Many will consider SATA old technology in the storage realm, but when things get tough, you can always rely on it, or at least, that's what Sandisk may think. The storage manufacturer is preparing to launch the Sandisk 320 and Sandisk 520 SATA SSDs soon. While pricing is still unknown, these new drives should be more accessible than M.2 NVMe drives, though you sacrifice some performance.
For many consumers, especially those upgrading older systems or seeking the more affordable storage option, SATA SSDs remain a viable choice. They're dependable, faster than regular hard drives, and more importantly, they don't break the bank. So, it shouldn't come as a complete shock that Sandisk would launch new SATA SSDs in 2026, especially since we're in the middle of a storage shortage. Samsung, for example, released an 8TB variant of the 870 Evo, a drive that came out half a decade ago. In its defense, the Samsung 870 Evo is still one of the best SSDs in the current market.
As spotted by hardware leaker momomo_us, Amazon U.K. has listed Sandisk's upcoming drives. At this stage, retail listings provide only limited specifications. However, as expected for SATA SSDs, both the Sandisk 320 and Sandisk 520 utilize the familiar 2.5-inch form factor with a slim 7mm profile. Sandisk's design choice offers great compatibility, particularly with the latest generation of ultrabooks and thin-and-light laptops that don't welcome 9.5mm drives.
Sandisk positions the 320 as the mainstream offering, with capacities ranging from 250GB to 2TB. The SSD delivers sequential read speeds of up to 545 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 525 MB/s. Meanwhile, the 520 caters to professionals, content creators, and prosumers. The drive checks in with a sequential read speed of 560 MB/s, 2.75% higher than the 320, but retains the same 525 MB/s sequential write speed.
Sandisk 320 and Sandisk 520 Specifications
SSD | Capacity | Sequential Read (MB/s) | Sequential Write (MB/s) | Random Read (IOPS) | Random Write (IOPS) | Endurance (TBW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sandisk 520 | 500GB - 4TB | 560 | 525 | ? | ? | 1,000 (4TB) |
Sandisk 320 | 250GB - 2TB | 545 | 525 | ? | ? | ? |
The controller and NAND inside the Sandisk 320 and Sandisk 520 remain a mystery for now. Historically, Sandisk has sourced SATA SSD controllers from reputable third-party vendors, including Marvell, Silicon Motion, and SandForce. Until Sandisk officially unveils the drives, it’s anyone’s guess what hardware is driving the latest Sandisk SATA SSDs.
As for the NAND flash itself, current retailer listings suggest the use of Sandisk’s own 3D NAND technology. It’s important to keep expectations in check, though. Remember, we're talking about SATA SSDs, so the NAND will not be the latest and greatest. Most modern SATA drives use flash with 112 or 128 layers, unless you go down the legacy route, meaning 64 or 96 layers. Amazon U.K. listed the Sandisk 530 4TB with a 1,000 TBW rating.
SATA SSD prices have surged by 10% to 20% over the past year, due to ongoing storage shortages. So, we shouldn't expect the sensible pricing on the Sandisk 320 or Sandisk 520. For perspective, a 250GB SATA drive starts at $42; a 500GB drive costs at least $101. If you want a higher-capacity drive, expect to pay around $204 for a 1TB drive and up to $329 for a 4TB drive.
One Dutch retailer has listed the Sandisk 520 with an expected arrival date of June 3. If accurate, the listing strongly suggests that the official announcement is imminent.
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