Crucial MX500 vs BX500
SSDs - or Solid State Drives replace traditional mechanical hard drives with flash-based memory, which is faster and more responsive
When it comes to optimizing your computer’s storage capacity for gaming, SSD drives are a no-brainer. SSDs – or Solid State Drives replace traditional mechanical hard drives with flash-based memory, which is faster and more responsive.
As the hard disk is not kept spinning, you save power and prolong battery life, whilst also experiencing much faster loading times for games and streaming services.
When using an SSD, not only will your games load quicker, but installation will be lightning-quick, too. You won’t just notice the difference when gaming either, as you’ll have an overall more responsive computing experience when opening and downloading other files, too.
SSD drives also have several other benefits; they tend to be more reliable than hard drives and will also protect your data against thieves and hackers.
Whereas SSDs used to be quite an investment, they’re now readily available, and there’s a wide variety of affordable options on the market. Crucial – owned by technology giants Micron – has created a range of SSDs that make use of reliable, quality components, providing excellent performance and durability, but offering all of this at a lower price-point.
Today we’ll be comparing two of the most popular Crucial SSDs on the market, the MX500 and BX500. We’ll take you through the specs of each, including their key features, capacities, performance, price, warranties, and more…
Keen to find out which one comes out on top? Keep reading…
Overview
MX500
The Crucial MX500 has been on the market a little longer than the BX500. This SSD is of great quality and is accelerated by Micron’s 3D NAND technology for high speed and security to match.
The Crucial MX500 SSD is available in both 2.5 inches and M.2 2280 form factors and comes with four different storage capacities up to 2TB. The MX500 is well-rated by gamers for its excellent durability and performance, which matches some of the higher-end brands in terms of quality, but boasts a lower price point.
BX500
The BX500 is the successor to Crucial’s popular BX300 line of SSDs. Compared with the Crucial MX series, the Crucial BX line offers streamlined, no-frills SSDs and are designed with low-budget buyers in mind, with a lower price to match the lightweight package.
This SSD is great for everyday, universal use, and is accessible for a range of budgets and computing needs. The BX500 comes with 6GB/s or SATA III interface options and is available in a 2.5-inch form factor. The Crucial BX500 SSD is also available in five different capacities, ranging up to a maximum of 2TB.
Before we delve into a more in-depth look at these SSDs, let’s put the MX500 and BX500 next to one another to zoom in on their specs:
As you can see, there aren’t too many significant differences between the MX500 and BX500, and you could be forgiven for confusing the two. However, while both of these SSDs are two of the most highly-rated and best performing on the market, there are a few subtle differences that may inform your decision. We’ll explore the key features of these SSDs – along with the pros and cons of each product – below…
Crucial BX500 480 GB
Read/Write
540/500MB/s
Capacity
480. GB
Interface
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
Affordable and mid-sized
Reliable
Needs SATA connection
Slower than NVME
Crucial MX500 500GB
Read/Write
560/ 510MB/s
Capacity
500GB
Interface
SATA 2.5
Dimensions
4.06 x 0.28 x 2.76 inches
Very affordable
Good starter size SSD
SATA
Much slower than NVME
Features
Crucial MX500 vs BX500 – Form Factor and Interface
The form factor of an SSD refers to the size, configuration, and physical arrangement. However, the form factor isn’t just about physical appearance but also determines the media’s compatibility and interchangeability with other computer components or devices. The interface is the connection between the hard disk and the host system, and therefore the design impacts how quickly and effectively data is transferred between the two.
Both the BX500 and MX500 come with a 2.5-inch form factor and SATA 6.0 GB/s interface, however, the MX500 is also available in the M.2 form, and these SSDs are usually faster, albeit more expensive than the traditional 2.5-inch form.
Crucial MX500 vs BX500 – Capacity
Capacity is arguably the most important factor when shopping for an SSD, particularly when it comes to gaming. The higher the SSD capacity is, the better the IPOS performance is, and the faster the SSD can read and write data. SSDs with a larger capacity have more cells which means they have more channels and therefore can process data faster.
There’s little difference between the BX500 and MX500, as both offer a capacity of up to 2TB. However, whilst the MX500 offers a minimum capacity of 250 GB, BX500 offers a lower capacity of 120GB, offering a wider range of capacities depending on your budget and storage needs.
So, while neither SSD comes out on top in terms of maximum capacity, the BX500 offers five different capacity options, whereas the MX500 offers just four.
Crucial MX500 vs BX500 – Performance
The MX500 is one of the most renowned SSDs on the market thanks to its cutting-edge components that are engineered from start to finish for efficiency. The MX500 uses only a minimal amount of power and still delivers a high price-to-performance ratio, so you can experience a faster, cooler, and quieter computer in your home or business.
That said, in terms of the specifications, the BX500 differs little from the MX500 in terms of read and write speed:
As you can see from the above chart, the random read and write speed of Crucial BX500 SSD are not mentioned on the Crucial website. However, you’ll note that the Sequential read and write speed of the MX500 is slightly faster than the BX500. Sequential read and write speed is basically how fast the drive can read or write data.
IOPS stands for ‘Input/Output Operations Per Second’ and is a scale for measuring the performance of a storage device or network. More value in the IOPS signifies the capability of executing more operations per second.
While the MX500 offers a slightly quicker read and write speed, in reality, it’s unlikely you’d notice too much of a difference between that and the BX500.
The MX500 is accelerated by Micron 3D NAND technology and integrated with power loss immunity to preserve your work if the power unexpectedly cuts out, providing you with that extra peace of mind. It also has extremely high security, and the AES 256 bit hardware-based encryption keeps your data safe and secure from hackers.
The BX500 also boasts Micron 3D NAND technology and provides a super-quick boot-up time and will load your files quickly. It’s 300% faster than the typical hard drive – so it’s pretty quick! It’ll also boost your battery life as it’s 45x more energy efficient than a conventional hard drive.
Warranty
When buying from a trusted brand such as Micron you know you’ll get a good warranty, which makes it worth paying that little bit extra to know you’re covered if something goes wrong. The MX500 comes with a five-year limited warranty, whereas the BX500 is covered by a three-year warranty.
With both SSD models, you’ll also have Crucial’s expert customer service on hand via phone, chat, email, or their community forum, to answer any questions you may have.
Which is best for gaming?
Either will do a good job, but the MX500 has a better random read and write performance and a higher endurance rating making it worth the extra investment, particularly considering the amount of use you’ll get out of it.
The 2.5 MX500 is also ideal for speeding up your PS4 or XBOX load times. On the PS4 and PS4 Pro, you can replace the original internal drive with the MX500, while on the Xbox One and Xbox One X you can connect the MX500 externally using a USB 3.0 SATA enclosure.
To help you get a better idea of how these two similar SSDs compare to each other, we’ve compiled the similarities and differences between the MX500 and BX500, along with our final verdict on which one we think comes out on top…
Similarities
- Both available up to 2TB
- Similar 2.50 form
- Both have the same data transfer rate
- Desktops and laptops that accept 2.5”7mm SATA drives
- Both are enhanced with Micron 3D NAND technology
- Both come with Crucial customer support
- Both will increase your computer’s responsiveness
Differences
- MX500 comes in an M.2 form for increased speed
- MX500 has a slightly faster read and write speed
- MX500 has a better warranty
- MX500 is more durable
- MX500 has a super-quiet operation
- BX500 offers a wider range of capacities
- BX500 is slightly cheaper
Pricing and Availability
Both of these SSDs offer performance and affordability, but the BX500 is specially designed for the budget-conscious, and is under one hundred dollars for a 1TB SSD, giving you plenty of bang for your buck.
On the other hand, the MX500 isn’t that much higher in price, but is perhaps better known in terms of reliability and performance, and has been on the market slightly longer. The BX500 does offer a wider range of capacities, however, catering for a variety of budgets.
Both models are widely available online, so in terms of pricing and availability, there is little difference between the MX500 and BX500 range.
Crucial BX500 480 GB
Read/Write
540/500MB/s
Capacity
480. GB
Interface
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
Affordable and mid-sized
Reliable
Needs SATA connection
Slower than NVME
Crucial MX500 500GB
Read/Write
560/ 510MB/s
Capacity
500GB
Interface
SATA 2.5
Dimensions
4.06 x 0.28 x 2.76 inches
Very affordable
Good starter size SSD
SATA
Much slower than NVME
Final Verdict
On the surface, these two SSDs are pretty similar, and, to be honest, beneath the surface, they’re not too different either.
In terms of form factor, the MX500 comes in the choice of an M.2 form, which provides an even faster connection and increased responsiveness. On the other hand, the BX500 offers a wider range of capacity options, from 120 GB to 2TB, catering to a variety of budgets and storage requirements.
Both are highly-rated SSDs and perform extremely well thanks to the Micron 3D NAND technology which boosts processing speeds, loading capabilities, and battery life.
The MX500 has a slightly higher sequential read and write speed, but the BX500 isn’t noticeably slower. The MX500 does stand out thanks to its excellent security features to protect your data and give you that extra peace of mind, as well as it’s super quiet operation – you’ll hardly notice it’s there.
The BX500 is supposedly designed to be slightly more affordable than its predecessor, however, in reality, there is little difference in price between these two SSDs. Sure, the MX500 is slightly more expensive for the 1TB, but you also get a 5-year warranty rather than a 3-year warranty, meaning it may save you money in the long run anyway.
Because the MX500 and BX500 are so similar in terms of their price and performance, you can look at the situation either way: you could spend that little bit extra for a marginally optimized read and write speed and a longer warranty, or you could spend less and lose out on a couple of small features, but overall, still get a significant bang for your buck.
Whether you go for the BX500 or MX500, the bottom line is you’re getting a quality SSD card that combines performance with an affordable price-point. However, while the BX500 is great for everyday, universal use and covers a range of budgets, in our opinion, the MX500 offers enhanced speed and durability, so, for gaming, the MX500 just has the edge.