Samsung 980 Pro Review: Is the SSD Worth it?

Planning to purchase the Samsung 980 Pro and looking for an honest review? You have come to the right place. While most websites and user forums highlight the pros of the Samsung SSD, there are some cons too. But does the latter overshadow the former, or is it the other way around?

A high-performance SSD, the Samsung 980 Pro is definitely one of the most preferred options in the market, especially among gamers. But is it worth the hype? Let’s find out in this detailed and user-oriented review of the Samsung 980 Pro!

Is the Samsung 980 Pro good or bad?

We will be assessing the Samsung 980 Pro on different factors to help you better understand both upsides and downsides. It’s kept brief for enhanced readability but encompasses all the critical aspects.

Performance (Transfer Speed)

Transfer speeds on Samsung 980 Pro are astonishing, both when tested on the dedicated Samsung Magician or a third-party SSD management software.

For most users, data transfer speed turned out to be 75-90% of what’s claimed, and that’s decent, given there are several factors at play. Samsung 980 Pro is powered by the Elpsis controller and comes with a PCIe 4.0 interface, making it 2x faster than PCIe 3.0 SSDs and almost 12x faster than the conventional Samsung SATA SSDs.

	Claimed by Samsung	Reported by users
Read	7,000 MB/s	5,500-6,500 MB/s (rarely lower than that)
Write	5,100 MB/s	4,000-4,500 (rarely lower)

Besides, as per user reviews, the Samsung 980 Pro is good for gaming, delivers high loading speed and lower boot time, and substantially improves the game’s performance.

Remember, you will only get these figures with Intelligent TurboWrite technology activated. Also, if the read and write speeds are considerably poor, consider disconnecting the Samsung 980 Pro and then reinstalling it.

Compatibility and thermal controls

Given the compact M.2 2280 form factor, you can easily plug Samsung 980 Pro into most computers and laptops.

However, its backward compatibility with PCIe 3.0 results in reduced transfer speed on older systems, sometimes as low as 1,500-3,500 MB/s, which is significant, considering the higher price range. So, people with older AMD or Intel systems are probably better off with other cheaper high-speed SSDs.

Also, the Samsung 980 Pro is compatible with PS5 and rated by some as the best among the available options, given the fact that it doesn’t throttle the performance.

As for temperature and heating on the Samsung 980 Pro, it boasts a cutting-edge thermal control algorithm coupled with a nickel coating to effectively auto-manage the controller’s heat level and transfer speed to deliver superior performance, even under prolonged use.

The Samsung 980 Pro performed well under tests, and you, most likely, shouldn’t have to face overheating issues!

Availability of different storage options

The Samsung 980 Pro is available in four storage options: 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB. While not directly related to the experience or performance, the availability of four different options ensures that users can get one based on their requirements.

So, with the Samsung 980 Pro, you can always get the desired storage space and won’t have to shell out a higher sum.

Data encryption

With security and privacy being a concern for most of us, Samsung 980 Pro’s built-in encryption is certainly an added benefit.

The much-talked-about SSD offers a hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption, one of the most secure algorithms. So, the Samsung 980 Pro would be a great fit for users who intend to store critical or confidential data.

Samsung Magician support

Samsung Magician is the manufacturer’s dedicated program to manage storage solutions, and with it, you can get a lot more out of the Samsung 980 Pro. The software’s built-in optimization tools will improve the SSD’s performance.

Samsung Magician will facilitate the installation of firmware updates and help monitor the drive’s health. Also, you can enable the 256-bit AES encryption for the Samsung 980 Pro using the program. Besides, you could turn on over-provisioning to free up storage.

As per our Windows Report experts, Samsung Magician is one of the best SSD optimization tools available, and coupling its rich and performance-oriented functionality with the Samsung 980 Pro does lead to an impressive boost!

Pricing

As per the official website, the Samsung 980 Pro is priced at $79.99 for the 500GB model, $109.99 for the 1TB model, and $179.99 for the 2TB model.

Though priced a little towards the higher side, the features and transfer speed offered by the Samsung 980 Pro are reasonably good for the range. Besides, you can’t put a price on the peace of mind, knowing the SSD has a longer life. And if you manage to buy the SSD at a discount, it would be a good deal!

Remember, its high pricing can only be justified if the Samsung 980 Pro can deliver the claimed transfer speed. But this has been a problem with older PCs. So, you might want to look at the other available Samsung SSDs, ones that are fully compatible with the device.

What is the lifespan of the Samsung 980 Pro?

The Samsung 980 Pro comes with the standard 5-year warranty, but given the high TBW (TerraBytes Written) rating, it will likely last 6-8 years or longer for regular users.

Is the Samsung 980 Pro better than the normal SSD?

The Samsung 980 Pro is certainly better than a regular SSD due to its high read and write speed, secure encryption algorithms, longer lifespan, easy management, and efficient thermal controls. But at the same time, it’s costlier!

So, if money is a critical factor, you should look at the cheaper alternatives. But remember, with the Samsung 980 Pro, the graphics and gaming performance will certainly witness an instant boost.

That’s our unbiased review of the Samsung 980 Pro, an excellent SSD for anyone with a high-end PC willing to shell out a slightly higher sum.

Though if you are looking for the best mid-range 1TB and 2 TB SSDs, there are several good options to choose from!

For any queries or to share your review of the Samsung 980 Pro, drop a comment below.