PNY CS900 500GB
The current PNY CS900 500GB price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.
PNY · SSD · SATA
Retailer photo of PNY CS900 500GB. View this offer in Where to buy
Works well for: System Drive
Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically
- Capacity
- 500 GB
- Interface
- SATA 6.0 Gb/s
- Sequential read
- 500 MB/s
- Sequential write
- 500 MB/s
- Endurance
- 300 TBW
- Form factor
- 2.5"
Move a slider and the page re-scores this product against the same market frame.
What does it cost today, and is that a good price?
Market confidence: MediumAt $80 the PNY CS900 500GB is priced 11% below its $90 representative market level. Patriot P220 512GB currently does the same job for $70.
Consider: Patriot P300 256GB offers stronger value around $54.Compare
Prices & availability
PNY CS900 500GB: current price and offers
Compare the offers we track for this model, across variants and retailers.
3 tracked offers · 3 retailers
| Variant | Store | Condition | Price (snapshot) | Value · Balanced | Checked | Offer link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNY CS900 500GB | B&H | New | $80 | 33 | 2026-11-14 | View offer → |
| PNY CS900 500GB | Newegg | New | $90 | 29 | 2026-11-14 | View offer → |
| PNY CS900 500GB | MemoryC | New | $106 | 25 | 2026-11-14 | View offer → |
Prices are dated snapshots, not live quotes — confirm the final price at the store. New, refurbished and used offers are listed separately; used offers carry warranty and seller risk.
Performance and where it ranks
Two different questions, side by side. Performance compares what the hardware can do; Value compares what that capability costs at today’s price. A product can rank high on one and low on the other — that gap is the point.
Performance Balanced
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#241 of 252 graded solid state drives
- #238 KingstonKingston A400 960GB 3
- #239 PatriotPatriot P220 512GB 3
- #240 PatriotPatriot P210 512GB 3
- #241 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 3
- #242 SamsungSamsung 860 Evo 500GB 3
- #243 PatriotPatriot Burst Elite 480GB 3
- #244 LexarLexar NQ100 480GB 3
Value Balanced
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#152 of 252 currently priced solid state drives
- #149 SeagateSeagate FireCuda 530R 1TB 34
- #150 TeamGroupTeamGroup CX2 512GB 33
- #151 Silicon PowerSilicon Power A55 1TB 33
- #152 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 33
- #153 Western DigitalWestern Digital SN850P 2TB 31
- #154 PatriotPatriot P210 512GB 31
- #155 TranscendTranscend MTE300S 512GB 31
Performance System Drive
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#241 of 252 graded solid state drives
- #238 KingstonKingston A400 960GB 3
- #239 PatriotPatriot P220 512GB 3
- #240 PatriotPatriot P210 512GB 3
- #241 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 3
- #242 SamsungSamsung 860 Evo 500GB 3
- #243 PatriotPatriot Burst Elite 480GB 3
- #244 LexarLexar NQ100 480GB 3
Value System Drive
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#171 of 252 currently priced solid state drives
- #168 PatriotPatriot P300 2TB 14
- #169 Silicon PowerSilicon Power XS70 2TB 14
- #170 TeamGroupTeamGroup CX2 512GB 13
- #171 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 13
- #172 TeamGroupTeamGroup MP33 2TB 13
- #173 PatriotPatriot P210 512GB 12
- #174 SamsungSamsung 9100 PRO 8TB 12
Performance Game
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#221 of 252 graded solid state drives
- #218 SamsungSamsung 870 Evo 500GB 3
- #219 WDGreen 500GB 3
- #220 TranscendTranscend 225S 500GB 3
- #221 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 3
- #222 SamsungSamsung 860 Evo 500GB 3
- #223 KingstonKingston DC2000B 480GB 3
- #224 PatriotPatriot Burst Elite 480GB 3
Value Game
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#107 of 252 currently priced solid state drives
- #104 Western DigitalWestern Digital Black SN850 2TB 66
- #105 PatriotPatriot P300 256GB 66
- #106 CrucialCrucial P3 Plus 1TB 65
- #107 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 65
- #108 SamsungSamsung 990 Pro 2TB 65
- #109 Western DigitalWestern Digital WD_Black SN850X 1TB 64
- #110 CrucialCrucial T500 2TB 64
Performance Heavy Creative Work
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#215 of 252 graded solid state drives
- #212 SamsungSamsung 860 Pro 1TB 4
- #213 PatriotPatriot P220 512GB 4
- #214 PatriotPatriot P210 512GB 4
- #215 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 4
- #216 SamsungSamsung 860 Evo 500GB 4
- #217 PatriotPatriot Burst Elite 480GB 4
- #218 LexarLexar NQ100 480GB 4
Value Heavy Creative Work
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#183 of 252 currently priced solid state drives
- #180 TeamGroupTeamGroup CX2 512GB 13
- #181 TeamGroupTeamGroup AX2 1TB 13
- #182 TeamGroupTeamGroup CX2 1TB 13
- #183 PNYPNY CS900 500GB 13
- #184 PNYPNY CS900 1TB 13
- #185 PatriotPatriot P210 512GB 13
- #186 PatriotPatriot P220 1TB 12
These ladders follow the preset scenario shown above. Your own weights re-score this product, not the whole field.
What it is good for
| Scenario | this productCapability grade · Value at current price | Higher capability | Higher Value with current priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced (all-round)Weighted all-round view | GradeNo grade Value33 | Higher capability Kingston NV3 500GB 83 +1100% capability · +19% price | Higher Value with current priorities Patriot P300 256GB 62 +320% capability · -33% price |
| System DriveScenario capability | GradeA
Value13 | Higher capability Kingston NV3 500GB A 78 +1100% capability · +19% price | Higher Value with current priorities Patriot P300 256GB C 52 +320% capability · -33% price |
| Game & File StorageScenario capability | GradeC
Value65
| — | Higher Value with current priorities Patriot P300 512GB C 78 +2% capability |
| Heavy Creative WorkScenario capability | GradeD
Value13
| Higher capability Western Digital Black SN770 500GB B 56 +700% capability · +18% price | Higher Value with current priorities PNY CS1030 250GB C 36 +410% capability · +0% price |
Balanced has no letter: it is a weighting preset, not a capability rubric. A grade answers “how well does this handle that job?” — price is never part of it. Relative Value puts the current market price back in.
Compare these grades with the full tier list
Browse shortlists for different uses
Trade-offs
Works well if
- System Drive is your main prioritygraded A for System Drive on the same rubric as the tier list
Consider other options if
- You want strong value with Balanced priorities specificallyat today's market no realistic price for this model reaches strong value with Balanced priorities — the calculation only gets there near $33, against a cheapest tracked $80
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelPatriot P300 256GB holds Relative Value 62 against its 33 with Balanced priorities, at $54
- Not the pick if Heavy Creative Work is your main useit grades only D there
Works well if
- System Drive is your main prioritygraded A for System Drive on the same rubric as the tier list
Consider other options if
- You want strong value for System Drive specificallycompeting products deliver so much more for System Drive per dollar that no price this model realistically trades at reaches the strong-value mark for this job
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelPatriot P300 256GB holds Relative Value 52 against its 13 for System Drive, at $54
- Not the pick if Heavy Creative Work is your main useit grades only D there
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Works well if
- Game is not actually your main job — System Drive isit grades C for Game, but A for System Drive
- Strong-value threshold: ~$65$65 is where Relative Value reaches 80 for Game, in the 2026-11-09–2026-11-14 offer frame
Consider other options if
- Not the pick if Game is your main useGraded C; Patriot P320 512GB reaches C. Check on Amazon.
- Current price sits $15 above the strong-value threshold (~$65)cheapest tracked $80 against a $65 calculated threshold for Game
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelPatriot P300 512GB holds Relative Value 78 against its 65 for Game. Check on Amazon.
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Works well if
- Heavy Creative Work is not actually your main job — System Drive isit grades D for Heavy Creative Work, but A for System Drive
Consider other options if
- Not the pick if Heavy Creative Work is your main useit grades D there; Western Digital Black SN770 500GB grades B at $94
- You want strong value for Heavy Creative Work specificallycompeting products deliver so much more for Heavy Creative Work per dollar that no price this model realistically trades at reaches the strong-value mark for this job
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelPNY CS1030 250GB holds Relative Value 36 against its 13 for Heavy Creative Work, at $80
Every line states the fact it was derived from, for the scenario selected above. Thresholds are calculated points on our value curve — information about where the maths turns, not instructions about what to pay.
Similar options to the PNY CS900 500GB
Chosen for Balanced
Chosen for System Drive
Chosen for Game
Chosen for Heavy Creative Work
Alternatives stay near this product’s price range. Step-up options may exceed the standard budget envelope when the capability gain is meaningful.
More head-to-head comparisons in this category
Upgrade planner
Judge the change in the active scenario, then make the cash gap explicit.
Using page scenarioWhat are you upgrading from? These are the axes we compare on, and where this product stands in the current market.
Capability differences are expressed as tiers and index points, not as benchmark percentages we did not measure.
Specifications and compatibility
What this product is, and what to check before it goes into your build.
Performance
- Sequential read
- 500 MB/s
- Sequential write
- 500 MB/s
- Random read
- 0 IOPS
- Random write
- 0 IOPS
- Controller
- Phison PS3111-S11
Media
- Capacity
- 500 GB
- NAND type
- 3D TLC
- DRAM cache
- None (DRAM-less)
Power / Interface
- Interface
- SATA 6.0 Gb/s
- Form factor
- 2.5"
Physical / Outputs
- Heatsink included
- No
Show all specifications
Endurance & warranty
- Endurance
- 300 TBW
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Manufacturer part number
- SSD7CS900-500-RB
Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure TheComparator.Tech calculated.
Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-11-09–2026-11-14
What to check in your build
2.5"
The slot must take 2.5"
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
Does not fit the PS5 expansion bay
The PS5 bay takes M.2 2280 NVMe drives only
Found an error? Report this specification Email the field, corrected value and an optional source.
Compatibility guidance is practical help, not a score. Missing data is shown as unknown, never invented.
Summary
PNY CS900 500GB offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #241 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is drive capability 500. Patriot P300 256GB currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.
PNY CS900 500GB offers A-grade capability for System Drive. It ranks #241 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is drive capability 500. Patriot P220 512GB currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.
PNY CS900 500GB offers C-grade capability for Game. It ranks #221 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is drive capability 500. The C grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
PNY CS900 500GB offers D-grade capability for Heavy Creative Work. It ranks #215 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is drive capability 500. The D grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
FAQ
Why does Relative Value change when I choose another scenario?
Each scenario changes the weights applied to capability, price and the other published factors. The hardware facts stay fixed, but the value question changes, so its score and rank can change too.
Useful links & sources
offer frame 2026-11-09–2026-11-14 · formula ssd-value-v6.1 · facts facts-2026-11-14 · Relative Value is an estimate from our current dataset, the selected weights and dated market prices — not an official product rating and not a price forecast. Target prices are calculation thresholds, not predictions. Methodology We are not a shop. Affiliate links may earn us a commission; they never change the calculations or the ranking.