Samsung 980
SSDProduct Gallery
Product Overview
Samsung 980 SSD is the first DRAM-less NVMe SSD from the South Korean manufacturer. Via Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, the 980 SSD directly leverages the memory of the main device as the buffer to maintain performance.
Compared to the flagship 980 PRO, the base 980 is slower, though the same TBW endurance rating is retained. This is attributable to the loss of internal high-bandwidth memory and the downgrade of PCIe to PCIe 3.0 x4. The same 6th-gen 3-bit MLC V-NAND is used.
Samsung boasts up to 56% power efficiency improvement in the 980 compared to the 970 Evo.
Last but not least, the Samsung 980 has nickel-coated controller and heat spreader label solutions found in the PRO for durability and long-term performance.
Ratings
What we found
Pros
- Impressive performance for a 3.0 drive
- High durability rating
- Excellent software suite
Cons
- Nothing in particular
What external reviewers found
External score 69%
Pros
- Good value for money
- Solid performance
- Competitive price
- Fastest-performing PCIe 3.0 SSD we've tested yet
- Single-threaded performance
Cons
- No Host Memory Buffer
- No M.2 slot
- No multi-threading
- No DRAM
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Price Comparison
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Specifications
| 1TB | 250GB | 500GB |
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Related Products
- Very good sequential write performance for almost all of the test duration
- Very low energy usage
- Very good write performance
- Extremely well-crafted heatsink
- Excellent write and write performance
- Nanocarbon coating reduces heat output
External Reviews
pcmag[1]
Reviewer score 85% (normalized by Neofiliac)Samsung has been on a hot streak in the SSD world for years now, racking up wins most recently in the premium PCIe 4.0 segment. Now it takes another bow in PCIe 3.0 with the SSD 980. Samsung has the R&D and facilities to control all the aspects of SSD creation and production. It's another "best in class" for Samsung.
Pros
- Fastest-performing PCIe 3.0 SSD we've tested yet
- Solid overall performance
Cons
- No M.2 slot
pcworld[2]
Reviewer score 67% (normalized by Neofiliac)The 980's random performance is workable under normal use. Most everyday tasks and programs are single-threaded and will rarely throw more than 1GB of data at the drive. With just a few disk-oriented tasks running simultaneously, there were major slowdowns, stalls, and all the signs of overloaded I/O.
Pros
- Single-threaded performance
- Good value for money
Cons
- No multi-threading
techradar[3]
Reviewer score 55% (normalized by Neofiliac)The Samsung 980 falls into a weird space, and it simply feels like Samsung put its efforts elsewhere. We tested the 1TB model, and though it performs near the front of the pack for PCIe 3.0 SSDs in spite of its lack of DRAM, it doesn't lead the way. Both the Corsair MP400 and SK Hynix Gold P31 give Samsung a hard time finding space for itself.
Pros
- Solid performance
- Competitive price
Cons
- No DRAM
- No Host Memory Buffer
References
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