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Acer FA100 vs Crucial BX500: Comparison

Acer FA100 vs Crucial BX500 sequential read compared

Sequential read is where these two genuinely part company, Acer FA100 3300 MB/s against Crucial BX500 540 MB/s, a 84% lead for Acer FA100. Add sequential write to that, 2700 MB/s on the Acer FA100 versus 500 MB/s on the Crucial BX500, and the pattern holds. There is a split on bus interface as well, PCIe 3.0 x4 on the Acer FA100 versus SATA III on the Crucial BX500. They differ on nand type too, TLC on the Acer FA100 versus TLC/QLC , DRAM-Less on the Crucial BX500. They differ on form factor too, M.2 2280 on the Acer FA100 versus 2.5-inch on the Crucial BX500.

Who each one is for

The Acer FA100 suits everyday storage use where 3300 MB/s reads are fast enough. It is equally the pick for budget laptop or desktop upgrades wanting 2000 GB on a PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slot. Avoid it for buyers wanting PCIe 4.0 performance, as this drive is limited to 3300 MB/s reads. The Crucial BX500 is the one to take for basic hard-drive-to-SSD upgrades and budget office PCs, though it is the wrong buy for heavy multitasking or gaming rigs and buyers wanting the MX500's DRAM cache. Our rating of the Crucial BX500 (6.8/10): A rock-bottom budget SATA drive; the DRAM-less design keeps costs low but limits sustained performance.

What Acer FA100 and Crucial BX500 have in common

Where they agree, they agree completely, drive type included, so the decision does not turn on any of those.

Read the full breakdown: Same Name, Different Drive: SSDs That Change Parts Quietly

Specs and benchmarks

  • Speed Score

    Acer FA100
    6.4/10
    Crucial BX500
    –

    Internal and portable SSDs are scored on separate scales, so these two scores can't be compared directly.

  • Brand

    Acer FA100
    Acer
    Crucial BX500
    Crucial (Micron)
  • Model Number

    Acer FA100
    Acer FA100 (Micron B47R)
    Crucial BX500
    BX500
  • Series

    Acer FA100
    FA100
    Crucial BX500
    BX500
  • Drive Type

    Acer FA100
    Internal
    Crucial BX500
    Internal
  • Bus Interface

    Acer FA100
    PCIe 3.0 x4
    Crucial BX500
    SATA III (6Gb/s)
  • Form Factor

    Acer FA100
    M.2 2280
    Crucial BX500
    2.5-inch
  • Sequential Read

    Acer FA100
    3300 MB/s
    Crucial BX500
    540 MB/s-84%
  • Sequential Write

    Acer FA100
    2700 MB/s
    Crucial BX500
    500 MB/s-81%
  • DRAM Cache

    Acer FA100
    DRAM-less (HMB)
    Crucial BX500
    DRAM-less
  • NAND Type

    Acer FA100
    TLC
    Crucial BX500
    TLC/QLC (Varies by Capacity), DRAM-Less

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose Acer FA100 if you want the higher sequential read (3300 MB/s vs 540 MB/s) and the higher sequential write (2700 MB/s vs 500 MB/s).

    Choose Crucial BX500 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerAcer FA100Crucial BX500
    AmazonView on Amazon
    NeweggView on Newegg

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

    Verdict

    Crucial BX500

    6.8 / 10 Expert Rating

    A rock-bottom budget SATA drive; the DRAM-less design keeps costs low but limits sustained performance.

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