Introduction

The Samsung 870 EVO 500GB (MZ-77E500BW) SATA III SSD has been a popular choice for users looking for a reliable and affordable upgrade to their systems. This review delves into the performance, features, and overall experience of using this drive after extensive testing. I installed this SSD into my secondary system, a mid-range gaming PC, and put it through its paces with various tasks, ranging from basic file transfers to more demanding applications.

Key Features

The Samsung 870 EVO boasts several key features that set it apart. The use of V-NAND technology contributes to both speed and durability. The advertised sequential read and write speeds of up to 560 MB/s and 530 MB/s, respectively, are quite impressive for a SATA III SSD. The 512MB LPDDR4 cache is also a notable aspect. The drive’s compatibility with various SATA interfaces (6 Gb/s, 3 Gb/s, and 1.5 Gb/s) ensures widespread usage. The high MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of 1.5 million hours suggests a long operational lifespan.

Performance Benchmarks

My testing showed the Samsung 870 EVO performed very well, aligning closely with the advertised specifications. File transfers were significantly faster than with my previous HDD, with large files (10GB+) transferring in a fraction of the time. Boot times were noticeably reduced, and application load times were also improved. I ran several benchmark tests using CrystalDiskMark and AS SSD Benchmark, and the results consistently validated Samsung’s claims, particularly in sequential read and write speeds. While random read/write speeds are slightly less impressive than some NVMe options, this is to be expected given its SATA III interface. It’s also important to consider that real-world performance can vary based on your system’s hardware configuration.

Pros & Cons

Pros: Excellent sequential read/write speeds, robust build quality, broad compatibility, affordable price point, reliable performance, long lifespan (high MTBF).

Cons: Not as fast as NVMe drives (as expected for SATA III), performance may vary depending on system hardware.

Final Verdict

The Samsung 870 EVO MZ-77E500BW provides a significant upgrade from traditional hard disk drives, offering a considerable boost in speed and responsiveness. Its reliability, coupled with its affordable price, makes it an excellent choice for users seeking a cost-effective solution to upgrade their system’s storage. While it doesn’t match the speed of NVMe drives, the Samsung 870 EVO still delivers excellent performance for everyday tasks and more demanding applications. I highly recommend this drive for those looking for a reliable and fast SATA III SSD.