Introduction, Specifications and Packaging

How do Samsung’s newest SATA SSDs stack up?

Introduction:

Samsung launched their 850 line of SSDs in mid-2014 (over three years ago now). The line evolved significantly over time, with the additions of PRO and EVO models, capacity expansions reaching up to 4TB, and a later silent migration to 64-layer V-NAND. Samsung certainly got their money's worth out of the 850 name, but it is now time to move onto something newer:

Specifications:

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Of note above is a significantly higher endurance rating as compared to the 850 Series products, along with an update to a new 'MJX' controller, which accounts for a slight performance bump across the board. Not mentioned here is the addition of queued TRIM, which is more of a carryover from the enterprise / Linux systems (Windows 10 does not queue its TRIM commands).

Packaging:

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Aside from some updated specs and the new name, packaging remains very much the same.

Read on for our review of the Samsung 860 PRO and EVO SSDs (in multiple capacities!)

(Those of you interested in Samsung's press release for this launch will find it after the break)

Samsung Electronics Advances SATA Lineup with 860 PRO and 860 EVO Solid State Drives Powered by V-NAND
Both drives integrate the latest 64-layer V-NAND technology and MJX controller for ultimate performance and reliability
SEOUL, Korea – Jan. 23, 2018 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today introduced the 860 PRO and 860 EVO solid state drives (SSDs), the most up-to-date additions to the company’s SATA interface lineup. The products are aimed at consumers who require fast, reliable performance across various applications, from everyday computing to heavy workloads and graphic-intensive operations. Building on the successful launch of the 850 PRO and 850 EVO – the industry’s first consumer SSDs with V-NAND technology – the 860 PRO and 860 EVO achieve industry-leading performance for SATA SSDs, offering enhancements in speed, reliability, compatibility and capacity.
“The new 860 PRO and 860 EVO SSDs combine the latest 512Gb and 256Gb 64-layer V-NAND, up to 4GB LPDDR4 mobile DRAM and a new MJX controller to elevate the user experience for both consumers and businesses,” said Un-Soo Kim, senior vice president of Brand Product Marketing, Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. "Samsung will continue to fuel meaningful innovations in the consumer SSD space and drive growth of the overall memory industry for years to come."
As file sizes continue to increase with high-resolution photos and 4K videos, the need for faster data transfers and sustainable high performance over a longer period of time has become paramount for users. To address this need, Samsung’s 860 PRO and 860 EVO support up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write1 speeds and offer unmatched reliability with an upgraded five-year limited warranty2, or up to 4,800 terabytes written (TBW)3 for the 860 PRO and up to 2,400 TBW4 for the 860 EVO. The new MJX controller also enables faster communication with the host system. The controller is powerful enough to handle workstation storage, while improving Linux operating system compatibility.
The 860 PRO is available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB5 capacities, with the 4TB memory storage holding up to 114 hours and 30 minutes of 4K Ultra HD video. The 860 PRO is available in a widely compatible 2.5-inch form factor, which is ideal for PCs, laptops, workstations and NAS.
The 860 EVO comes in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB6 capacities, in a 2.5-inch for PCs and laptops, as well as mSATA and M.2 form factors for ultra-slim computing applications7. The 860 EVO has up to six times longer sustained performance than its predecessor due to enhanced Intelligent TurboWrite8 technology, with read and write speeds of up to 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s9, respectively.
The 860 PRO and 860 EVO SSDs are available from this month with manufacturer’s suggested retail prices starting at $139.99 and $94.99 USD, respectively. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/SSD,www.samsungssd.com.
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