Be two models of Best-selling SSD, no one doubts that both are excellent choices, and yet PCIe 3.0 and other PCIe 4.0 the differences can be quite large. However, we also saw a significant price difference between the two, so choosing between the one or the other might not be as easy as you might think.
PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0, the choice is not so clear
Being the Samsung 970 EVO Plus an SSD with a PCIe 3.0 interface and the Samsung 980 PRO an SSD with a PCIe 4.0 interface, the choice might be quite clear for many users, so if you have a PCIe 4.0 motherboard, you should go for for SSD with this interface and if your motherboard does not support it, go for PCIe 3.0. However, given the benchmarks and tests in real scenarios with the two interfaces, the choice is not so clear, because although PCIe 4.0 is obviously superior and offers much higher performance, this performance improvement is not. not noticeable later in real scenarios.
In other words, even if you buy an SSD with 7000MB / s of speed, in reality when it comes to using it, it will only save you a few seconds or even less when you use it compared. when using an SSD with half the speed. theoretical performance
What is clear is that if your motherboard has a PCIe 3.0 interface and does not support the next version, it does not make much sense to buy a PCIe 4.0 SSD because you would be paying a lot more cost. high so as not to be able to take advantage of it. it (it will work, yes). So the reverse is something that may make more sense, because although your motherboard supports PCIe 4.0, maybe a PCIe 3.0 SSD will give you peak performance for what you need and without spending that. extra money.
Samsung 970 EVO Plus vs. Samsung 980 PRO
Let’s start by looking at a table comparing the technical specifications of the two devices, so that we can compare their technical data side by side:
| Samsung 970 EVO Plus | Samsung 980 PRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | M.2 | M.2 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| Procolo NVMe | 1.3 | 1.3c |
| Reading speed | 3,500 MB / s | 7000MB / s |
| Writing speed | 3.300 MB / s | 5,000 MB / s |
| Heat sink | No | No |
| Durability | Up to 1200 TBW (2 TB) | Up to 1200 TBW (2 TB) |
| guarantee | 5 years | 5 years |
| PVPR | $ 189.99 (1TB) | $ 260.99 (1TB) |
We are faced with two very similar SSDs in terms of technology, the main difference of which is nothing more than the interface and its consequent performance in reality. The 980 PRO model has twice the read speed of the 970 EVO Plus because of this, while in terms of write speed the difference is not that much and the 980 PRO only takes 1700MB / s of difference. to 970 EVO Plus.
It is curious that Samsung clearly specifies the durability of the 970 EVO Plus on its website, while to find the information on the durability of the 980 PRO we had to go to unofficial websites. As for the warranty period, both are 5 years from the manufacturer and in any case in terms of durability both devices have the same amount of TBW so there is nothing to comment on.
Both SSDs use NAND Flash memory chips Samsung V-NAND 3-bit MLC, they have 1GB of DDR4 cache and what changes is the controller, because while the 980 PRO model uses a Samsung Elpis controller, the 970 EVO Plus model uses a Samsung Phoenix controller.
Also both SSDs support TRIM, SMART, algorithm of garbage collection automatic, support for Dev Sleep and does not include WWN. A difference is in the encryption, because the 980 PRO model is compatible with AES 256 bit while the 970 EVO Plus model is a bit more advanced, because in addition to that it supports TCG / Opal IEEE1667 for full encryption. of the device, which it can be quite important for users who intend to use any of these devices on laptops.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that both SSDs are compatible with Samsung Magician, the company’s software that lets you unleash the full potential of the SSD with drive optimization and monitoring tools, as well as power. update your firmware in a straightforward and simple way.
Which of the two SSDs is it recommended to buy?
As we have seen, these are two very similar SSDs except that they use different interfaces and therefore offer a different level of performance. In case you have a motherboard that does not support PCIe 4.0, the choice is clear and you should go for the Samsung 970 EVO Plus, as you will be limited by the interface of the motherboard and therefore you will not benefit no additional performance provided by the 980 PRO.
Now if you have a motherboard that supports PCIe 4.0 then you will have doubts. It may be that having a modern motherboard with this interface has a clear choice and you have decided in advance to go for a PCIe 4.0 SSD, but the reality is that the difference in performance is not too much. noticeable in real life scenarios, so if you’re strapped for budget go ahead and the 970 EVO Plus should be your go-to choice.
On the other hand, if your budget allows and you are looking to get the maximum performance from your PC, of course the 980 PRO is a great choice because it has really really high performance, with great durability and guaranteed. , so don’t go wrong.
Either way, as always, the choice will be up to you, and the bottom line is that both are great SSDs, high performance, and very durable. If your card is PCIe 3.0, buy the 970 EVO Plus, but if your card is PCIe 4.0 and your budget allows, the 980 PRO should be your choice. If, on the other hand, you’re on a budget, you won’t regret buying the 970 EVO Plus even on a PCIe 4.0 card, as the difference in performance won’t be too noticeable either.
