Samsung

Samsung 970 EVO Plus

Expert rating8.5 / 10

Interface:: PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe
Sequential Read:: Up to 3,500 MB/s
Capacity Options:: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB

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Manufacturer: Samsung Last updated: 2026-09-12

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Samsung 970 EVO Plus Review

Samsung 970 EVO Plus PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD, one of the best-selling mainstream NVMe drives ever made, with a DRAM cache for consistent sustained performance.

This is the drive that convinced a generation of PC builders that NVMe was worth the small price premium over SATA. It saturates PCIe 3.0's bandwidth ceiling, keeps a DRAM cache for genuinely consistent sustained writes (unlike DRAM-less budget rivals), and Samsung's Magician software support remains excellent years on. If your board only has PCIe 3.0 slots, this is still one of the smartest ways to fill them.

Comparison to Alternatives

Compared with the Samsung 980 (PCIe 3.0, no DRAM), the EVO Plus holds sustained write speeds noticeably longer thanks to its DRAM cache, making it the better pick for large file transfers. Against Crucial's P3 line, the EVO Plus commands a slight price premium but backs it up with more consistent performance under heavy multitasking.

Our verdict

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

Expert rating8.5 / 10

One of the best PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives ever released, and still a smart, reliable pick on older platforms.

Best for

PCIe 3.0 laptop and desktop upgrades
Budget gaming rigs on older motherboards
Everyday computing and OS drives

Not for

PCIe 4.0/5.0 builds wanting maximum throughput
Extreme workstation write workloads
Buyers who want the newest NVMe generation

Specifications

What these specs mean

Speed Score

7.1/10

How fast this drive is among internal SSDs, rated from its read and write speeds, cache and NAND type.

Identity

Brand	Samsung
Model Number	970 EVO Plus
Series	970 EVO Plus
Release Year	2018

Interface and form

Drive Type	Internal
Bus Interface	PCIe 3.0 x4
Protocol	NVMe 1.3
Form Factor	M.2 2280

Sequential performance

Sequential Read	3500 MB/s

Controller and cache

Controller	Samsung Phoenix
Controller Vendor	Samsung
DRAM Cache	DRAM

NAND

NAND Type	TLC
NAND Vendor	Samsung

Features

Hardware Encryption	AES-256 TCG Opal 2.0

Physical and commercial

Length	80.15 mm
Width	22.15 mm
Thickness	2.38 mm
Warranty	5 Years

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the Samsung 970 EVO Plus (PCIe 3.0 NVMe/3,500 MB/s Read/Best-Selling Mainstream Legacy NVMe)?

The Samsung 970 EVO Plus (PCIe 3.0 NVMe/3,500 MB/s Read/Best-Selling Mainstream Legacy NVMe) is a component from Samsung. Key specs: Interface PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe, Sequential Read 3500, Sequential Write 3300, NAND Type Samsung V-NAND TLC with DRAM Cache, Capacity Options 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB.

Who is the Samsung 970 EVO Plus (PCIe 3.0 NVMe/3,500 MB/s Read/Best-Selling Mainstream Legacy NVMe) best suited to?

Best suited to: PCIe 3.0 laptop and desktop upgrades; Budget gaming rigs on older motherboards; Everyday computing and OS drives.

What are the drawbacks of the Samsung 970 EVO Plus (PCIe 3.0 NVMe/3,500 MB/s Read/Best-Selling Mainstream Legacy NVMe)?

Not the best fit for: PCIe 4.0/5.0 builds wanting maximum throughput; Extreme workstation write workloads; Buyers who want the newest NVMe generation.