# Kioxia RC500 500GB NVMe SSD Review (2026)

The Kioxia RC500 500GB (originally branded as Toshiba OCZ) is a value-oriented PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD with Toshiba TLC NAND and a DDR4 DRAM cache, offering 1,700 MB/s reads at an entry-level price.

Quick answer: The Kioxia RC500 500GB is a budget NVMe SSD that delivers on its core promise: 1,700 MB/s reads with TLC NAND and DRAM cache at a low price. The DRAM and TLC combination is a genuine advantage over QLC-based competitors at similar prices. The main drawbacks are the shorter three-year warranty (versus five years on most competitors) and the older product positioning — Kioxia's own Exceria line has largely superseded the RC500 with similar speeds but better warranty coverage. For the price-sensitive buyer, the RC500 is a competent NVMe upgrade from SATA. For a small price increase, the Kioxia Exceria 500GB offers the same performance with a longer warranty.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 500 GB |
| Interface | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5012-E12S |
| Memory type | Toshiba 96L 3D TLC |
| DRAM cache | Yes |
| Sequential read | 1700 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 1600 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 355000 |
| Random write IOPS | 410000 |
| Endurance | 200 TBW |
| MTBF | 1500000 |
| Warranty | 3 years |

## Performance

The RC500 500GB is rated for 1,700 MB/s sequential reads and 1,600 MB/s sequential writes. These are entry-level PCIe 3.0 NVMe speeds — roughly three times faster than SATA SSDs (550 MB/s) in sequential reads. Random IO is rated at 355K read IOPS and 410K write IOPS, which is respectable for the price tier.

The DRAM cache ensures consistent random IO performance under multitasking workloads, giving the RC500 an advantage over DRAM-less competitors. The TLC NAND maintains consistent write speeds after the SLC cache fills, avoiding the dramatic write-speed collapse that QLC drives exhibit. For OS boot, application launches, and game loading, the RC500 delivers a noticeable improvement over SATA storage. Gaming load times are faster than SATA but not as quick as 3,400 MB/s NVMe drives.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

The Kioxia RC500 carries a three-year limited warranty — shorter than the five-year coverage on Kioxia's newer Exceria and Exceria Plus lines. Kioxia does not publish a specific TBW rating for the RC500 500GB in most documentation. The three-year warranty period is the primary coverage metric. For a budget boot drive handling mostly reads, the warranty duration should be sufficient for most users. Warranty service is handled through Kioxia's RMA process or the retailer.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 1,700 MB/s reads — three times faster than SATA
- TLC NAND with DRAM cache at a budget price
- Toshiba/Kioxia in-house controller with native NAND
- Consistent write performance — no QLC collapse
**Cons:**

- Three-year warranty — shorter than the five-year industry standard
- No published TBW endurance rating
- Superseded by the Kioxia Exceria with same speed and longer warranty
- 1,700 MB/s reads — entry-level NVMe speed
- Limited availability as the product ages out


## Verdict

The Kioxia RC500 500GB is a budget NVMe SSD that delivers on its core promise: 1,700 MB/s reads with TLC NAND and DRAM cache at a low price. The DRAM and TLC combination is a genuine advantage over QLC-based competitors at similar prices. The main drawbacks are the shorter three-year warranty (versus five years on most competitors) and the older product positioning — Kioxia's own Exceria line has largely superseded the RC500 with similar speeds but better warranty coverage. For the price-sensitive buyer, the RC500 is a competent NVMe upgrade from SATA. For a small price increase, the Kioxia Exceria 500GB offers the same performance with a longer warranty.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Kioxia RC500 500GB good for gaming?

The RC500 500GB delivers 1,700 MB/s reads, providing faster game load times than SATA SSDs. The 500GB capacity holds the OS plus 6–10 AAA games. The TLC NAND and DRAM cache ensure consistent performance during game installations. For budget gaming builds, the RC500 is adequate. However, the newer Kioxia Exceria offers similar performance with a five-year warranty instead of three, making it the better choice when available at a similar price.

### Does the Kioxia RC500 have a DRAM cache?

Yes. The RC500 includes a DDR4 DRAM cache that supports the Toshiba in-house controller's flash translation layer. The DRAM provides consistent random IO performance under multitasking workloads, giving the RC500 an advantage over DRAM-less budget NVMe drives that rely on Host Memory Buffer.

### Why does the RC500 only have a 3-year warranty?

The RC500 was launched as a value-oriented product under the Toshiba OCZ brand, with a three-year warranty to reduce warranty liability costs. Kioxia's newer Exceria and Exceria Plus lines come with five-year warranties, reflecting both industry trends and the company's updated product positioning. The shorter warranty is the RC500's main disadvantage compared to current alternatives.

### How does the RC500 compare to the Kioxia Exceria?

The RC500 and Exceria offer similar 1,700/1,600 MB/s read/write speeds, both using TLC NAND with DRAM cache. The Exceria uses newer BiCS5 96-layer NAND versus the RC500's BiCS4. The key difference is warranty: the Exceria has five years versus the RC500's three years. The Exceria also has a published TBW rating. If priced the same, the Exceria is the better choice. If the RC500 is significantly cheaper, it remains a competent drive.

### Is the RC500 faster than a SATA SSD?

Yes. The RC500 reads at 1,700 MB/s versus SATA's 550 MB/s ceiling — roughly three times faster. Random IO is also substantially better thanks to the NVMe protocol. OS boot times and application launches are noticeably snappier. For anyone upgrading from a SATA SSD, the RC500 delivers a clear performance improvement at a budget price point.

### What is the endurance of the Kioxia RC500 500GB?

Kioxia does not publish a specific TBW (terabytes written) rating for the RC500 500GB. The drive is covered by a three-year limited warranty. As a TLC-based drive with DRAM cache handling mostly read workloads as a boot drive, endurance should not be a practical concern during the warranty period. The lack of a published TBW figure is a drawback compared to Kioxia's Exceria line, which specifies TBW ratings for each capacity.

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Last updated: 2026-05-23. Source: https://ssdrive.net/kioxia-rc500-500-gb