Samsung qvo vs evo 860: Samsung 860 QVO vs 860 EVO vs 860 PRO: 1TB SSD Comparison — Which One Should You Buy?

Samsung 870 QVO vs 860 QVO and EVO SSD – Which One To Buy?

ThePCEnthusiast is supported by its readers. Some posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase products via our link(s),
we may earn an affiliate commission. See our site disclosure here.

Home » PC Components » Storage Drive » Samsung 870 QVO vs 860 QVO and EVO SSD – Which One To Buy?

June 6, 2021June 5, 2021 by Peter Paul

Samsung recently released their latest storage solution, the Samsung 870 QVO SATA SSD series. It’s basically an improved or enhanced version of its 860 QVO predecessor. A new controller and 2nd generation QLC NAND flash is what the new 870 QVO SSD series are made of. But how does this new drive compare against its predecessor, the 860 QVO, and the much older but still popular 860 EVO? Let’s find out below.

UPDATE: Check out our Samsung 870 QVO 1TB SSD Review here

In this comparison, we’ll be dividing the comparison into several groups. I’ll discuss first the controller, NAND flash type and capacities available in each series. Next, let’s talk about the difference in their performance. And finally, and perhaps the most crucial deciding factor, is the price.
Note that we have yet to get our hands on a Samsung 870 QVO SSD at the time of writing. So, most of the data shown here are from Samsung’s specifications sheet. However, we did previously review the QVO and EVO series here. Additionally, I was able to read some of the early reviews of the 870 QVO; basically, confirming my speculations and expectations.

Controller, NAND Flash and Capacity Differences

The Samsung 870 QVO features a new Samsung MKX controller paired with a 4bit MLC V-NAND flash. It’s predecessor, the Samsung 860 QVO, also uses a 4bit MLC V-NAND flash, but it is using an older MJX controller. Meanwhile, the 860 EVO also uses an MJX controller, but is paired with a better 3bit MLC NAND flash.

I noticed that Samsung uses the terms “4bit MLC” and “3bit MLC” instead of QLC and TLC. Perhaps they are trying to avoid using the term “QLC” since many are aware that the QLC NAND flash is the slowest type. TLC or 3bit MLC is above QLC; then MLC or 2bit on second spot; and the fastest is SLC or 1bit single-level cell.

Moving on, the Samsung 870 QVO is available in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB capacities; while both the 860 QVO and 860 EVO are available up to 4TB capacities.

Warranty and Endurance

When it comes to warranty, Samsung offers a 3-year limited warranty for both the 870 QVO and 860 QVO SSD series. Meanwhile, the 860 EVO comes with a longer 5-year warranty period.

The Samsung 860 EVO SSD excels in both warranty period and Total Bytes Written as well. Having a TLC NAND flash, the 860 EVO has a higher endurance compared to the 870 QVO and 860 QVO. You can see that from the table below.

Samsung 870 QVO vs 860 QVO and EVO Performance

If you are familiar with the different types of SSDs and different NAND flash memory, I’m sure by now you have an idea which SSD series is faster. Like I mentioned earlier, TLC NAND flash are typically faster than QLC NAND flash. Below are the drives respective sequential and random read and write speeds.

However, Samsung has a trick called Intelligent TurboWrite technology. Thanks to this technology, the Samsung’s QLC-based SSD is able to achieve SLC or TLC-level of performance. But for a limited size only, depending on the capacity of the drive’s TurboWrite size.

Below is a table showing each SSD series’ total TurboWrite size and the next graph shows the performance of the drive after the TurboWrite allocation has been exhausted. The total TurboWrite is the sum of the SLC buffer (typically 6GB or less) and the “Intelligent” TurboWrite region ranges from 36GB to 72GB on a 1TB to 4TB SSD capacity.

As you can see from the table above, after the total TurboWrite allocation has been exhausted, the sequential write speed drops. The Samsung 860 EVO doesn’t seem to be affected much after the cache has been exhausted. However, we can see a significant drop on the 870 QVO and 860 QVO’s write speed after TurboWrite.

That drop is really significant, to the point that after the cache has been exhausted, it almost feels like you are copying files to a hard disk drive rather than an SSD. Yes, that was my experience when I transferred my game folder, with a size of almost 1TB, to a Samsung 860 EVO QVO SSD.

Pricing and Availability

At the time of writing, the Samsung 870 QVO is still very new to the market. I can see that retail prices are still equivalent to MSRP; which is $129.99 for the 1TB, $249.99 for the 2TB and $499.99 for the 4TB. The 870 QVO 8TB comes with an MSRP of $899.99, but it will not be available until August.

Meanwhile, both the 860 QVO and 860 EVO has been in the market for quite some time now. Prices are already adjusted since their respective series was launched. However, at the time of writing, it seems that the 860 QVO is a bit cheaper compared to the 870 QVO, while the 860 EVO are still more expensive than the 870 QVO (depending on the capacity).

Samsung 870 QVO SSD Series available on Amazon.com here and Newegg.com here
Samsung 860 QVO SSD Series available on Amazon.com here and Newegg.com here
Samsung 860 EVO SSD Series available on Amazon.com here and Newegg.com here

TL; DR – So Which One to Buy?

If you are after for value (price/GB) and not speed, the obvious choice would be the 870 QVO or the 860 QVO. As long as you do not exhaust the allocated TurboWrite capacity, you will not experience the significant drop in performance.

However, if you are looking for a balance of speed, performance and reliability, the 860 EVO SSD series would be the obvious choice. The 860 EVO has a much stable read/write speed, longer endurance rating and longer warranty period. Not to mention, the 860 EVO is available in M.2 form factor as well.

Note: Article originally published on July 2, 2020

Samsung QVO vs EVO SSD: What’s the Difference?

by Robert BrandonApril 8, 2022

Not too long ago, we talked about GDDR5 and GDDR6—more specifically, the differences between the two.

Despite performing the same job, and being, essentially, the “same thing”, there’s a fairly significant difference between the two formats. Following that logic, it makes sense that different drives would possess these differences as well—it’s all memory at the end of the day, after all.

Such is the logic of Samsung’s division between their QVO and EVO line of Solid State Drives (SSDs). At first glance, if one discounts the slightly lower price of the QVO SSDs, they seem identical, especially when considering the comparable write speeds (even when taking into account the substantially more expensive “PRO” line of SSDs). So why the price difference?

Two words: Flash memory.

What is NAND Flash Memory?

All of Samsung’s SSD models use non-volatile NAND (short for Not AND) flash memory, but the architecture of that memory varies between the separate product lines.

NAND memory itself comes in a few different types.

Single-Level cell (SLC): While this NAND format offers the greatest durability out of all the different types, it also tends to be the most expensive.

The “single” part of its denomination indicates how many data bits it stores in each separate memory cell.As the name suggests, SLC flash memory stores one bit of data per memory cell.

Multi-level cell (MLC) stores 2 bits of data per cell, Triple-level cell (TLC) stores 3 bits of data per cell, and Quad-level cell (QLC) stores 4 bits of data per cell. Generally speaking, the fewer data bits assigned to a memory cell, the longer a drive will last.

There also exists 3D NAND cells, which consist of multiple NAND chips within a single drive, leading to much higher storage capacity in a single drive. That said, the higher cost and power consumption of these drives leaves them as specialized devices, completely unfit for consumer use.

Samsung EVO vs QVO

Herein lies the differences between the QVO and EVO product lines. The EVO product line makes use of TLC NAND (3 data bits/cell), while the QVO line makes use of QLC (4 data bits/cell), and the PRO line of products makes use of MLC (2 data bits/cell).

But considering that the cheapest PRO SSD costs a whopping $600 on Amazon (as much as some complete computers these days), it’s fair to say that it’s well out of reach of the average consumer.

At the time of writing, a 2TB QVO SATA drive costs $190 on Amazon, while a 2TB EVO drive costs $230. This price difference between the two product lines is reflective of their lifespan, if not their performance.

Lifespan

The lifespan of drives is measured in terabytes written (TBW), which indicates how many terabytes of data that model of drive can write before beginning to break down. As a point of reference, the aforementioned 2TB QVO drive has a TBW of 720, while the 2TB EVO drive has a TBW of 1200.

As large as this difference may seem, whether or not the average consumer will really feel this difference is a bit of a toss-up. Make no mistake, the difference between 720 TBW and 1200 TBW is huge, but 720 terabytes of data is a LOT of data in its own right.

It’s also worth noting that—unlike HDDs—the working components of SSDs do not degrade when performing read-only tasks. This means that, unless you’re writing hundreds of gigabytes of data per day, even a QVO SSD will likely last around a decade. And, really, if you’re in the business of writing hundreds of gigabytes of data per day, there’s far more specialized devices that you should be using.

Performance

When it comes to performance, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Both the QVO and EVO drives make use of Samsung’s Intelligent TurboWrite system. TurboWrite allows lower quality drives (in this case, the QLC format of the QVO drives) to simulate the write speeds of drives that are technically superior—like the TLC format of EVO drives.

Because of TurboWrite, both QVO and EVO drives boast write speeds of 520 mbps, and read speeds of 550 mbps—but only to a certain point. After a sustained transfer of ~42 to 72GB of data, TurboWrite runs out of operating memory, meaning that the TLC of EVO drives will perform substantially better.

Capacity

It’s worth noting, though, that QVO drives typically have larger storage capacities than EVO drives. While the smallest EVO drive offers 250GB of storage, QVO drives start at 1TB, going all the way up to an 8TB model. Conversely, the largest EVO model only holds 2TB of data.

Samsung QVO vs EVO: Which Should You Choose?

If you’re looking for an SSD, both the QVO and EVO product lines are a great choice. If trying to decide between the two, consider your use case first.

If you’re simply looking to move from an HDD to an SSD for the purpose of gaming, the QVO drives are more than good enough. The chances that a system meant for gaming will write enough data to kill an SSD are pretty slim—Even after around 3. 5 years, my own 3TB system (which holds both an EVO and QVO drive) still has about a terabyte of storage left—meaning I’ve barely even started breaking these drives in.

The EVO drives are really meant for enthusiasts, people who have a little extra money to spend, or the odd use case where that extra bit of longevity is crucial—though this is typically limited to occupational demands. All in all, both product lines are excellent, and one should really consider whether they need the extra lifespan provided by the EVO line.

Samsung SSD 860 EVO vs Samsung SSD 870 QVO – SSD comparison

The popular Samsung SSD 860 EVO still combines an attractive price with very good performance for a SATA drive. On the other hand, the Samsung SSD 870 QVO is said to be worthy of attention primarily due to its low cost per gigabyte. It is also the first 8TB end-user SSD. How does the Samsung SSD 860 EVO and 870 QVO compare?

— advertisement —

Benefits of Samsung SSD 860 EVO vs.

Samsung SSD 870 QVO

• In addition to 2.5″ SATA SSDs, M.2 SATA and mSATA

SSDs are also available

• Faster TLC memory
• Better performance beyond TurboWrite buffer memory
• Higher TBW values ​​
• Longer manufacturer’s warranty — 5 years

Benefits of Samsung SSD 870 QVO vs. Samsung SSD 860 EVO

• Maximum capacity 8 TB
• Generally lower price due to storage of QLC
• Lower power consumption

find the best SSD drives on AliExpress.ru

or buy SSD at | aliexpress.com | computeruniverse.net | ebay.com |

Similarity in Interface and Memory Capacity

The Samsung SSD 860 EVO and Samsung SSD 870 QVO connect to the system via the third generation SATA interface (SATA III, SATA 6Gb/s). While the 870 QVO is only offered in the popular 2.5-inch form factor, the 860 EVO additionally offers a choice between an M.2 2280 drive and a plug-in card with mSATA connectivity. Depending on the format, the EVO series is available in a wide range of capacities from 250 GB to a maximum of 4 TB. The QVO series starts at just 1TB of storage, expandable to 8TB, which is gigantic by SSD standards.

Samsung SSD 860 EVO (source: Samsung)

Performance and speed comparison

The performance of Samsung SSD 870 QVO and Samsung SSD 860 EVO is very close to each other at a high level considering the limitation of the SATA interface. The first drive is only 10 MB/s faster in sequential reads, up to 560 MB/s compared to 550 MB/s. When sequentially written, the two compared series of Samsung SSDs are accelerated to 530MB/s and 520MB/s, respectively, using TurboWrite technology, where data is first stored in a dedicated buffer area. The buffer for TurboWrite is the same size for larger drives: 42 GB for 1 TB versions and 78 GB for 2 TB versions.

Differences in flash memory and TurboWrite

The biggest difference between the Samsung SSD 860 EVO and the Samsung SSD 870 QVO is the NAND flash used. In the 860 EVO, the manufacturer installs TLC memory, which is usually faster and contains 3 bits per cell. The 870 QVO uses more economical 4-bit QLC memory due to its higher storage density. This is where the EVO series can show its advantage over the QVO series, as write speed drops less during the copy process of particularly large files – 500 MB/s compared to 80 MB/s in the 1 TB SSD example once buffer memory is used up TurboWrite. However, this exceptional situation rarely occurs in everyday use, and the reading speed remains completely unchanged.

Differences in warranty and service life

The Samsung SSD 870 QVO, like the Samsung SSD 860 EVO, is not very well equipped, because in the package, apart from the drive itself, there are no screws or cables. However, useful regular Samsung Magician Software tools for managing and optimizing SSDs, as well as Samsung Data Migration Software for cloning data from an old hard drive, can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. Another difference between the 870 QVO and 860 EVO is the 3-year warranty offered, compared to the much more consumer-friendly 5 years, although the TBW values ​​are the same when converted.

Samsung SSD 870 QVO (Source: Samsung)

SSD Comparison — The difference between Samsung SSD 860 EVO and Samsung SSD 870 QVO

Despite the similarities, Samsung SSD 860 EVO and Samsung SSD 870 QVO are different enough not to compete with each other , but rather complement each other in the manufacturer’s portfolio. The 860 EVO benefits from connectivity and capacity choices at an attractive price-performance ratio. The advantages of 870 QVO are generally lower prices and lower cost per gigabyte.

If you’re looking for an SSD under 1TB or in M.2 or mSATA card format, the popular Samsung SSD 860 EVO is your first choice. If you’re looking for a particularly high-capacity yet inexpensive SSD with up to 8TB of storage, you can’t go wrong with the Samsung SSD 870 QVO. Otherwise, individual requirements, a specific budget and current offers will help make a decision.

find the best SSD drives on AliExpress.ru

or buy SSD at | aliexpress.com | computeruniverse.net | ebay.com |

Samsung SSD 870 QVO vs Samsung SSD 860 EVO — technical data comparison and differences

Brand / Model	Samsung SSD 860 EVO	Samsung SSD 870 QVO
Form factor	2.5″ SATA SSD mSATA SSD M.2 2280 SSD	2.5″ SATA SSD
Interface / Protocol	SATA 6Gb/s (SATA III)	SATA 6Gb/s (SATA III)
Volume	250 GB (SATA, mSATA, M.2) 500 GB (SATA, mSATA, M.2) 1 TB (SATA, mSATA, M.2) 2 TB (SATA, M.2) 4 TB ( SATA)	1 TB (1.000 GB) 2 TB (2.000 GB) 4 TB (4.000 GB) 8 TB (8.000 GB)
Dimensions	100 x 69.85 x 6.8 mm (SATA) 29.85 x 50.80 x 3.85 mm (mSATA) 80.15 x 22. 15 x 2.38 mm (M.2)	100 x 69.85 x 6.8 mm
Controller	Samsung MJX Controller	Samsung MKX Controller
Flash type	3 Bit TLC	4 Bit QLC
DDR Cache	512 MB LPDDR4 (250 GB, 500 GB) 1 GB LPDDR4 (1 TB) 2 GB LPDDR4 (2 TB) 4 GB LPDDR4 (4 TB)	1 GB LPDDR4 (1 TB) 2 GB LPDDR4 (2 TB) 4 GB LPDDR4 (4 TB) 8 GB LPDDR4 (8 TB)
Volume TurboWrite	12 GB (250 GB) 22 GB (500 GB) 42 GB (1 TB) 78 GB (2 TB, 4 TB)	42 GB (1 TB) 78 GB (2 TB, 4 TB, 8 TB)
Sequential read	550 MB/s	560 MB/s
Sequential write	520 MB/s	530 MB/s
Random Read (QD1)	10.000 IOPS	11.000 IOPS
Random write (QD1)	42.000 IOPS	35. 000 IOPS
Random Read (QD32)	98.000 IOPS (SATA) 97.000 IOPS (mSATA, M.2)	98.000 IOPS
Random write (QD32)	90.000 IOPS (SATA) 88.000 IOPS (mSATA, M.2)	88.000 IOPS
MTBF	1.5 million hours	1.5 million hours
Terabyte per entry	150 TB (250 GB) 300 TB (500 GB) 600 TB (1 TB) 1.200 TB (2 TB) 2.400 TB (4 TB)	360 TB (1 TB) 720 TB (2 TB) 1.440 TB (4 TB) 2.880 TB (8 TB)
Warranty	5 years	3 years
Scope of delivery / Hardware	SSD	SSD
P/N	2.5 Zoll SATA SSD MZ-76E250B/EU (250 GB) MZ-76E500B/EU (500 GB) MZ-76E1T0B/EU (1 TB) MZ-76E2T0B/EU (2 TB) MZ- 76E4T0B/EU (4TB) mSATA SSD MZ-M6E250BW (250 GB) MZ-M6E500BW (500 GB) MZ-M6E1T0BW (1 TB) -N6E1T0BW (1TB) MZ-N6E2T0BW (2TB)	MZ-77Q1T0BW (1 TB) MZ-77Q2T0BW (2 TB) MZ-77Q4T0BW (4 TB) MZ-77Q8T0BW (8 TB)

samsung ssdssd differences ssd difference ssd comparison

Comparison: Samsung Evo vs.

QVO

In this article, we compare Samsung’s two most popular SSD lineups, EVO and QVO.

In this article, we will compare both ranges of SSDs to find out which one is better. We’ll look at features such as connectivity, read/write speed, capacity, and download speed to help you decide.

Connecting

Connecting your SSD is important because you need to make sure it’s suitable for your PC build. The connection is what will physically connect the SSD card to the motherboard.

The two most common types of SSDs used in gaming PCs are SATA and NVMe.

SATA drives are 2.5″ form factor and connect to a SATA port and require a power connection. NVMe drives use an M.2 port which can be found on the motherboard. It is powered by the motherboard and does not need to be connected to a power source.

Let’s look at the EVO and QVO line to see which models are suitable for gaming PCs:

Evo:

• 860 EVO-SATA
• 860 EVO — SATA m. 2

QVO:

• 860 QVO — SATA
• 870 QVO-SATA

There are four different types of SSD to choose from. Three out of four are standard SATA SSDs. However, the EVO 860 SATA m.2 is an SSD that plugs directly into the m.2 port on your motherboard if you have one. You’ll be fine if your motherboard hasn’t knocked in years, but be sure to check anyway.

R/W Speed ​​

The read and write speed of your SSD is important, especially when it comes to gaming.

Read speed is a measure of how fast files can be read sequentially and randomly from disk. Write speed measures how fast a drive can sequentially and randomly write files to the drive.

Let’s look at the read and write specifications for these cards:

	860 EVO-SATA	860 EVO-SATA M.2	860 QVO-SATA	870 QVO-SATA
Sequential reading	to 550 MB/s	to 550 MB/s 550 Up to 550 s	Up to 560 MB/s
Random Read (4K, QD32)	Up to 98,000 IOPS	Up to 97,000 IOPS	Up to 97,000 IOPS 906080 IOPS	98 000 input and output operations per second
Squirrel record	to 520 MB/s	to 520 MB/s	to 520 MB/s	to 530 MB/s
			Random Write (4K, QD32)	Up to 90,000 IOPS	Up to 88,000 IOPS	89,000 IOPS	Up to 88,000 IOPS outputs per second

When comparing all the specifications of SSDs, they are all pretty similar, however, the 8060 EVA SATA m. 2 seems to have the lower specs of the four. The drive with the best performance is 870 QVO.

We will discuss how these speeds affect games at the end of the article.

Capacity

SSD cards store data using flash memory, which is significantly faster than traditional spinning drives.

The gaming SSD must have at least 500 GB of storage. Having an SSD card with a much larger capacity will benefit you greatly, especially if you play larger modern AAA games.

Let’s look at the capacity options for each Samsung model:

• 860 EVO SATA — 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB , 2TB
• 860 QVO SATA — 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
• 870 QVO SATA — 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB It’s about capacity. However, from a gaming point of view, 250 GB is too small. The 500GB options that EVO has to offer are a good starting point for those looking for a cheaper SSD. However, the disk fills up fairly quickly.

  Looking at the 860 EVO SATA m.2, it does not have 4 TB of space, unlike the other three SSDs. 870 QVO SATA has the best number of capacity options.

  Comparing the price of 870 QVO with 860 EVO SATA, 870 is significantly cheaper for the same capacity. However, an 8TB SSD is almost twice as expensive as a 4TB SSD.

  Download speed

  Download speed of your SSD card is important when it comes to gaming. If your SSD load speed is particularly slow, you can expect longer load times and stuttering while playing.

  The shorter your SSD boot time, the smoother your gaming experience will be. When you use an SSD as your boot drive, you will find that your computer starts up much faster. Using an SSD card, regardless of its speed, increases the overall download speed, the higher the speed, the better your gaming experience.

  When comparing SATA SSDs to NVMe, both are good. While you may see a smaller increase in speed with NVMe, SATA is more than capable. They are usually the cheaper option.

  Looking at these four SSDs, you should pay attention to sequential speed.