When it comes to superior read-write speeds, significant bandwidth support, and low latency, solid-state drives are the real deal. These drives offer better power efficiency and thermal dissipation than hard disk drives.
Among all brands on the market, the Samsung 970 EVO vs 970 EVO Plus SSDs rank as high-quality options.
Why Do Samsung SSDs Stand Out?
Samsung SSDs currently receive recognition as the best on sale. Here are some reasons as to why that is.
Orientation
Samsung solid-state drives are usually single-sided, making them ideal for fitting on most motherboards. Also, several Samsung SSDs adopt an almost universal M.2 2280 form factor.
So, if you’re looking for an SSD with increased chances of supporting a seamless fit, Samsung options are top-notch.
Superior memory capacity
Most Samsung SSDs come with enhanced ROM capacity for a slew of reasons. You can comfortably get a 250GB – 500GB variant for general computing and mid-range gaming. 1TB options and higher are available for buyers that need more from their storage devices.
Many brands fail to offer a wide range of memory options, but Samsung delivers choices for every computing need.
Lesser memory cache demands
SSDs from Samsung demand cache spaces from original capacity ranging between 512MB to no more than 2GB in latest releases. Such a small allocation from your main memory enhances storage potential of your favored drive.
Higher TBW rating
Solid-state drives from Samsung offer more terabytes written (TBW) than other brands on the market. With the terabyte written range of Samsung drives ranging from 150TBW – 1,200TBW, these drives offer tough service.
Generous warranty
Aside from enhanced terabyte written capacity, Samsung solid-state drives support high warranty periods. Adding a long warranty cover to an already impressive TBW rating, makes Samsung SSDs a budget choice.
Lesser thermal throttling potential
Thermal throttling could shorten your SSDs lifespan and hamper overall seamless read/write potential.
But with signature cooling technology on Samsung SSDs, the chances of thermal throttling take a dip. Achieving smoother memory operations becomes easier with a Samsung SSD in your system.
Enhanced read/write speed
The read and write speed on many Samsung SSDs are top-notch and industry leaders in some models. Most of these SSDs clock over 2000MB/s, making them ideal for a wide range of tasks.
Samsung 970 EVO
The Samsung 970 EVO comes with an enhanced design featured on a wide range of SSDs. It features several upgrades from older EVO models.
The drive comes with a 50-percent higher TBW and warranty rating than its predecessors. With such a higher warranty cover, it stands out as a preferred choice for seamless memory-based operations.
Outstanding upgrades to heat dissipation also features in this model, making it a top candidate for long-hour computing.
And with its wide storage capacity selection, it could be the option suited for every computing task you have.
General Specs
Capacity: 250GB – 2 TB
250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB memory capacity options are available from the Samsung 970 EVO. These options make selecting a variant based on your storage needs less-hassling.
Interface: PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4, NVMe 1.3
The PCIe (Gen 3.0) and NVMe 1.3 interfaces get full support from the 970 EVO SSD. It has impressive support for significant memory-related operations and increased data integrity at brisk speeds.
Dimensions: 80.15mm long by 22.15mm wide by 2.38mm high
The 970 EVO has an impressive 2280 form factor, capable of fitting into a wide range of slots without hassle. The slim width and depth of this drive gets support from several keys available.
Cache Memory: 512MB – 2GB
970 EVO SSDs can support smaller cache dumps for increased memory capacity. You’re sure of better storage capacity with the limited cache this card requires to run system apps and maintain files.
Warranty: 60 months
A generous five-year warranty comes with every authorized purchase of Samsung 970 EVO SSDs. With such wide warranty coverage, buyers can be certain of more value for money.
Samsung 970 EVO Plus
Released in early 2019, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus comes with several upgrades to its predecessors. The drive’s makers tout it as having 53% more power than standard 970 EVO sticks, making it worth checking out.
With similar heat dissipation technology featured on this drive with some enhancements, it still offers cooler operation.
A massive storage capacity and other features make this drive a brilliant choice for high-end and general computing needs.
General Specs
Capacity: 250GB – 2 TB
With four options ranging from 250GB to 2TB, the 970 EVO Plus adopts similar memory characteristics of its predecessors. Users can select the memory version suited to their needs. As expected, choosing a memory option with a higher memory capacity will attract a price spike.
Interface: PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4, NVMe 1.3
Samsung 970 EVO leverages the PCIe interface for enhancing the capacity of several motherboard classes. Later versions like the Gen 3.0 with four slots support Samsung 970 EVO SSDs.
The 970 EVO also supports the NVMe 1.3 interface for significant clocking potential for high-end motherboards.
Dimensions: 80.15mm long by 22.15mm wide by 2.38mm depth
The Samsung 970 EVO has a standard 2280 dimension for improved fitting on a wide range of motherboards. It has a C-groove across its tip for securing onto your motherboard.
And with its 2.38mm depth, placing this drive snugly into tight spaces becomes more comfortable.
Cache Memory: 512MB – 2GB
512MB cache memory is necessary to create standard files and applications on 250GB and 500GB models.
1GB and 2GB is taken from the entire ROM for running files and apps on 1TB and 2TB options respectively.
Warranty: 60 months
All 970 EVO Plus units ship with a five-year limited warranty.
Standout EVO SSD Factors
Reliability
Samsung 970 EVO and 970 EVO Plus SSDs come with up to 1.5million hours reliability. Such a long reliability period gives you rest of mind and a better chance of achieving sustained data integrity.
Heat Dissipation
When it comes to heat management technology, the 970 EVO and 970 EVO Plus leverage Dynamic Thermal Guard for device cooling.
Dynamic Thermal Guard monitors the highest operating temperature of any of these cards. With this technology, it becomes easier to stunt performance drops. The Dynamic Thermal Guard Technology also focuses on maintaining this drive’s heat dissipation potential.
Samsung uses an advanced cooling design on EVO drives with heat spreaders and plated controllers. Such advanced features make getting the most of any of these drives more comfortable to manage.
Other enhanced factors in the 970 EVO SSD series include;
- Average Read Speed
- Average Write Speed
- 4K Random Read Speed
- 4K Random Write Speed
- Sustained Write Speed
- Form Factor
Head to Head: How Does the Samsung 970 EVO vs 970 EVO Plus Match Up?
| Factor | 970 EVO | 970 EVO Plus | |
| 1 | 4K Random Read Speed | 59.9MB/s | 61.5MB/s |
| 2 | 4K Random Write Speed | 146MB/s | 147MB/s |
| 3 | Average Read Speed | 2,316MB/s | 2,369MB/s |
| 4 | Average Write Speed | 2,133MB/s | 2,175MB/s |
| 5 | Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| 6 | Reliability | 1.5million hours | 1.5milliom hours |
| 7 | Sustained Write Speed | 1,306MB/s | 1.544MB/s |
| 8 | Maximum Sequential Write Speed | 2,500MB/s | 3,300MB/s |
| 9 | Maximum Sequential Read Speed | 3,500MB/s | 3,500MB/s |
| 10 | Average Power Consumption | 5.4 ~ 10W
(Capacity-based) |
5.0 ~ 6.0W
(Capacity-based) |
What are the Major Differences between the 970 EVO and 970 EVO Plus
Sustained write speed
With the 970 EVO Plus having more than 238MB/s higher sustained writing speed, it eclipses regular 970 EVO drives.
Possessing a higher sustained write speed rating makes the 970 EVO Plus a sure bet for improved memory-based operations.
Average read/write speed
The 970 EVO Plus has average read speed 53MB/s higher than standard 970 EVO SSDs. Such units may not mean much in some computing tasks, but may make a difference in some challenging operations.
Also, the 970 EVO Plus has a 42MB/s higher write speed over the regular 970 EVO.
Power Consumption
The Samsung 970 EVO Plus has a cooling advantage over standard 970 EVO drives due to its slightly superior design. It supports an operating temperature within 5.0 ~ 6.0W as opposed to the 970 EVO’s 5.4 ~ 10W range.
Such a lower heat range makes chances of thermal throttling on the 970 EVO Plus less likely.
Takeaways
Aside from having a significant sustained write speed rating, the 970 EVO Plus doesn’t eclipse 970 EVO SSDs that much. And since it costs a little more, thrifty buyers may opt for the cheaper 970 EVO.
Final Word
When it comes to selecting between the Samsung 970 EVO vs 970 EVO Plus, there’s really little difference overall. But with a higher sustained write speed on the 970 EVO Plus, it could be ideal for tasking memory operations.
Buyers on a budget keen on getting enhanced read/write speeds from their SSDs should be satisfied with the 970 EVO.
Regardless of your selection between the two, one thing is sure – unrivaled clocking speeds and lesser disk failures. And since these drives are relatively easy to install, it becomes comfortable to get them set up without hassle!