Samsung 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280
Samsung
Storage

Samsung 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280

Key Features

3D NAND TurboWrite AES 256-bit Encryption
MSRP: $106

Technical Specifications

Manufacturer
Samsung
MSRP
$106
Type
SSD
Form Factor
M.2 2280
Interface
PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe
Capacity
500 GB
Read Speed
3400 MB/s
Write Speed
2300 MB/s
Cache
512 MB
Nvme
Yes

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • SSD technology delivers significant speed improvement over traditional HDDs
  • NVMe interface provides excellent performance for daily use (3K MB/s read)
  • Adequate 500 GB capacity for OS and 6-8 modern games
  • Budget-friendly option for essential storage needs
  • Mainstream performance provides good daily performance (3K MB/s)
  • M.2 form factor eliminates cables and saves space
  • Perfect for compact builds and laptop upgrades
  • Samsung leader in SSD technology with excellent software suite

Cons

  • PCIe 3.0 interface may not fully utilize modern system capabilities
  • Moderate capacity may require storage management for large games
  • Requires M.2-compatible motherboard or laptop

Community Insights

  • Many users highlight the 970 Evo 500GB as an excellent choice for a boot drive, praising its fast boot times, snappy OS performance, and solid reliability for everyday use and gaming. It’s often recommended as an upgrade from SATA SSDs for a noticeable speed boost.
  • A common discussion is that while the performance is excellent, some users feel the 500GB capacity can be limiting for modern games or content creation. Many suggest it as ideal for a dedicated system drive, but recommend larger capacities if you plan to store many large games or files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Samsung 970 Evo 500GB compatible with my laptop or desktop?
The 970 Evo uses the M.2 2280 form factor and PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe interface. It’s compatible with most modern laptops and desktops that support NVMe M.2 drives, but it’s always best to check your device’s specifications before purchasing.
Does the Samsung 970 Evo 500GB include software for cloning and drive management?
Yes, Samsung provides the Data Migration tool for easy cloning of your old drive to the new SSD, and the Magician software for firmware updates, health monitoring, and performance tuning, which users find very helpful.

Performance Guide & Use Cases

Best For
Primary system drive and essential software (500 GB)
Budget gaming builds with selective library (6-8 modern games)
Fast boot times and application loading (NVMe)
Mainstream gaming and general use (3K MB/s)
Compact builds and laptop upgrades (M.2 form factor)
Clean cable management and space-efficient builds
Potential Bottlenecks
May not accommodate large game libraries without additional storage (500 GB)
PCIe 3.0 interface may bottleneck on newer systems with PCIe 4.0+ support (PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe)
Requires M.2 slot support and may limit older system compatibility
Write speed may bottleneck in content creation workloads (2300 MB/s write)
Overkill Scenarios
Legacy system upgrades
Basic file storage and archival needs
Avoid For
Extensive game libraries and media collections (500 GB capacity)
Latest generation builds with PCIe 4.0+ requirements (PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe interface)
Older systems without M.2 slot support (M.2 2280 form factor)
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