Crucial BX500

Pros

On-point testing results for a value-minded SATA drive. Four capacities to choose among. Comprehensive drive dashboard.
Cons

Three-year, versus five-year, warranty. Lower "total writes" rating than competing drives from Crucial. Few ancillary features.
Bottom Line

The Crucial BX500 is a solid, budget-friendly 2.5-inch SATA SSD with a value bent, but at our test capacity, the company's own MX500 is a better choice for most.

Not long ago, big-capacity SSDs were reserved for well-heeled, hardcore PC enthusiasts. But these days, internal SSD prices are getting low enough to be competitive, for many users, with traditional hard drives. The Crucial BX500 ($64.99 for the 480GB version we tested) is designed for budget-minded buyers, with a lightweight feature set and a low price to match. Its predecessor, the MX500, looms large, however, as an Editors' Choice winner among budget SSDs. Given how aggressive SATA SSD pricing has become, the BX500 doesn't nail its target as cleanly as the MX500 does, due to a lesser feature set and a lower durability rating for close to the same price. The BX500 is certainly solid for mainstream service, but for many buyers, the MX500$64.99 at Amazon will be a better buy at our tested capacity unless the BX500 goes on sale.