The Best SSDs Under $100 (2024) for every budget

Finding the perfect SSD can be quite the challenge, especially when you’re working with a tight budget. Not too long ago, a hundred bucks would land you a hefty yet sluggish mechanical hard drive. Fast forward to today, and you’ll discover that, for less than the same amount, you can snag one of the best SSDs under $100, offering lightning-fast performance and over 500GB of storage capacity.

Even though there are a lot of expensive solid state drives on the market, the best cheap SSDs can perform just as well, even if they don’t have as much storage. No matter what, if you are on a tight budget and need more storage space, whether it’s for creative projects, too many games, or work documents, you’ll find the answer here.

Benefits of Using an SSD

Faster Performance: SSDs access and move data much faster than HDDs. They can read and write data faster, which means they start up faster, load applications faster, and make the whole system more responsive.

Improved System Responsiveness: Because SSDs run faster, it takes much less time to open programs, launch apps, and work with files. This makes the user’s experience smoother and more efficient.

Better boot times: SSDs have very fast boot times, so your computer can turn on in just a few seconds. This is especially helpful for people who turn their computers on and off often or need to get to their devices quickly.

Reduced Loading Times: Loading times are shorter with SSDs. This is true whether you are loading large files, games, or multimedia content. This is especially noticeable when compared to hard disk drives (HDDs), which can be slower to access and get data from.

Factors to Consider When Buying an SSD under $100

Capacity: Figure out how much space you need and choose an SSD with the right amount of space. SSDs that cost less than $100 usually have capacities between 240GB and 500GB, but higher capacities may be available during sales or special events. Think about how much data you need to store and what apps you want to use.

Form Factor: SSDs come in different sizes and shapes, such as 2.5-inch, M.2, and mSATA. Make sure the SSD you choose will work with your system and the slots it has. Check the specs of your motherboard or laptop to find out what form factors are supported.

Interface: SSDs connect to your computer using different interfaces, such as SATA or NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express). SATA is more common and works well for most users, while NVMe is faster but may need a motherboard with an M.2 slot that is compatible. Make sure that your computer can handle the interface of the SSD you want to buy.

Performance: Look for SSDs that can read and write information quickly. Most of the time, SSDs with better performance will have faster data transfer rates, making file operations and application loading times faster. Check the manufacturer’s specs to see how fast the SSD can read and write in a straight line and how fast it can read and write at random.

Best SSDs Under $100 Comparison Table

In the table below, you can compare the best SSDs on the market, all of which cost less than $100. These solid-state drives work well, are reliable, and can hold a lot of data, all while being affordable. The table shows important details like the storage capacity, read and write speeds, type of interface, and length of warranty. It gives users the information they need to make decisions based on their needs and budgets.

List of the Best SSDs Under $100

Whether you need fast data transfer rates for gaming, editing multimedia, or just everyday computing tasks, these SSDs offer a cheap solution that doesn’t sacrifice quality. Upgrade your storage to one of these top picks and your digital needs will be faster and more responsive. Below we have mentioned the best SSDs under $100.

Best Overall: Western Digital WD Blue SSD (2.5-inch 250GB) #Top3

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The Western Digital WD Blue SSD (2.5-inch 250GB) is an affordable solid-state drive with good performance. The WD Blue SSD has fast read and write speeds, which is a big plus. It has a SATA III interface, which can move data at up to 6 Gbps. Even though it may not be as fast as some of the top-of-the-line NVMe SSDs, it is still much faster than traditional hard drives.

This SSD has a 250GB capacity, which is a good amount of space for the price. It’s good for people who only need to store their operating system, some important software, and a few apps or games. But if you have a large media library or a lot of work to do, you may need to look at options with more storage space.

Popular Choice for Speed and Durability

When choosing an SSD, it’s important to find the best balance between speed and durability for your needs and budget. Even though high-performance SSDs often cost more, they can offer significant speed improvements that can make your whole computing experience much better.

Samsung 970 EVO SSD 500GB #Top3

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People looking for high-performance storage solutions often choose the Samsung 970 EVO SSD 500GB. This M.2 NVMe internal solid-state drive costs less than $100 and is fast and reliable enough for both casual users and professionals. Speed and Performance: The NVMe interface and Samsung’s V-NAND technology are used in the 970 EVO SSD to give it great performance. It has fast read and write speeds, much faster than traditional SSDs that use the SATA interface. With sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 2,500 MB/s, it works well with large files, editing multimedia, and applications that require a lot of processing power.

The random read and write speeds of the drive are also good, making the system more responsive and letting it do more at once. The Samsung 970 EVO SSD’s 500GB capacity strikes a good balance between price and storage space. It has enough space for the operating system, some programs, and a good amount of data. But if you need a lot of storage space, you might want to choose a higher-capacity model or use the SSD along with other storage drives.

HP FX900 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD #Top3

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The HP FX900 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD is an affordable solid-state drive that gives users who want to upgrade their system without breaking the bank fast performance and reliable storage. The FX900 PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD uses the PCIe 4.0 interface, which is much faster than its predecessor, PCIe 3.0, when it comes to moving data. With sequential read and write speeds of up to 5,000 MB/s and 4,400 MB/s, respectively, this SSD is great for both everyday tasks and demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, and content creation.

You can get this SSD with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage space. The size you choose depends on how much space you need and how much money you have. Because of how the SSD is formatted and what the system needs, the amount of storage that can be used may be a little less.

Great Budget SSDs Option

There are several great budget SSDs on the market that offer a great balance between price and performance. These SSDs are good for people who want to save money on storage without giving up speed or reliability.

SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (2.5-inch 250GB)

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The SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD (2.5-inch 250GB) is a popular solid-state drive that offers good performance and reliability at an affordable price. For its price range, the SanDisk Ultra 3D SSD has great performance. With sequential read speeds of up to 550MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 525MB/s, it can transfer data faster than traditional hard drives. Because of this, it is perfect for everyday computer tasks like starting up your system, launching programs, and loading files.

The 250GB storage space is enough for an operating system, important software, and a few games or apps. But if you have a lot of media or need more space to store it, you might want to look into a higher-capacity model. SanDisk is a well-known brand in the storage industry, and the Ultra 3D SSD keeps up the company’s reputation for being reliable. It uses 3D NAND technology, which makes it more durable and increases the drive’s lifespan. The SSD is also resistant to shock, so even if you drop it or hit it by accident, your data will still be safe.

Silicon Power NAND A55

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The Silicon Power NAND A55 is an affordable solid-state drive (SSD) with good performance and reliable storage. The Silicon Power NAND A55 uses 3D NAND flash memory technology, which speeds up both reading and writing. Even though it may not be the fastest SSD on the market, it is a big step up from traditional hard drives. It boots up faster, transfers files faster, and makes the whole system more responsive. It can read and write sequentially at speeds of up to 550MB/s and 530MB/s, respectively. This makes it good for everyday computer tasks and simple games.

The Silicon Power NAND A55 does well when it comes to its reliability. It has advanced error correction code (ECC) technology, which helps to keep data from getting messed up and improves the integrity of data. It also has wear-leveling and bad block management features that make sure the drive will last longer by spreading write operations evenly across the NAND cells. This SSD is also resistant to shocks and vibrations, so it can be used in laptops and other portable devices.

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