Samsung 950 PRO 256GB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
The Samsung UBX controller and TLC NAND deliver 2200 MB/s reads and 270K random read IOPS, with a 5.7 W peak power draw that keeps heat low in compact M.2 2280 builds. Hardware encryption and Samsung Magician software add management and security without extra cost, backed by a 5-year warranty and 200 TBW endurance. This drive suits workstation users upgrading older PCIe 3.0 systems who need reliable NVMe speed for intensive workloads, though its 256GB capacity limits bulk storage.
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Panoramica
The 30-Second Version
A legendary speed demon from a bygone era that still has some fight left, but the thermal throttling and tiny capacity make it a hard pass for most people today. Buy it for nostalgia, not for your main rig.
Pros & Cons
Pro
- Blazing fast for its generation, especially on reads 94th
- Rock solid once you get it configured properly 93rd
- 5-year warranty and 200 TBW endurance are generous 87th
- Tiny M.2 form factor frees up cable clutter 78th
Contro
- Thermal throttling under sustained load is real
- Not plug-and-play on older motherboards
- 256GB capacity is cramped by today's standards
- Samsung's warranty support gets complaints
Cosa dicono i proprietari
The Word on the Street
Come è cambiata l'opinione dei proprietari nel tempo
EsclusivaIn base a quando i clienti hanno effettivamente scritto le recensioni, per vedere se gli elogi iniziali sono durati.
Basato su 8 recensioni dei clienti datate, raggruppate per trimestre solare. L'analisi per periodo è in inglese.
Le prove
Performance
The sequential read speed of 2200 MB/s lands right around the middle of the pack compared to modern NVMe drives, which honestly says more about how far storage has come than any weakness in the 950 PRO. The 270K random read IOPS is where this drive still shows some muscle, putting it well above average for snappy everyday tasks. The write side is a different story. 900 MB/s sequential and 85K random write IOPS are fine but nothing to write home about. The bigger issue is thermal throttling. Multiple owners report the drive getting toasty under sustained load and dialing back speeds, so don't expect those peak numbers to hold during a big file transfer.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Drive
| Capacity | 256 |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 |
| Protocol | NVMe |
| PCIe Generation | 3 |
| External | No |
Performance
| Sequential Read (MB/s) | 2200 |
| Sequential Write (MB/s) | 900 |
| Random Read (IOPS) | 270000 |
| Random Write (IOPS) | 85000 |
Hardware
| NAND | TLC |
| DRAM Cache | Yes |
| Controller | Samsung UBX controller |
Reliability
| Endurance (TBW) | 200 |
| MTBF (hours) | 1500000 |
| Warranty (years) | 5 |
Features
| Hardware Encryption | Yes |
vs Competition
Stacked against something like the Crucial T500 or the WD_BLACK SN8100, the 950 PRO gets absolutely smoked on both speed and capacity. Those modern drives push double or triple the sequential throughput and come in sizes that don't make you uninstall a game every time you want to try something new. The Micron T710 and MSI SPATIUM M480 PRO are in the same boat. The 950 PRO's only real edge is nostalgia and maybe driver maturity on older platforms. If you're on a modern system, any of those competitors is the smarter buy.
| Spec | Samsung 950 PRO | Western Digital Black SN850X | Kingston FURY Renegade G5 SFYR2S/4T0 | Crucial T500 | SanDisk WD_BLACK SN8100 | Seagate FireCuda 530R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 256GB | 4TB | 4TB | 2TB | 8TB | 4TB |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| Seq Read | 2,200 MB/s | 7,300 MB/s | 14,800 MB/s | 7,400 MB/s | 14,900 MB/s | 7,400 MB/s |
| Nand Type | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC |
| Dram Cache | true | true | true | true | true | false |
| Endurance | 200 TBW | 2400 TBW | 4000 TBW | 1200 TBW | 4800 TBW | 5050 TBW |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Prodotto | Speed | Random | Feature | Capacity | User Sentiment | Endurance | Riscontro degli utenti | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 950 PRO | 46 | 78.3 | 94 | 17.6 | 43.1 | 92.6 | 87.1 | 74.5 |
| Western Digital Black SN850X Compare | 89 | 95.7 | 89.5 | 92.6 | 94.6 | 88.2 | 95.3 | 10.5 |
| Kingston FURY Renegade G5 SFYR2S/4T0 Compare | 99.4 | 98.9 | 90.9 | 92.6 | 28.4 | 93.6 | 87.1 | 6.4 |
| Crucial T500 Compare | 94 | 96.9 | 99 | 78.5 | 78.4 | 83.1 | 95.3 | 19.7 |
| SanDisk WD_BLACK SN8100 Compare | 99.1 | 99.3 | 97.6 | 98.2 | 94.6 | 80.9 | 44.6 | 3.3 |
| Seagate FireCuda 530R Compare | 92.9 | 96.8 | 53.8 | 92.6 | 64.4 | 95.7 | 77.3 | 6.6 |
Prezzo
Value & Pricing
At around $100 USD for 256GB, this is a tough sell in a world where you can get a 1TB Gen4 drive for not much more. The 950 PRO makes sense only if you're building a period-correct retro rig or you find one dirt cheap on the used market. For a daily driver, the capacity alone kills the value proposition.
Approfondisci
Overview
The Samsung 950 PRO was a monster when it launched, and it still holds up as a solid enthusiast pick if you can find one at a sane price. The headline number is 2200 MB/s sequential read, which was absolutely bonkers for its era and still feels snappy today. But the real story here is that this drive is a bit of a diva. It wants BIOS updates, proper NVMe drivers, and a motherboard that actually likes it. Get all that sorted and it flies. Skip the homework and you'll be staring at a boot loop wondering what went wrong.
Common Questions
Q: Will this work with Windows 7?
Yes, but it's a pain. Windows 7 doesn't have built-in NVMe drivers, so you'll need to load them during install or install to a regular drive first and clone over. Windows 10 is way easier since it has native NVMe support.
Q: Does this work in any PCIe slot?
Nope. It's an M.2 drive, so you need an M.2 slot on your motherboard or a PCIe to M.2 adapter card. And even then, check your motherboard's compatibility list because some boards are picky about booting from NVMe.
Q: Is 256GB enough for an OS drive?
For just Windows and a few programs, sure. But if you're installing modern games, you'll fill it up fast. Most AAA titles are 50-100GB these days, so you're looking at maybe two or three games before you're out of space.
Who Should Skip This
If you're building a new PC or upgrading a daily driver, skip this. The 256GB capacity is a joke by modern standards and the thermal throttling will annoy you during any serious workload. Go grab a 1TB Crucial T500 or WD_BLACK SN8100 instead. You'll get way more space, way more speed, and none of the setup headaches.
Verdict
The 950 PRO is a legend, but legends belong in museums. If you already own one and it's working, keep it. If you're shopping today, this drive only makes sense for a very specific retro build or if you stumble on one for pocket change. Everyone else should grab a modern Gen4 drive and never look back.
