Samsung 980

The Samsung 980 is a 1TB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD that delivers 3500 MB/s reads and 3000 MB/s writes without breaking the bank. It's a great upgrade for older PCs and laptops, with strong random performance and Samsung's reliable track record. Just don't expect PS5 compatibility or PCIe 4.0 speeds, and shop around since prices swing from USD 158 to USD 310.

Let's talk numbers. The 980 hits 3500 MB/s sequential reads and 3000 MB/s writes, which is about as fast as PCIe 3.0 x4 gets. Random performance lands at 500K read IOPS and 480K write IOPS. In our database, that puts its speed at the 59th percentile, which sounds mediocre until you remember we're comparing against PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 drives that cost way more. For a PCIe 3.0 drive, this is basically the ceiling.

In practice, boot times drop to a few seconds, games load noticeably faster than from SATA, and large file transfers stay snappy until the SLC cache fills up. The DRAM-less design means sustained writes can dip once the cache is exhausted, but for typical desktop and laptop use, you'll rarely notice. The random performance is a standout at the 84th percentile, which is what actually makes everyday tasks feel responsive. Opening apps, launching browsers, multitasking, that's where this drive shines.

Against the Western Digital BLACK SN7100, the 980 loses on raw speed since the SN7100 is a PCIe 4.0 drive. But the SN7100 costs more, and if your motherboard only supports PCIe 3.0, you won't see that extra speed anyway. The Crucial T710 is another PCIe 4.0 competitor that outruns the 980 on paper, but again, you need the right platform to benefit. The ADATA GAMMIX S70 Blade sits in a similar budget-friendly space but with PCIe 4.0 support, making it a better choice if you're planning a future motherboard upgrade.

Where the 980 holds its own is in random performance and reliability. The Micron T710 and Lexar NM1090 PRO are faster drives, no question, but they're also aimed at a different buyer. If you're on a PCIe 3.0 system and want a dependable drive that won't bottleneck your daily use, the 980 is still a solid pick. Just don't buy it expecting to future-proof for a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 build.

Value is where the 980 gets interesting. At USD 158 from the cheapest listing we track, it's a genuinely good deal for a 1TB NVMe drive with Samsung's reliability behind it. At USD 310, you're getting into territory where PCIe 4.0 drives with DRAM start looking like better buys. The spread between those prices is USD 152, which is huge for a drive in this class. If you can find it near the low end, it's one of the better budget NVMe options out there. If you're looking at the high end, skip it and grab something faster. The endurance rating of 600 TBW is above average for this price bracket, and the 1.5 million hour MTBF is standard Samsung fare. For a boot drive or game library on an older PC, this is a smart pick when priced right.

The Samsung 980 is a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD that sits in the budget to mid-range PCIe 3.0 bracket. It's the DRAM-less sibling of Samsung's pricier drives, but it leans on Host Memory Buffer (HMB) tech to borrow a slice of your system RAM for caching. That keeps costs down while still delivering 3500 MB/s sequential reads and 3000 MB/s writes. For anyone asking "is the Samsung 980 good for gaming?", the short answer is yes, especially if you're coming from a SATA SSD or an old hard drive.

We've seen this drive pop up in our database with prices ranging from USD 158 to USD 310 across three US listings. That's a pretty wide spread for a 1TB PCIe 3.0 drive, so shopping around matters more than usual here. The 980 has been around for a while now, and it's earned a reputation as a reliable everyday workhorse rather than a benchmark champion.

Samsung pairs the drive with its Magician software, which handles firmware updates, drive health monitoring, and a Full Power Mode that keeps the drive from idling down. It's a nice touch for a budget drive, and it's one of the reasons this thing still holds up in 2025 despite PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 drives flooding the market.

Skip the Samsung 980 if you're building a new PC with a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 motherboard. You'd be leaving performance on the table when drives like the Crucial T710 or WD BLACK SN7100 cost similar money and run circles around it. PS5 owners should also look elsewhere since Sony requires PCIe 4.0 drives. And if you regularly move massive files around, like 4K video editing or large dataset work, the DRAM-less design will show its limits during sustained writes. For those workloads, grab a drive with onboard DRAM and PCIe 4.0 support instead.

Should you buy the Samsung 980? If you're upgrading an older PC or laptop with a PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot, and you can find this drive under USD 200, yes. It's fast enough for gaming, boots Windows in seconds, and Samsung's track record for reliability is hard to beat at this price. The DRAM-less design isn't a dealbreaker for most people, and the HMB tech does a good job masking its absence in everyday use.

But if you're building a new system with PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 support, or you want a drive for a PS5, look elsewhere. The 980 is a great upgrade for older hardware, not a future-proof investment. And if the price you're seeing is closer to USD 300, walk away. There are faster drives for less money at that point.