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Samsung 850 EVO 2.5-inch SATA III SSD
Samsung

Samsung 850 EVO

Expert rating7.2 / 10

Interface:
SATA III (6Gb/s)
Sequential Read:
Up to 540 MB/s
Capacity Options:
120GB

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Manufacturer: Samsung Last updated: 2026-09-12

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Samsung 850 EVO (SATA III/The Drive That Popularized Affordable SSD Upgrades) Review

Samsung 850 EVO SATA III SSD, the drive that helped push solid-state upgrades into the mainstream with a strong balance of price and reliability.

A huge number of people's first SSD upgrade was an 850 EVO — it hit a sweet spot of price and reliability that made the SATA-to-SSD upgrade an easy recommendation for years running. It's a dated part now, and if you still have one running, that's a testament to how well it was built, but it's not something to go out and buy new when far newer SATA drives cost about the same.

Comparison to Alternatives

Against Crucial's MX500, the 850 EVO is the older of the two designs and generally shows its age in firmware update support, though real-world SATA speeds remain nearly identical. Compared with its own sibling the Samsung 850 PRO, the EVO trades away MLC endurance for a meaningfully lower price at every capacity point.

Specifications

Identity

BrandSamsung
Model Number850 EVO
Series850 EVO

Interface and form

Bus InterfaceSATA III (6Gb/s)

Sequential performance

Sequential Read540 MB/s
Sequential Write520 MB/s

NAND

NAND TypeSamsung V-NAND TLC

Physical and commercial

Warranty5 Years
Capacity Options120GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB

Expert Review

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Expert rating7.2 / 10

The SATA SSD that popularized affordable solid-state upgrades, now a dated but still-functional legacy pick.

Best for

  • Older laptop or desktop SATA upgrades
  • Budget legacy system refreshes
  • Replacing a failing original 850 EVO

Not for

  • New PC builds
  • NVMe-capable systems
  • Performance-focused buyers

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the Samsung 850 EVO (SATA III/The Drive That Popularized Affordable SSD Upgrades)?

The Samsung 850 EVO (SATA III/The Drive That Popularized Affordable SSD Upgrades) is a component from Samsung. Key specs: Interface SATA III (6Gb/s), Sequential Read 540, Sequential Write 520, NAND Type Samsung V-NAND TLC, Capacity Options 120GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB.

Who is the Samsung 850 EVO (SATA III/The Drive That Popularized Affordable SSD Upgrades) best suited to?

It suits older laptop or desktop sata upgrades, budget legacy system refreshes, replacing a failing original 850 evo.

What are the drawbacks of the Samsung 850 EVO (SATA III/The Drive That Popularized Affordable SSD Upgrades)?

It is a poor fit for new pc builds, nvme-capable systems, performance-focused buyers.

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