Samsung 870 EVO

Introduction

If you've been shopping for SSDs lately, you've probably already bumped into a fundamental problem—the storage market has moved on from SATA, but millions of PCs haven't. The Samsung 870 EVO arrives as Samsung's answer to this awkward technological crossroads, a drive that squeezes every last drop of performance from an aging interface that was designed for hard drives back when flip phones were cool. Available in capacities from 250GB all the way up to a massive 4TB, the 870 EVO targets PC users stuck with older systems, laptop upgraders dealing with limited M.2 slots, and NAS enthusiasts who need reliable bulk storage without breaking the bank. This is Samsung's victory lap for SATA technology—the company's own admission that they've perfected something the industry is actively abandoning. The 870 EVO launched at $39.99 for 250GB, $69.99 for 500GB, $129.99 for 1TB, $249.99 for 2TB, and $479.99 for 4TB, though street prices have settled considerably lower in the years since, with the 1TB model now hovering around $80-110 depending on sales.

Product Overview

The Samsung 870 EVO is built around Samsung's MKX controller paired with the company's own 128-layer V-NAND TLC flash memory, which Samsung marketing materials insist on calling "3-bit MLC" because apparently they refuse to use the same terminology as everyone else in the industry. Measuring 100 x 69.85 x 6.8mm, this is a standard 2.5-inch form factor drive—roughly the size of a playing card deck and about as thick as five credit cards stacked together. The drive weighs in at a barely-there 45 grams for the smaller capacities and up to 62 grams for the 4TB model, making it light enough that you'll forget it's even installed. Samsung wraps this SATA workhorse in its typical understated aesthetic with a black metal enclosure featuring a light gray square on top under the Samsung branding—the same timeless design they've used since the 860 EVO because why mess with something that works and keeps manufacturing costs down. This isn't just any SATA controller slapped into a standard 2.5-inch housing—it's specifically engineered to max out the SATA 6Gbps interface that Intel and the SATA-IO committee standardized way back in 2009, an interface that's now thoroughly outclassed by NVMe but still kicking in millions of systems worldwide. The drive includes absolutely no accessories beyond basic documentation because at this point if you don't know how SATA data and power cables work, you probably shouldn't be inside your computer. Available capacity options span from 250GB for budget upgraders all the way to 4TB for data hoarders, with Samsung staggering their endurance ratings from a modest 150 TBW on the 250GB model to an impressive 2,400 TBW on the 4TB variant. The drive comes backed by Samsung's standard five-year warranty and includes support for Samsung's Magician software suite, which offers features like performance optimization, firmware updates, and drive health monitoring that actually work unlike some competitors' half-baked utilities.

Performance & Real World Speed

Samsung claims the 870 EVO delivers sequential read speeds of up to 560MB/s and write speeds of up to 530MB/s across all capacities—numbers that sound impressive until you realize these are literally the maximum theoretical speeds the SATA III interface can handle, meaning Samsung has bumped right up against the hard ceiling that physics and the SATA specification impose. Random performance is rated at up to 98,000 IOPS for reads and 88,000 IOPS for writes at queue depth 32, which represents a genuine 38% improvement over the previous 860 EVO and actually matters when you're running an operating system with dozens of programs juggling disk access simultaneously. In real-world testing conducted by multiple reviewers, the 870 EVO consistently delivers on these promises, maxing out the SATA interface with sustained transfers hovering right around that 560MB/s ceiling when copying large files. Boot times for Windows 10 improved from roughly 25 seconds on a mechanical hard drive to under 10 seconds with the 870 EVO in multiple test configurations, while application launches showed similar dramatic improvements—Adobe Photoshop opening in 8 seconds instead of 45, Chrome launching instantly instead of after an awkward pause. Game loading times saw noticeable improvements over hard drives but showed minimal differences when compared to competing SATA SSDs or even entry-level NVMe drives, with most titles loading within a second or two of each other regardless of whether they sat on the 870 EVO or a PCIe Gen 3 NVMe alternative. Samsung's Intelligent TurboWrite technology provides a dynamic SLC cache that varies by capacity—12GB for the 250GB model, 22GB for 500GB, 42GB for 1TB, and 78GB for the 2TB and 4TB models—which maintains peak write performance during typical usage but can see speeds drop to around 300-400MB/s once you blow past the cache during sustained large file transfers. This minor performance cliff is imperceptible during normal computing tasks and only matters if you're regularly moving hundreds of gigabytes in single sessions, at which point you should probably be questioning why you bought a SATA drive in the first place.

Build Quality & Durability

Samsung continues its tradition of understated but solid construction with the 870 EVO, delivering a drive that feels reassuringly dense despite its light weight. The metal enclosure provides both electromagnetic shielding and structural protection for the internal components, with tight manufacturing tolerances and a premium feel that distinguishes Samsung drives from the plastic-heavy budget offerings flooding the market. The black finish resists fingerprints better than glossy alternatives, while the light gray Samsung branding provides just enough visual interest without resorting to RGB nonsense that would be completely wasted inside a closed PC case or laptop chassis. Samsung's engineering decisions emphasize reliability over aesthetics—this drive was built to disappear into a system and work reliably for years rather than win design awards. The five-year warranty backs up Samsung's confidence in the drive's longevity, with the company's endurance ratings ranging from 150 TBW for the entry-level 250GB model up to a substantial 2,400 TBW for the flagship 4TB version. These endurance numbers translate to writing 82GB per day for five years on the 250GB model or a staggering 1.3TB daily on the 4TB variant before you'd theoretically reach the warranty limit—usage patterns that exceed what 99% of consumers will ever achieve. Multiple long-term reviews and user reports suggest Samsung's SATA drives consistently outlive their warranty periods, with the previous 850 EVO and 860 EVO models showing remarkably low failure rates even after years of heavy use. The lack of moving parts means the drive operates silently and handles physical shock better than mechanical alternatives, though you should still avoid dropping any storage device regardless of its technology.

Compatibility

The Samsung 870 EVO is universally compatible with any computer, laptop, or device equipped with a standard SATA III 6Gbps interface, period. This encompasses virtually every desktop motherboard manufactured since 2009, every laptop with a 2.5-inch drive bay, external USB enclosures designed for SATA drives, and NAS systems that accept 2.5-inch SATA storage. The drive is also backward compatible with older SATA II and SATA I interfaces, though you'll be limited to those slower specifications—300MB/s for SATA II and 150MB/s for SATA I—if your system predates the SATA III era. Installation is straightforward and requires two cables that should already be present in your desktop PC—a SATA data cable that connects to your motherboard and a SATA power cable from your power supply. Laptop installations are even simpler since notebooks with 2.5-inch bays use integrated connectors that eliminate the need for separate cables entirely. The 870 EVO works identically regardless of whether you use it as a primary boot drive, secondary storage, or external drive in a USB enclosure, though you'll obviously be limited to USB speeds if you go the external route. The drive supports all modern operating systems including Windows 7 and newer, macOS, and various Linux distributions without requiring special drivers—your operating system will recognize it immediately as generic SATA storage. What the 870 EVO cannot do is magically transform your older system into an NVMe powerhouse or fit into an M.2 slot, despite Samsung offering M.2 SATA drives in the past. If your system has M.2 slots and supports NVMe, you should absolutely skip the 870 EVO and buy an NVMe drive instead because they now cost essentially the same money while delivering dramatically superior performance.

Strengths & Weaknesses

The Samsung 870 EVO's greatest strength lies in its ability to extract maximum performance from the aging SATA interface while maintaining Samsung's reputation for reliability and endurance. Sequential performance genuinely maxes out what the SATA III specification allows, with read speeds consistently hitting that 560MB/s ceiling and writes maintaining 530MB/s during typical workloads. The 38% improvement in random read performance over the previous 860 EVO delivers tangible benefits during everyday computing tasks like booting Windows, launching applications, and juggling multiple programs simultaneously. Samsung's Intelligent TurboWrite technology provides a performance buffer that makes the drive feel snappy during typical usage patterns, while the generous endurance ratings inspire confidence that this drive will outlast your current PC build by years. The drive's compatibility with any SATA-equipped system makes it the safest upgrade path for older PCs, laptops with limited expansion options, or NAS systems where NVMe simply isn't an option. Samsung's Magician software provides genuinely useful features for monitoring drive health and optimizing performance, unlike the bloated garbage some manufacturers ship. The five-year warranty and Samsung's track record for low failure rates add another layer of confidence that's worth real money when you're trusting your data to flash storage.

However, the 870 EVO can't escape the fundamental limitations of SATA technology or the uncomfortable reality that the storage industry has moved on. The most glaring weakness isn't Samsung's fault but rather affects all SATA SSDs regardless of manufacturer—they're simply obsolete compared to NVMe alternatives that now cost essentially the same amount. A typical 1TB PCIe Gen 3 NVMe drive delivers read speeds of 3,500MB/s and writes around 3,000MB/s for roughly $60-80, while the 870 EVO 1TB typically costs $80-110 for those pedestrian 560/530MB/s speeds. You're paying the same price or sometimes more for technology that's six times slower on paper and noticeably slower in sustained transfer scenarios. The counterargument, of course, is that SATA compatibility matters when your system lacks M.2 slots or you're building a NAS that requires 2.5-inch drives, but that's increasingly becoming a niche scenario as even budget motherboards now include multiple M.2 slots. The 4TB capacity represents the 870 EVO's strongest value proposition since high-capacity NVMe drives carry significant premiums, but even that advantage is eroding as 4TB NVMe prices continue falling. The drive's performance, while excellent for SATA, feels sluggish the moment you need to move large files, with sustained writes eventually dropping to 300-400MB/s once the SLC cache fills—a scenario that happens more frequently as capacities grow and file sizes balloon. Samsung's pricing strategy also frustrates budget-conscious buyers, with the 870 EVO typically commanding a premium over competitors like the Crucial MX500 or Western Digital Blue despite offering nearly identical real-world performance.

Verdict: Should You Buy It?

Buy this if: you're upgrading an older PC or laptop that lacks M.2 NVMe slots and desperately needs to escape the mechanical hard drive era, you're building or expanding a NAS system that specifically requires 2.5-inch SATA drives, you need the massive 4TB capacity and find it significantly cheaper than equivalent NVMe alternatives, you've already filled your available M.2 slots and need additional SATA-based secondary storage, or you find the 870 EVO on sale at prices that undercut entry-level NVMe drives by enough margin to justify the performance compromise.

Skip this if: your motherboard or laptop includes available M.2 slots that support NVMe since you'll get dramatically better performance for essentially the same money, you're building a new PC from scratch where you control the storage configuration from the start, you primarily move large files regularly and the SATA interface's limitations would become a constant frustration, you're chasing maximum performance for gaming or creative work where DirectStorage and future optimizations will favor NVMe technology, or you refuse to pay Samsung's typical pricing premium when competitors offer functionally identical SATA performance for $10-20 less per drive.