What 2TB SSD should I buy for around $300?
Asked by
MellowCedar42
I'm looking to replace an older SSD that has started running unusually slowly and may be failing. I'd like a 2TB drive, preferably around $300, although I can spend a little more if the upgrade is worthwhile. My motherboard is an MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus, with both PCIe and M.2 support. The drive would mainly be used for games and everyday applications. What models or specifications should I consider?
Answers
A reasonably priced 2TB TLC NVMe drive would be a solid target. TLC is generally preferable to cheaper QLC models for sustained performance and endurance. Just verify the exact model’s NAND type and warranty, since drive specifications can vary between revisions.
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Before choosing a replacement, make sure the current SSD is actually failing and back up anything important immediately. For gaming and normal applications, even a good SATA SSD is already fast enough, so you don’t need the most expensive NVMe drive unless you regularly move very large files.
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There are several 2TB NVMe drives in that price range, including models from Patriot, TeamGroup, Klevv, and MSI. Your X570 board supports M.2 NVMe drives, so a PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 model should work well. A PCIe 5.0 drive is unnecessary for this system and likely not worth paying extra for.
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Look for a 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe drive with a decent warranty and available endurance rating. Your motherboard can take advantage of PCIe 4.0, but real-world game loading times usually won’t differ much from a good PCIe 3.0 model, so choosing based on price, reliability, and TLC memory is more important than chasing maximum benchmark speeds.
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MellowCedar42: That makes sense. My current drive is old and has become noticeably slow, so I’ll back it up and check the health before replacing it.