The 30 best m.2 ssd brands in 2026
Samsung, Western Digital and Kingston lead our ranking of 30 m.2 ssd brands.
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1
Samsung
The famous Korean electronics producer, Samsung, started its journey as a grocery trading store in 1938. Lee Byung-Chull began the business by trading domestically-produced goods and exporting them to China. Soon, the company expanded to include textiles and heavily focused on industrialization. In the 1970s, it invested in petrochemical and similar industries and slowly stepped into the electronics industry. The 80s saw an explosion in its technology business; the rest is history.
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2
Western Digital
Western Digital is a prominent provider of data storage with brands, knowledge, and advanced technology that enable people to share and archive moments from their lives in previously impractical ways. They sell their goods to consumers in more than 160 countries through the HGST, SanDisk, G-Technology, and WD brands. The business has a lengthy history in the computing sector and has clients and assets worldwide. A leading global provider of storage solutions, Western Digital develops groundbreaking storage products that let users create, share, and protect their priceless digital assets.
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3
Kingston
1987 saw two engineer friends, David Sun and John Tu, design a unique type of memory module in the face of a memory chip shortage. This module later went on to revolutionize the entire industry. Soon, the pair founded Kingston, which rapidly grew into a technology powerhouse. Today, the brand leads the memory and storage solution sector by catering to the top cloud providers, data centers, and PC manufacturers.
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Ranks 4 to 30
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4
Lenovo
Lenovo introduced itself to the personal technology market in 2004. However, its history spans a more extended period. In 1984, the company was established under the name Legend Holdings. After becoming Lenovo, it went on to take over the former Personal Computer Division of IBM, the progenitor of the PC industry in the 1980s. Today, Lenovo operates worldwide, serving thousands of customers by creating world-class products.
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5
Intel
Who hasn’t heard about Intel, the world’s renowned technology company? Over the years, the company has undertaken corporate responsibilities for various firms boosting global technology. Intel has instilled its state-of-the-art AI in smart devices, participating in the digital revolution. The majority of laptops possess the intel core and graphics today! It is unequivocally shaping the future and making a global impact. Their focus is on how imperative it is to have an idea that uplifts lives and modernizes living.
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6
Crucial
At Crucial, they believe that the items you buy should perform as well as they were intended. That is why they have made it their purpose to find and offer the most outstanding quality replacement parts at the most competitive rates while creating a shopping experience. They began as a tiny business selling replacement vacuum filters online. They now have everything you need to keep your house functioning smoothly. From vacuums to air purifiers, pool and spa equipment to furniture coverings, think Crucial if it's home-related and you need it.
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7
ADATA
ADATA Technology is a forward-thinking storage solution supplier. They are committed to offering the most dependable, more excellent, and environmentally responsible goods while maintaining the most outstanding level of customer service. For over ten years, the firm has been committed to providing the best technology to consumers worldwide. It collaborates closely with its clients to understand their demands and create customized solutions that meet their specifications.
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8
AORUS
AORUS has been in business for a long time. They are a premium brand that delivers a full spectrum of gaming products to its customers. All hardcore gamers are provided with many items that help the gaming experience. Gaming laptops, motherboards, and graphics cards are some of the company's manufacturing items. They understand the needs and passion of gamers. All their products have been made with great attention to detail and a commitment to reaching excellence. They challenge their limits to reach new heights.
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9
Transcend
Transcend is a world leader in the production of storage, multimedia, and industrial solutions. Its award-winning products are known for their quality, dependability, and performance. It is headquartered in Taiwan...
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10
KingSpec
Solid State Drives or SSDs help to boot the laptop quickly. KingSpec is one of the leading manufacturers of hardware equipment, especially SSDs. The company has worked with prominent tech...
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11
SK hynix
SK Hynix, which started officially in 1983, is situated in Korea. It is a manufacturing and sales company of semiconductor devices for various companies. Its manufactured products include memory semiconductors...
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12
Sabrent
Sabrent designs and produces various products that help make life easier. The Sabrent product line includes a full range of add-ons, including cables, chargers, and more. They also offer computer...
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13
Lite-On
Lite-On is a global manufacturer of Opto-semiconductors, power supply control, and critical electronic equipment, with assembly centers worldwide. It provides excellent reliability and performance solutions for data storage, industrial interfaces,...
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14
PNY
PNY is a pioneer in global technology committed to producing premium-quality electronics for both consumers and businesses. Because of its core principles of quality, innovation, and service, the firm has...
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15
Micron
Micron is the world's largest supplier of memory modules, solid-state storage, and server equipment. Their award-winning solutions serve various clients, including PC makers, data centers, cloud service providers, Internet behemoths,...
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16
GIGABYTE
GIGABYTE believes in improving the future and wants to deliver a better tomorrow to the public. Technology is something that is around us all the time now. They make our...
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17
Corsair
Design and upgrade your gaming rig with Corsair! They promise high-performance gear and equipment, and you will find everything you need for professional gaming and content creation. The company website...
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18
Patriot
Patriot Gaming is the leading provider of best-quality gaming accessories and peripherals. Patriot's products have a reputation for performance and dependability while presenting cheap pricing. As a best-in-class company, they...
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19
Seagate
Seagate is a brand that lives by the words of the company slogan. Integrity, Innovation, Inclusion is the three principles that they live by. It is important to note that...
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20
Intenso
Intenso makes products for everyday life. Founded in 1998, they have become a leading storage media company. The products that they produce can help you with your daily life. Intenso...
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21
Silicon Power
A leading supplier of state-of-the-art memory, flash, and storage solutions, Silicon Power aims to be. They commit to providing all varieties of memory products with unrivaled quality, performance, and affordability....
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22
Origin Storage
Origin Storage is an IT solutions company providing its services to various industries for over a decade. The brand constantly strives to bring new and innovative products to the storage...
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23
KingDian
Partnered with Kingdisk Century Technologies, KingDian resells and distributes SSDs (Solid State Drive). They offer an abundant amount of models, retention speed, and storage capacities to choose from, designed for...
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24
XPG
The world is ours to shape. For XPG, the goal is a transformation rather than a development. Boundaries are blurred and identity are flexible in the realm of gaming. XPG...
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25
Dataram
Dataram provides memory and storage drives and other related software to customers. Businesses are going digital by uploading all their data and business operations onto computer systems to save time,...
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26
Integral
Integral is Japan's largest independent memory solution provider. They specialize in DRAM, Flash Memory, and other information technology goods. Their products are utilized in various applications such as mobile phones,...
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27
Netac
Netac helps the world experience digital life by offering a diverse range of innovative, application-specific devices and solutions that improve their clients' data storage experiences. It creates, manufactures, sells, and...
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28
OWC
OWC is the industry leader in providing creators with dependable, best-performing storage solutions. OWC provides perfectly designed workflow solutions for any creative project, from production-grade solid-state and external hard drives...
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29
Hynix
SK Hynix goes by the tagline 'We do technology' to showcase their values of tenacity and commitment, advanced technology, prosperity together, and their driving forces. They are leading technology, trusted...
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30
Lexar
Lexar offers a full range of memory cards, card readers, USB flash drives, and portable SSDs to let you capture, transport, and enjoy your favorite photographs and movies. From significant...
"Shop" links open Amazon search results for that brand. We may earn a commission; it does not affect the order of this list.
| Brand | Website | X / Twitter | YouTube | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | samsung.com | /SamsungUS | samsungmobileusa | @SamsungUS | – |
| Western Digital | blog.westerndigital.com | /WesternDigitalCorporation | – | @westerndigital | Western Digital Corporation |
| Kingston | kingston.com | /KingstonTechnologyEurope | kingstontechnology | @kingstontech | – |
| Lenovo | lenovo.com | /LenovoIndia | lenovo_india | @lenovo_in | LenovoVision |
| Intel | intel.com | /IntelIndia | intelindia | @IntelIndia | – |
| Crucial | thinkcrucial.com | /thinkcrucial | thinkcrucial | @ThinkCrucial | CrucialVacuum |
| ADATA | adata.com | – | – | – | – |
| AORUS | aorus.com | – | – | – | – |
| Transcend | transcend-info.com | /TranscendIN | transcend_info | @TranscendGlobal | – |
| KingSpec | kingspec.com | /KingSpec-102966591467895 | – | – | KingSpec |
M.2 SSD Buying Guide
If you’re planning on upgrading your PC or laptop’s storage, you’re probably considering an M.2 SSD. M.2 SSDs are small, fast, and efficient drives that can greatly improve the overall performance of your computer. However, with so many options available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. This guide is here to help you navigate the world of M.2 SSDs and find the one that is best suited for your needs.
What is an M.2 SSD?
Before we dive into the buying guide, let’s start with the basics. M.2 SSDs are solid-state drives that use the M.2 form factor. This means they are compact and designed to be installed directly onto the motherboard of a computer. M.2 SSDs use the NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) protocol, which allows for faster data transfer speeds and lower latency than traditional SATA-based SSDs.
Capacity
The first thing you need to consider when buying an M.2 SSD is capacity. M.2 SSDs are available in a range of capacities from 128GB to 2TB or more. The capacity you choose will depend on your storage needs and budget. If you’re only using your computer for basic tasks like web browsing and word processing, a 128GB or 256GB drive may be sufficient. However, if you’re a gamer or content creator, you may need a larger drive with more storage space.
Performance
The performance of an M.2 SSD is measured in terms of its read and write speeds, as well as its random access time. Read and write speeds refer to how quickly the drive can transfer large files, while random access time measures how quickly the drive can access small files. A fast SSD can greatly improve the overall performance of your computer, reducing boot times and speeding up applications.
When considering performance, it’s important to remember that not all M.2 SSDs are created equal. Some M.2 SSDs use slower SATA-based connections, while others use faster NVMe-based connections. NVMe SSDs typically offer faster read and write speeds than SATA-based SSDs, making them the better choice for those who need high-performance storage.
Endurance
The endurance of an M.2 SSD refers to its ability to withstand a certain amount of data writing before failing. This is measured in terabytes written (TBW). The higher the TBW rating, the longer the SSD is expected to last. While most M.2 SSDs are designed to be durable and long-lasting, it’s still important to consider endurance if you plan on using the drive for heavy workloads, such as video editing or gaming.
Compatibility
It’s important to make sure the M.2 SSD you choose is compatible with your computer. While most newer computers support M.2 SSDs, older computers may not have the necessary slots or may not support NVMe-based SSDs. It’s also important to consider the length of the M.2 SSD. M.2 SSDs come in different lengths, such as 80mm and 60mm. Make sure you choose a drive that will fit in the M.2 slot on your motherboard.
Price
As with any computer component, price is always a consideration when buying an M.2 SSD. While prices have come down in recent years, M.2 SSDs are generally more expensive than traditional hard drives. NVMe-based SSDs are also more expensive than SATA-based SSDs. However, the performance benefits of an M.2 SSD often justify the added cost.
Top M.2 SSDs
Now that you know what to look for when buying an M.2 SSD, here are some top picks to consider:
- Samsung 970 EVO Plus – This NVMe-based SSD offers exceptional read and write speeds and a high TBW rating, making it a top choice for gamers and content creators.
- Crucial P5 Plus – This NVMe-based SSD is a more affordable alternative to the Samsung 970 EVO Plus, offering fast read and write speeds and a high TBW rating.
- Western Digital Black SN750 – This NVMe-based SSD is designed for gaming and offers fast read and write speeds and a high TBW rating.
- Intel 660P – This NVMe-based SSD is a budget-friendly option that still offers fast read and write speeds, though its TBW rating is lower than some other options.
- Samsung 860 EVO – This SATA-based SSD is a more affordable option that still offers solid performance and a high TBW rating.
Conclusion
When choosing an M.2 SSD, the most important factors to consider are capacity, performance, endurance, compatibility, and price. By weighing these factors, you can find an M.2 SSD that meets your storage needs and fits your budget. With the right M.2 SSD, you can greatly improve the overall performance of your computer and enjoy faster boot times, quicker application load times, and improved overall responsiveness.
