Samsung SSD: the clear and simple guide to choose the right model

Samsung SSD 1TB Samsung SSD Samsung SSD

When you want to boost your PC, laptop, or give a second life to a slightly tired machine, a Samsung SSD is one of the safest bets on the market. It is one of the few manufacturers that produces everything from A to Z: memory, controller, firmware... as a result, their SSDs are fast, reliable, and have a great lifespan. If you are hesitating between a Samsung SSD, a 1TB Samsung SSD, or if you just want to understand the difference between a 980, a 990 PRO, an EVO, or a QVO, you are in the right place. We will calmly go through all of this so that you know exactly which one to choose.

Author
yuux
Co-founder of DropReference, I'm here to give you the best tips to build the gaming PC of your dreams!

Why do so many people still recommend Samsung SSDs?

samsung-logo

It's simple: stability, endurance, constancy.

The Samsung SSD are not necessarily the cheapest, but the choice is rarely bad. The manufacturer controls the entire production chain , and it shows in:

  • the speed in actual use,
  • the maintenance of performance even after several years,
  • regular updates,
  • the Samsung Magician software, super handy for checking the SSD's status.

Basically: if you want to avoid headaches, Samsung is a safe bet.

The different Samsung ranges explained simply

Samsung QVO

  • The cheaper .
  • Ideal for "mass storage" or office automation.
  • Not great for heavy loads, but perfect for storing a lot of files.

Samsung EVO

  • The best value for money .
  • It is often the ideal choice for a Gaming PC or versatile.
  • Very good balance between speed, reliability, and endurance .

Samsung PRO

  • The high-end .
  • Very enduring, very stable, made for large transfers, content creation, intensive use.

970 / 980 / 990

The most popular Samsung NVMe SSDs:

  • 970 EVO Plus → excellent even still today
  • 980 → entry/mid-range
  • 980 PRO → super fast, perfect for a gaming PC or a PS5
  • 990 PRO → the current king, monstrous speed

Which Samsung 1TB SSD to choose according to your usage?

Because 1 TB has become the perfect capacity for a modern PC: Windows + apps + some big games + a little extra space.

⭐ For gamer PC / powerful PC: Samsung 990 PRO (1TB)

samsung-ssd-990

The 990 PRO , it is clearly the current reference at Samsung.

  • Reading : ~7450 MB/s
  • Writing : ~6900 MB/s
  • Hyper stable
  • Perfect for gaming , heavy apps, massive transfers
  • Compatible PS5

You install this in a recent PC, and you're good for several years.

💰 For a good performance/price ratio: Samsung 980 (1TB)

samsung-ssd-980

The Samsung 980 is ideal if you want to stay with Samsung without exceeding your budget.

  • Reading : ~3500 MB/s
  • Writing : ~3000 MB/s
  • Very reliable
  • Sufficient for 95% of uses: gaming, work, laptop, etc.

To upgrade an old PC or replace a too slow SSD, it's great.

🎮 For PS5: 980 PRO or 990 PRO with heatsink

If you want to upgrade the space of your PlayStation:

  • take a version with heatsink ,
  • you plug in, you turn on the console, and it works right away.

Both models work perfectly with the PS5.

All real-time stocks of Samsung SSDs

Filters

Fanxiang S101Q 4TB SATA 2.5in SSD

Fanxiang S101Q 4TB SATA 2.5in SSD

25€

(11 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 2TB

Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 2TB

129€

(14 Vendors)
3 (1)
Interface: PCIe 4.0
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

81€

(10 Vendors)
4 (2)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Crucial P3 Plus 1TB NVMe M.2

Crucial P3 Plus 1TB NVMe M.2

90€

(7 Vendors)
4 (3)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
MSI SPATIUM M470 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

MSI SPATIUM M470 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

76€

(7 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Fast! Good capacity
Crucial P510 2TB NVMe PCIe Gen5 Black

Crucial P510 2TB NVMe PCIe Gen5 Black

160€

(3 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Super fast! Comfortable capacity
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

Samsung 990 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

166€

(18 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
PNY CS1030 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3 Black

PNY CS1030 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3 Black

57€

(11 Vendors)
2 (1)
Brand: PNY
Good brand Fast and budget-friendly Good capacity
Samsung 990 PRO M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

Samsung 990 PRO M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

105€

(14 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Crucial P510 1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2

Crucial P510 1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2

98€

(3 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Super fast! Good capacity
Kingston NV3 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 Blue

Kingston NV3 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 Blue

71€

(10 Vendors)
2 (1)
Brand: Kingston
Good brand Fast! Good capacity
Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB PCIe 5.0 Black

Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB PCIe 5.0 Black

152€

(16 Vendors)
3 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Super fast! Good capacity
KIOXIA EXCERIA PLUS G3 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

KIOXIA EXCERIA PLUS G3 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

113€

(6 Vendors)
3 (1)
Brand: Kioxia
Good brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Crucial E100 Black 1TB NVMe Gen4

Crucial E100 Black 1TB NVMe Gen4

62€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Crucial E100 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4

Crucial E100 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4

61€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
WD_BLACK WDS200T4X0E 2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 Black

WD_BLACK WDS200T4X0E 2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 Black

114€

(13 Vendors)
Brand: HP
Fast! Comfortable capacity
Emtec X150 4 TB 2.5in SATA SSD Black

Emtec X150 4 TB 2.5in SATA SSD Black

16€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Emtec
Variable quality Less fast Comfortable capacity
Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

229€

(16 Vendors)
3 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Super fast! Comfortable capacity
Western Digital WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB NVMe

Western Digital WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB NVMe

150€

(15 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
MSI SPATIUM M560 Black 1TB PCIe 5.0

MSI SPATIUM M560 Black 1TB PCIe 5.0

99€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Super fast! Good capacity
KIOXIA EXCERIA PLUS G3 1TB M.2 NVMe Black

KIOXIA EXCERIA PLUS G3 1TB M.2 NVMe Black

71€

(10 Vendors)
3 (1)
Brand: Kioxia
Good brand Fast! Good capacity
PNY CS1030 500GB NVMe Black

PNY CS1030 500GB NVMe Black

35€

(9 Vendors)
Brand: PNY
Good brand Fast and budget-friendly Minimum gaming capacity
PNY M280CS2230-1TB-RB Black M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4

PNY M280CS2230-1TB-RB Black M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3x4

60€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: PNY
Good brand Fast and budget-friendly Good capacity
PNY CS900 SATA 500GB 2.5inch Black

PNY CS900 SATA 500GB 2.5inch Black

31€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: PNY
Good brand Less fast Minimum gaming capacity
MSI SPATIUM M450 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

MSI SPATIUM M450 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

68€

(7 Vendors)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Fast! Good capacity

Simple comparison of the main Samsung 1TB models

Model Type Max Reading Maximum Writing Purpose
Samsung 990 PRO (1 TB) NVMe PCIe 4.0 7450 MB/s 6900 MB/s High-end gaming / PS5
Samsung 980 PRO (1 TB) NVMe PCIe 4.0 7000 MB/s 5100 MB/s Gaming / large transfers
Samsung 980 (1TB) NVMe PCIe 3.0 3500 MB/s 3000 MB/s PC gamer budget / laptop
Samsung 870 EVO (1TB) SATA 560 MB/s 530 MB/s Old PC / PC without NVMe
Samsung 870 QVO (1 TB) SATA 560 MB/s 530 MB/s Affordable storage
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How long does a Samsung SSD last?

Overall, they are among the best endurance on the market .

One Samsung 1TB SSD can hold several hundred terabytes rewritten before wearing out - which, in normal use, represents years of use.

Even a QVO model is more than enough for a gamer or a regular user.

Mistakes to avoid

Even if Samsung is reliable, some reflexes to have:

  • Never fill your SSD to 100% : keeps a 10% margin.
  • If you take a version with a heatsink, remove the one from your motherboard.
  • Don't expect to double performance if your motherboard is in PCIe 3.0 : the SSD will be limited, but it remains very fast.

FAQ

Is a 1TB Samsung SSD enough for a gaming PC?

Yes, easily. You can install Windows + your apps + several AAA games without any issue.

Are Samsung better than Crucial, Kingston, or PNY?

In reliability and endurance, very often yes. In price, they are a little more expensive.

Can I install a 990 PRO on a PS5?

Yes, as long as it has a heatsink.

EVO, QVO, PRO... which one to choose?

EVO: the most versatile PRO: the most powerful QVO: the cheapest for simple storage