Pros & Cons
-
- Good performance.
- Very fast small-file write speeds.
- Costs less than 50 cents per gigabyte.
-
- Not available in 1TB capacity.
- Lagged a bit in real-world, file-copy testing.
Crucial MX100 Specs
| Capacity (Tested) | 256 |
The Crucial MX100CS (256GB) ($116.99) is a mainstream solid-state drive (SSD) is an excellent pick for mainstream users looking to upgrade from a hard drive or an SSD that's been in use for a few years. It's a great option for updating your home-built PC or updating a desktop or laptop with speedy storage.
The MX100CS comes in a silver-gray metal shell that's 7mm thick. The drive has space for 9mm drive bays, but you'll have to purchase a 3.5-inch adapter separately if you're planning on putting the drive in a desktop. Any notebook or motherboard with SATA III ports will work optimally with the drive, SATA II ports will work as well at a lower throughput rate. The drive also comes with an activation key for Acronis' TrueImage HD drive-cloning and migration software.
While remaining competitive with drives like the Samsung SSD 840 EVO on the benchmark tests, the MX100CS undercuts the Samsung SSD by a few cents per gigabyte. The Samsung was just over 50 cents per gigabyte when we tested it earlier this year. The MX100CS runs 47 cents per gigabyte.
Any SSD will feel faster in an older system with a spinning hard drive. You'll definitely notice the extra speed if you have a laptop with a 5,400rpm drive, but even power users with 7,200rpm desktop drives will get a giddy rush the first time they boot their system with the new drive installed.
Ultimately, the Crucial MX100 CS is a very good choice if you're looking for a general-purpose SSD to speed up an existing laptop or desktop, or if you're planning a home-built system and need a nicely sized boot drive.
For more details, check out the Crucial MX100 review on our sister site, Computer Shopper.
Best SSD Picks
- The Best M.2 Solid-State Drives for 2020
- The Best SSDs for Upgrading Your Laptop in 2020
- The Best Internal SSDs for 2020
- The Best External SSDs for 2020
- More SSD Reviews
- More from Crucial Technology
Further Reading
Final Thoughts
Crucial MX100 Preview
The Crucial MX100CS successfully breaks the 50 cents-per-gigabyte barrier and puts nicely sized solid-state drives (SSDs) within reach of mainstream users. With this drive, you'll spend much less time waiting for reboots and for apps to load.