Crucial MX500 500GB
Score: 79/100
Samsung T7 Shield
Score: 75/100Rankings
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 T7 Shield is a rugged portable SSD delivering up to 1,050 MB/s read speeds and strong IP65 protection. Its added rubberized shell makes it heavier and slightly bulkier than the standard T7. Ideal for photographers and gamers who need durability in harsh environments.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
500 GB | 1,024 GBbest | |
560 MB/s | 1,050 MB/sbest | |
510 MB/s | 1,000 MB/sbest | |
95,000 IOPSbest | — | |
90,000 IOPSbest | — | |
180 TBbest | — | |
1,800,000 hoursbest | — | |
256 MBbest | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Connectivity(1) | ||
Interface | SATA III | USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
Performance(2) | ||
Sequential Read Speed (MB/s) | 560 MB/s | 1050 MB/s |
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 510 MB/s | 1000 MB/s |
Storage(1) | ||
Storage Capacity (GB) | 500 GB | 1024 GB |
General(1) | ||
Warranty (years) | 5 years | 3 years |
Design & Build(3) | ||
Form Factor | 2.5-inch | portable |
Weight (g) | 39 g | 97 g |
Dimensions (L×W×H) (mm) | 70×7.1×103 mm mm | 86×57×12.5 mm 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.
Professional reviewers such as Shuttermuse and Guru3D commend the T7 Shield for its combination of flagship-class NVMe speeds and rugged IP65 protection, calling it a tough, high-performance solution for photographers and mobile professionals.
Everyday users consistently highlight the drive's blazing speed, large capacity options, and reliable performance across gaming, content creation, and on-the-go file transfers.
“tough”
“exceptionally fast”
“Outstanding performance, speed, portability, size, and capacity”
