Best SATA SSD For Cache or Storage on a NAS or Server – Synology / TerraMaster / QNAP etc
Following on from my recent TerraMaster upgrade posts, I have been looking at the best SSDs to use in a NAS.
Due to the configuration of the TerraMaster F4-422, I was specifically looking for a 2.5-inch SATA SSD to be used on the 5th bay as a cache drive, and that is what I will focus on with this post.
However, if you have built a NAS / server with off the shelf component or have a higher spec NAS from the likes of Synology, you may have the choice to use an NVMe drive for even better performance. I will do another post for those drives later.
When it comes to servers and storage, the overall read/write throughput is not necessarily the most important, but the drive endurance and warranty.
To keep things simple, I have looked at the price of drives with a capacity of 500GB and 1TB (thereabouts) and their endurance ratings.
Best SATA SSDs for Cache & Storage
Notes:
- Pricing is taken from Amazon mid-February 2022
- Some drives have a smaller capacity, such as 480GB instead of 512GB.
- Most drives have the very similar IOPs, so I removed them from the list
- Read/Write speeds may not be 100% accurate as they change depending on capacity
What about data centre drives? Consider the Samsung PM893
Used data centre drives are frequently recommended on Reddit, and it is a good choice. For example, 1TB WD Gold doesn’t even use TBW, they just up to Petabytes Written with this one handling 1.4PBW or 1400TBW, but it costs over £250 new.
The Samsung PM893 is one semi-affordable option worth considering, it has a 3-year warranty with a 1.3 DWPD giving it a 683TBW which you can pick up for around £100 from Scan. The more expensive PM897 has a 2628 TBW but costs £150.
Highlights – The best consumer SSDs for cache
Basically, you get what you pay for.
Probably the best choice overall is the 500GB WD Red SA500 with 350TBW endurance at a surprisingly attractive £62. The 1TB model is more than twice the price so much less appealing than the are the Kingston KC600 and Samsung 870 EVO.
- Access Big Files Fast: WD Red SA500 NAS SATA SSD storage is optimised for caching in NAS systems to rapidly access your most frequently used content
- Give it Your Tough Workloads: WD Red SSD’s superior endurance can handle the heavy read and write loads demanded by NAS, giving you the reliability you need in a 24/7 environment
- Work More Efficiently: Purpose-built for NAS with proven Western Digital 3D NAND, the WD Red SSD delivers maximum SATA performance to boost your productivity and effectiveness at home or in the office
- Use it for Your Demanding Applications: The drive reduces latency and improves responsiveness for OLTP databases, multi-user environments, photo rendering, 4K and 8K video editing, and more
- Customise Your NAS System: The WD Red SSD comes in 2.5 Inch and M.2 form factors so you can upgrade your existing NAS system or design a new one from scratch
At the time of writing, the Samsung 870 EVO drives are more attractively priced vs Kingston. As always, Amazon prices vary a lot, and the Kingston drives have been cheaper.
The Samsung 870 EVO is, therefore, the best 1TB with its 600TBW and priced under £100
- Sequential read/write speed up to 560/530MB/s respectively. Performance varies depending on system hardware configuration
- Interface: SATA 6Gb/s, support SATA 3Gb/s and SATA 1.5Gbps. Form Factor: 2.5"
- Cache memory: Samsung 1 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- 5 year limited warranty or 600 TBW limited warranty. Contact: 1800 30 7267864
- Designed for common PCs and laptops for personal use, gaming and business. See the SSD by Amazon Buying Guide in the Videos section
If those are too expensive, the WD Blue SSD is perhaps the stand out option for the affordable drives. You get 200TB/400TB TBW endurance and a 5-year warranty. Under £50 for 500GB is a bit of a bargain with that spec.
- WD BLUE 3D NAND SATA SSD are available in capacities of up to 2TB. They are characterised by their re: Industry-leading MTTF (Mean Time to Failure) of 1.75 million hours and up to 500 written terabytes (TBW) Operating temperature: 0 °C to 70 °C
- The SSDs are shockproof and their compatibility has been tested with a variety of computers, WD BLUE 3D NAND SATA SSD are WD F.I.T. Lab certified.
- Up to 25% lower active power consumption compared to previous WD Blue SSD generations will make your computer work more power-saving
- Speeds of up to 560 MB/s for sequential reading and up to 530 MB/s for sequential writing ensure quick and smooth access to your data
- Box contents: WD BLUE 3D NAND SATA SSD 500GB, downloadable software to monitor hard disk status, cloning drives and back up your data
The dark horse is the Lexar NS100, it costs a touch more than the WB, and the warranty is less, but the TBW endurance is 20% higher.
- Upgrade your laptop or desktop computer for faster start-ups, data transfers, and application loads
- Impressive sequential read speeds of up to 550MB/s and write speeds of up to 510MB/s
- Features SSD Dash software management
- Shock and vibration resistant with no moving parts
Options to avoid are the PNY and SanDisk. These do not state a TBW and only have a 3-year warranty. They will be perfectly suitable for normal SSD drives and light usage but best avoided for things like a cache which will have high read/writes.
SATA SSDs Comparison Table
[table id=392 /]
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
I work directly with the companies he reviews products for or their chosen PR agency.
For Social Media, you can find me on:
