBbest | 1 GB | |
560 MB/sbest | 560 MB/sbest | |
510 MB/s | 530 MB/sbest | |
95,000 IOPS | 98,000 IOPSbest | |
90,000 IOPSbest | 88,000 IOPS | |
180 TB | 600 TBbest | |
1,800,000 hoursbest | 1,500,000 hours | |
256 MB | 1,024 MBbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Performance(4) | ||
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 510 MB/s | 530 MB/s |
Random Read IOPS (4K) (IOPS) | 95000 IOPS | 98000 IOPS |
Random Write IOPS (4K) (IOPS) | 90000 IOPS | 88000 IOPS |
DRAM Cache (MB) | 256 MB | 1024 MB |
Storage(2) | ||
Storage Capacity (GB) | 500 GB | 1 GB |
NAND Type | TLC | 3-bit MLC (TLC) |
General(1) | ||
Warranty (years) | 5 years | 3 years |
Reliability(2) | ||
Total Bytes Written (Endurance) (TB) | 180 TB | 600 TB |
Mean Time Between Failures (hours) | 1800000 hours | 1500000 hours |
Design & Build(2) | ||
Weight (g) | 39 g | 86 g |
Dimensions (L×W×H) (mm) | 70×7.1×103 mm mm | 100.08x70.10x6.86 mm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers consider the MX500 an ideal HDD replacement, praising its efficient SM2258 controller, strong sequential and random performance, and robust security features. However, they note that its mixed-workload write speeds and 4K random read numbers fall short of some competitors, and the SATA interface limits its appeal for high-performance scenarios.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the MX500 for its noticeable boost in boot speed, system responsiveness, and ease of installation, especially valuing the included cloning software.
Reviewers consistently describe the 870 EVO as the pinnacle of SATA SSD performance, applauding its ability to hit the full 560/530 MB/s sequential ratings and its markedly improved QD1 random reads. They also commend its endurance and the inclusion of DRAM, while noting that the drive remains bound by SATA's bandwidth ceiling and offers few architectural leaps over the 860 EVO.
Consumers love the noticeable boost in boot speed, the silent operation, and the ease of use provided by Samsung Magician. The most common complaints revolve around occasional compatibility tweaks on older hardware, the lack of flashy pricing incentives, and the perception that the performance gains are modest compared to a jump to NVMe.
“fastest SATA SSD yet”
“fast boot times”
