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Acer FA200 vs Samsung 970 PRO: Comparison
What is the difference between Acer FA200 and Samsung 970 PRO?
Sequential read is where these two genuinely part company, Acer FA200 7200 MB/s against Samsung 970 PRO 3500 MB/s, a 51% lead for Acer FA200. Measured rather than claimed: in Speed Score the Samsung 970 PRO returns 7.1 against 6.6, a 7% lead. There is a split on dram cache as well, DRAM-less on the Acer FA200 versus DRAM on the Samsung 970 PRO. Controller is not the same on both, MAP1602A on the Acer FA200 versus Samsung Phoenix on the Samsung 970 PRO. There is a split on controller vendor as well, Maxio on the Acer FA200 versus Samsung on the Samsung 970 PRO. There is a split on nand vendor as well, YMTC on the Acer FA200 versus Samsung on the Samsung 970 PRO.
Which should you buy, Acer FA200 or Samsung 970 PRO?
Take the Acer FA200 for gamers and general users wanting 2000 GB of PCIe 4.0 storage at high read speeds. It is equally the pick for buyers who value a 5 year warranty and a 1000 TBW rating. It is the wrong buy for workloads with constant heavy writing, since the NAND is QLC and the drive has no DRAM. Buy the Samsung 970 PRO for heavy sustained write workloads and professionals needing long-term drive durability, though it is not the pick for budget shoppers and users wanting PCIe 4.0/5.0 speeds. Our rating of the Samsung 970 PRO (8.3/10): A legacy MLC flagship valued for endurance, though newer TLC drives have long since overtaken it on raw speed.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Acer FA200 and Samsung 970 PRO differ on bus interface?
Yes. Bus Interface reads PCIe 4.0 x4 on the Acer FA200 versus PCIe 3.0 x4 on the Samsung 970 PRO.
Is the Form Factor the same on the Acer FA200 and Samsung 970 PRO?
It is. Both are listed at M.2 2280, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Speed Score
- Acer FA200
- 6.6/10-7%
- Samsung 970 PRO
- 7.1/10Best
How fast this drive is, rated from its read and write speeds, cache and NAND type. 10 is the fastest.
Brand
- Acer FA200
- Acer
- Samsung 970 PRO
- Samsung
Model Number
- Acer FA200
- Acer FA200
- Samsung 970 PRO
- 970 PRO
Series
- Acer FA200
- FA200
- Samsung 970 PRO
- 970 PRO
Drive Type
- Acer FA200
- Internal
- Samsung 970 PRO
- Internal
Bus Interface
- Acer FA200
- PCIe 4.0 x4
- Samsung 970 PRO
- PCIe 3.0 x4
Form Factor
- Acer FA200
- M.2 2280
- Samsung 970 PRO
- M.2 2280
Sequential Read
- Acer FA200
- 7200 MB/s
- Samsung 970 PRO
- 3500 MB/s-51%
Controller
- Acer FA200
- MAP1602A
- Samsung 970 PRO
- Samsung Phoenix
Controller Vendor
- Acer FA200
- Maxio
- Samsung 970 PRO
- Samsung
DRAM Cache
- Acer FA200
- DRAM-less (HMB)
- Samsung 970 PRO
- DRAM
NAND Type
- Acer FA200
- QLC
- Samsung 970 PRO
- MLC
NAND Vendor
- Acer FA200
- YMTC
- Samsung 970 PRO
- Samsung
Warranty
- Acer FA200
- 5 Years
- Samsung 970 PRO
- 5 Years
Which one should you pick?
Choose Acer FA200 if you want the higher sequential read (7200 MB/s vs 3500 MB/s).
Choose Samsung 970 PRO if you want the higher speed score (7.1 vs 6.6).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Acer FA200 | Samsung 970 PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on 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 970 PRO
8.3 / 10 Expert Rating
A legacy MLC flagship valued for endurance, though newer TLC drives have long since overtaken it on raw speed.