When it comes to SSDs, Samsung knows that if isn't ain't broke, don't fix it. The 500GB Samsung SSD 960 EVO ($249.99) is the latest update to the company's highly successful SSD 850 EVO, and is poised to repeat that success thanks to its class-leading performance, endurance, and affordability.
While you wouldn't necessarily call the 960 EVO revolutionary, it does a good job of making existing technologies work well together. It runs on the PCI Express (PCIe) bus and uses the NVMe protocol, meaning it's capable of reaching blistering sequential read speeds of up to 3.2GBps and write speeds of 1.9GBps. That also amounts to about 400 percent more IOPS in random read and write operations than its SATA-based predecessor.
The SSD 960 EVO also utilizes the M.2 form factor, which makes it roughly the size of a stick of gum (22mm wide and 80mm long). It's also available in 250GB ($129) and 1TB ($479) capacities, and all versions feature impressive endurance ratings. (There is, however, no 2TB version; you'll have to step up to the Samsung SSD 960 Pro if you want that.) The 500GB version is rated for 200TB written over the drive's lifetime, while the 250GB version is rated for 25TB and the 1TB version for a sky-high 400TB. While you're unlikely to wear out the 960 EVO in normal usage, one drawback is that Samsung has reduced the length of its warranty to three years, down from the previous five given for the 850 EVO. And because it's an M.2 drive, you'll need a relatively recent desktop or laptop to actually use it.
Specs aside, the 960 EVO slots nicely among Samsung's SSD offerings as an affordable PCIe NVMe drive and an alternative to the pricier SSD 960 Pro line—especially considering that the 960 EVO is only a smidge slower than the 960 Pro.
For more details, check out the Samsung SSD 960 EVO review on our sister site, Computer Shopper.
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