Best SSD Brand?

[KindaHardcoreGamer]

I had decided upon the samsung 850 EVO a while back, but now I'm seeing that the 950 series is much better. Opinions?

 

[lucas_7_94]

950 uses PCIe M.2 btw, it will work faster than any 850 evo/pro or 750 evo.

 

[IceMyth]

Hi,

This website gives a comparison between Samsung Evo and Pro: http://www.custompcguide.net/the-differences-between-samsung-nvme-950-pro-vs-850-series/

I see the Pro is away better than 850 Evo, but there is also 850 Pro to consider. But at the end the better the product the more it will cost.

Regards,

 

[rhysiam]

Faster SSDs like the 950 obviously offer incredible performance. The problem is that they need to be given really intense workloads for them to actually stretch their legs and show tangible performance gains over much cheaper SSDs. Basically "normal" or even "enthusiast" computer users just don't generate enough of a workload to make a premium SSD like the 950 work hard enough.

It's a bit like buying a beastly Ford F-450 Truck because you need to pick up a couple of bits of timber from the hardware store... any car could do that. Now sure, if you have a massive trailer that you need to fill with bricks and tow up a steep mountain 10 times a day for a year, then that F-450 will show you just how powerful it is, but otherwise it's just using a sledgehammer to swat a fly.

Do you need to boot multiple Virtual Machines simultaneously? Running complex queries or batch updates to a large database? Do that and a 950 will fly along and justify the money you put into it. Otherwise, sledgehammer for a fly IMHO.

 

[rhysiam]

I should add that you can usually get an 850 Evo with double the capacity of the 950 Pro at a similar price: often with change... If you crave performance, getting more software/games onto a mid range SSD will have a much greater impact in most situations than upgrading to faster SSD.

 

[KindaHardcoreGamer]

Faster SSDs like the 950 obviously offer incredible performance. The problem is that they need to be given really intense workloads for them to actually stretch their legs and show tangible performance gains over much cheaper SSDs. Basically "normal" or even "enthusiast" computer users just don't generate enough of a workload to make a premium SSD like the 950 work hard enough.

It's a bit like buying a beastly Ford F-450 Truck because you need to pick up a couple of bits of timber from the hardware store... any car could do that. Now sure, if you have a massive trailer that you need to fill with bricks and tow up a steep mountain 10 times a day for a year, then that F-450 will show you just how powerful it is, but otherwise it's just using a sledgehammer to swat a fly.

Do you need to boot multiple Virtual Machines simultaneously? Running complex queries or batch updates to a large database? Do that and a 950 will fly along and justify the money you put into it. Otherwise, sledgehammer for a fly IMHO.

I intend to use my system for gaming and usual web browsing.

 

[rhysiam]

I intend to use my system for gaming and usual web browsing.

Yup, that's what I guessed.

In which case I'd strongly advise you either to get the cheaper SSD and save your money, or put similar money into a larger SSD which will fit more games.

On Newegg at the moment, for example, you can choose the following:
$190 for 256GB 950 Pro: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=950+pro&N=-1&isNodeId=1
$160 for 500GB 850 Evo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6BM3T90744&cm_re=850_evo-_-20-147-373-_-Product
$205 for the 960GB SP550: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211987&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Now the last of those options is both the most expensive and the slowest. However, it's still a capable entry level SSD, AND, it gives you 1TB of space which is enough for many people's OS, Programs and entire game libraries - perhaps if you're an avid games you'd need the occasional purge of stuff you don't play anymore. For a gaming PC, I'd take that over the 950 at a quarter of the capacity any day of the week.

Or, as I said above, just save your money with a smaller (~250GB) cheaper SSD, or put the money into more important components like your graphics card.

 

[KindaHardcoreGamer]

I intend to use my system for gaming and usual web browsing.

Yup, that's what I guessed.

In which case I'd strongly advise you either to get the cheaper SSD and save your money, or put similar money into a larger SSD which will fit more games.

On Newegg at the moment, for example, you can choose the following:
$190 for 256GB 950 Pro: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=950+pro&N=-1&isNodeId=1
$160 for 500GB 850 Evo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6BM3T90744&cm_re=850_evo-_-20-147-373-_-Product
$205 for the 960GB SP550: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211987&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Now the last of those options is both the most expensive and the slowest. However, it's still a capable entry level SSD, AND, it gives you 1TB of space which is enough for many people's OS, Programs and entire game libraries - perhaps if you're an avid games you'd need the occasional purge of stuff you don't play anymore. For a gaming PC, I'd take that over the 950 at a quarter of the capacity any day of the week.

Or, as I said above, just save your money with a smaller (~250GB) cheaper SSD, or put the money into more important components like your graphics card.

I don't think I need too big of an SSD because I have a 1TB hard drive as well. I only want to put certain things on the SSD (as in, games that perform better on an SSD compared to a HDD). I was looking at the 250gb 850 evo, personally. What do you think?

 

[rhysiam]

I don't think I need too big of an SSD because I have a 1TB hard drive as well. I only want to put certain things on the SSD (as in, games that perform better on an SSD compared to a HDD). I was looking at the 250gb 850 evo, personally. What do you think?

Yup - 850 Evo is a great drive and 250GB is enough for OS, programs and a couple of key games. I've got that exact drive and it's the first time with an SSD that I haven't had to keep clearing up space regularly.

If I had my time again I would seriously consider spending $20 more on a slower SSD at double the capacity, like this 480GB SP550 for $110: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/KTCrxr/a-data-internal-hard-drive-asp550ss3480gmc
But for sure, the Evo is a great drive and 250 is the smallest capacity that doesn't require maintenance and compromise. Either way is a solid choice IMHO, just depends whether you value the odd times when the EVO will give you greater performance (and $20 change) or the extra capacity.