Crucial discontinues the popular MX500 SSD to make way for next-gen drives — SATA III SSD retires after seven years

Users will now have fewer SATA-based SSDs since Crucial is no longer manufacturing its popular seven-year-old MX500. Users also noticed that Crucial mentioned the same when claiming a warranty and providing alternatives like the Crucial P3 NVMe drive or any remaining MX500 that can be shipped. You can still purchase Crucial MX500 via Amazon and other retailers while stocks last.

"The Crucial MX500 was certainly a great drive. We are making room in the line for new products and are looking forward to sharing what's next with you soon," a Crucial representative told German news outlet Computerbase.

It is hardly surprising that since motherboard manufacturers now provide multiple M.2 slots and with larger capacity M.2 drives available, many consumers are opting for NVMe SSDs. Nonetheless, since they're cheaper, SATA SSDs are still prevalent for secondary storage.

One of the reasons why the Crucial MX500 was favored and purchased by many users over the years is because it uses faster and more reliable TLC NAND chips over QLC, like the ones used in the Crucial BX500 DRAM-less drives. Compared to other options, its pricing was what it made to be preferred more, especially during seasonal deals. Users were also assured of a five-year warranty, providing that ease of mind. The MX500 had a good seven-year run with no complaints or flaws, except for a Buffer Overflow Attack issue reported on its M3CR046 firmware a few months ago.

Of course, phasing out its production also means getting a replacement would be tricky. So, suppose you've bought the drive recently or still have some time left in the warranty period. In that case, it's best to keep a realistic expectation that you may not get the exact replacement- storage capacity, model, or interface.

It is unclear if Crucial will stop manufacturing SATA SSDs or if it would be keen to introduce new TLC-based SATA SSDs. The manufacturer's statement only hints at new products but lacks specifics. The market for 2.5-inch SATA drives will still exist for a while, catering to a particular budget and application.