Kingston 240GB Q500 SATA3 2.5 SSD (SQ500S37/240G)
Bottom line: The Kingston 240GB Q500 SATA3 2.5 SSD ($81.49 on Amazon as of 2026-10-06): 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s fits nearly any desktop, laptop, or older pre-M.2 system; main trade-off: SATA3 caps throughput far below any NVMe M.2 drive.
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s fits nearly any desktop, laptop, or older pre-M.2 system
- ✓ 240GB is enough for Windows plus core apps as a boot drive
- ✓ TLC NAND keeps cost per gigabyte low at entry-level capacity
- ✓ Kingston-branded, a long-established name in consumer storage
Cons
- ✗ SATA3 caps throughput far below any NVMe M.2 drive
- ✗ 240GB fills fast if you store large game libraries or video
- ✗ TLC NAND writes slower than MLC once cache is exhausted
- ✗ No DRAM cache specified in the listing -- verify before heavy write use
Manufacturer description
The Kingston Q500 240GB is an entry-level SATA SSD built to pull an aging laptop or desktop off a mechanical hard drive without a large outlay. It uses a standard 2.5-inch form factor and a SATA 6Gb/s (SATA3) interface, so it drops into essentially any machine with a free drive bay and a SATA port -- including older systems that predate M.2. Storage is triple-level cell (TLC) NAND, the mainstream flash type that keeps cost per gigabyte down at this capacity. At 240GB, the Q500 is sized for a boot drive: Windows, your everyday applications, and a couple of games or a working media folder…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Kingston 240GB Q500 SATA3 2.5 SSD using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the ssds & storage category. Kingston's ssds & storage lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for ssds & storage of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Kingston Q500 work in my old laptop or desktop?
It is a standard 2.5-inch drive with a SATA 6Gb/s interface, so it fits any system with a 2.5-inch bay and a SATA port. Desktops with only 3.5-inch bays typically need an inexpensive mounting bracket.
Is 240GB enough storage for a boot drive?
For Windows plus everyday applications, yes. 240GB comfortably holds an OS install and core software, but modern games at 50-100GB each will fill it quickly, so pair it with a secondary drive for large libraries.
How fast is the Q500 compared to an NVMe SSD?
The Q500 uses SATA3, which is inherently slower than the PCIe interface NVMe M.2 drives use. It is still dramatically faster than a mechanical hard drive for boot and load times, which is the main upgrade case here.
What kind of NAND does the Kingston Q500 use?
Triple-level cell (TLC) NAND, which stores three bits per cell. TLC is the standard choice for value-tier SSDs -- it lowers cost per gigabyte compared with MLC at the expense of sustained write speed.
What warranty does the Kingston Q500 come with?
Warranty terms are not listed in this product's specifications. Check the current Amazon listing or Kingston's official product page for the warranty period and endurance rating that applies to the SQ500S37/240G.
Key Features
- 2.5 SSD
- Triple-level cell (TLC)
- Q500 SATA3
Full Specifications
| Brand | Kingston |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Weight | 240g |
| Model Name | Kingston SSD Q500 + KC2500シリーズ |
| Read Speed | 500 megabytes_per_second |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Form Factor | 2.5-inch |
| Media Speed | 500 megabytes_per_second |
| Model Number | SQ500S37/240G |
| Built-In Media | 1 solid state drive |
| Hard-Drive Size | 240 GB |
| Mfr Part Number | SQ500S37-240G |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Special Feature | Shock Resistant |
| Hardware Platform | PC, laptop |
| Installation Type | Internal Hard Drive |
| Compatible Devices | Gaming Console |
| Data Transfer Rate | 4000 megabits_per_second |
| Enclosure Material | Triple-Level Cell (Tlc) |
| Additional Features | Shock Resistant |
Ready to buy?
Kingston 240GB Q500 SATA3 2.5 SSD (SQ500S37/240G) is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.
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