Samsung SSD 850 EVO M.2 (250GB) Review
Samsung is the 800-pound gorilla of the solid-state drive (SSD) world. Because of its size and capabilities, the company can manufacture every single critical component inside its M.2 SSDs, including the flash memory, the controller chip, and the firmware. This is a position that no other company enjoys—not even Intel, which is able to produce its own flash memory (known in SSD lingo as "NAND flash"), and its own circuit boards and firmware, but uses third-party controllers.
This puts Samsung in a rare and enviable position, and one that it says allows it to fine-tune the performance of its SSDs in a way that other companies simply can't match. Though that sounds like marketing bluster, Samsung actually backs it up with class-leading performance across its SSD lineup. So there does appear to be some evidence of it.
Although today's review is about the all-new M.2 version of the Samsung SSD 850 EVO ($119.99 for 250GB), let's rewind a bit and look at the context of this SSD.
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The SSD 850 EVO M.2 is the best-rounded SATA M.2 SSD we've tested so far, offering a superb blend of performance, endurance, affordability, and killer software.
Excellent all-around performance; Field-leading SSD utility software; Competitive pricing for M.2 form factor
SATA-bus only; Maximum capacity in SSD 850 EVO M.2 line is only 500GB