As M.2 NVMe SSD prices remain high, Sandisk looks set to introduce two SATA SSD lines aimed at people who need more storage without spending as much. The drives, spotted in an Amazon UK listing by hardware leaker @momomo_us, include the mainstream Sandisk 320 and the higher-capacity Sandisk 520.
The two drives retain the common 2.5-inch, 7mm form factor, making them compatible with many desktop PCs and older laptops. The Sandisk 320 will be available in capacities between 250GB and 2TB, with sequential speeds of up to 545 MB/s read and 525 MB/s write. The Sandisk 520 ranges from 500GB to 4TB and offers up to 560 MB/s read speeds, while write speeds remain capped at 525 MB/s. The 4TB model is rated for 1,000 TBW endurance, but no information about the controller hardware has surfaced.
It is important to remember that these drives still use the SATA interface, which limits performance to around 600 MB/s. By comparison, many PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs offer sequential read speeds between 5,000 MB/s and 7,400 MB/s, while PCIe 5.0 models can go considerably higher. SATA storage also requires cables and a dedicated 2.5-inch bay in desktop systems, and it is not compatible with many modern ultrabooks or game consoles that rely solely on M.2 slots.
These launches may not be especially compelling as primary drives for modern gaming or workstation PCs. However, they are easier to justify for replacing a mechanical hard drive, adding extra storage, upgrading an older laptop, or storing a Steam library where top transfer speeds are not essential, depending on the price.
Storage has also been affected by growing AI-related hardware demand, as data centers place added pressure on NAND flash and SSD supply. Tom’s Hardware reports that SATA SSD prices have increased by roughly 10% to 20% over the past year. Entry-level 250GB models now start at around $42, while 500GB, 1TB, and 4TB drives are priced at about $101, $204, and $329, respectively.
Official US pricing for the Sandisk 320 and 520 remains unconfirmed. Meanwhile, the Amazon UK listing that first exposed the products appears to have been taken offline, with no additional public information released since. One Dutch retailer is reportedly pointing to a June 3 arrival date for the Sandisk 520.
Higher storage prices linked to AI-related demand have made older SATA-based options more practical for some buyers. The success of Sandisk’s 320 and 520 may depend largely on pricing. If they are meaningfully cheaper than NVMe SSDs, they could become attractive alternatives. If prices are too close to faster M.2 drives, they may be harder to justify.
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