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Acer FA100 vs Samsung 980 PRO: Comparison
Acer FA100 vs Samsung 980 PRO: the sequential read difference
The gap that matters here is sequential read: Acer FA100 3300 MB/s against Samsung 980 PRO 7000 MB/s, which puts Samsung 980 PRO 53% ahead. Measured rather than claimed: in Speed Score the Samsung 980 PRO returns 8.4 against 6.4, a 24% lead. Samsung 980 PRO also leads on sequential write, 2700 MB/s on the Acer FA100 versus 5100 MB/s on the Samsung 980 PRO. They differ on bus interface too, PCIe 3.0 x4 on the Acer FA100 versus PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe on the Samsung 980 PRO. There is a split on nand type as well, TLC on the Acer FA100 versus Samsung V-NAND TLC with DRAM Cache on the Samsung 980 PRO.
Who each one is for
Buy the Acer FA100 for everyday storage use where 3300 MB/s reads are fast enough. The same goes for budget laptop or desktop upgrades wanting 2000 GB on a PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slot. Avoid it for buyers wanting PCIe 4.0 performance, as this drive is limited to 3300 MB/s reads. The Samsung 980 PRO is the one to take for PS5 storage upgrades (heatsink model) and high-end gaming desktops, though it is the wrong buy for budget-conscious builds and PCIe 3.0-only systems. Our rating of the Samsung 980 PRO (8.7/10): still a superb PCIe 4.0 flagship at a discount, though the 990 PRO has taken over as Samsung's top performer.
Specs and benchmarks
Speed Score
- Acer FA100
- 6.4/10-24%
- Samsung 980 PRO
- 8.4/10Best
How fast this drive is, rated from its read and write speeds, cache and NAND type. 10 is the fastest.
Brand
- Acer FA100
- Acer
- Samsung 980 PRO
- Samsung
Model Number
- Acer FA100
- Acer FA100 (Micron B47R)
- Samsung 980 PRO
- 980 PRO
Series
- Acer FA100
- FA100
- Samsung 980 PRO
- 980 PRO
Bus Interface
- Acer FA100
- PCIe 3.0 x4
- Samsung 980 PRO
- PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe
Sequential Read
- Acer FA100
- 3300 MB/s-53%
- Samsung 980 PRO
- 7000 MB/s
Sequential Write
- Acer FA100
- 2700 MB/s-47%
- Samsung 980 PRO
- 5100 MB/s
NAND Type
- Acer FA100
- TLC
- Samsung 980 PRO
- Samsung V-NAND TLC with DRAM Cache
Which one should you pick?
Choose Acer FA100 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Samsung 980 PRO if you want the higher speed score (8.4 vs 6.4), the higher sequential read (7000 MB/s vs 3300 MB/s) and the higher sequential write (5100 MB/s vs 2700 MB/s).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Acer FA100 | Samsung 980 PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Samsung 980 PRO
8.7 / 10 Expert Rating
Still a superb PCIe 4.0 flagship at a discount, though the 990 PRO has taken over as Samsung's top performer.