SATA drives are still going strong as Kingston announces it has shipped 100 million A400 SSDs
Kingston has announced a major milestone, revealing it has shipped 100 million units of its A400 SATA SSD since the drive’s launch in 2017. The announcement underscores the continued relevance of SATA solid-state drives in an era dominated by faster NVMe storage technology.
The A400, available in 240GB, 480GB, and 960GB capacities, delivers read speeds of up to 500 MB/s and write speeds of 450 MB/s on the largest model. While these speeds are significantly slower than modern NVMe drives, the SATA SSD remains a practical choice for many users seeking to upgrade from mechanical hard drives or expand storage without consuming precious PCIe lanes.
The 100 million unit shipment figure represents a considerable achievement for a single consumer-grade drive model nearly a decade after its initial release. Kingston’s longevity with the A400 reflects broader market dynamics: SATA SSDs continue to fulfill a valuable niche despite newer, faster alternatives. Many users prioritize cost-effectiveness, compatibility with older systems, and simplicity over bleeding-edge performance.
Kingston’s A400 success story demonstrates that SATA SSDs remain relevant across various use cases, from budget-conscious consumers and enterprise environments to gaming system upgrades. The technology, which first emerged as a mainstream consumer product with Intel’s X25-M in 2008, has proven remarkably durable. While NVMe drives increasingly dominate new builds and high-performance applications, SATA SSDs continue to serve as a reliable, accessible upgrade path for the broader market.
The announcement comes as the storage industry continues evolving, with manufacturers balancing the transition to newer standards while maintaining products that satisfy ongoing demand from price-sensitive segments and legacy system users.