Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB

The Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a vertically integrated SSD utilizing Samsung’s proprietary 5th-generation 9x-layer V-NAND (3-bit MLC/TLC) paired with the Penta-core Phoenix controller. This mid-generation refresh of the original 970 EVO targets the write latency limitations of the previous 64-layer NAND implementation. The drive employs a standard LPDDR4 DRAM cache for address mapping, allowing it to sustain high random I/O operations per second required for workstation tasks and effectively saturate the PCIe 3.0 x4 bus. The Phoenix controller is known for running at higher operating temperatures; while the drive includes a nickel-coated controller and a heat-spreading copper label, strictly enclosed environments may induce thermal throttling under sustained heavy writes. In late 2021, a silent component revision swapped the original Phoenix controller for the Elpis controller (sourced from the Gen 4 980 PRO) and paired it with newer V-NAND. Maximum throughput specs remained identical, but the Elpis revision exhibits a larger SLC cache and a steeper drop in write speed once that cache is exhausted compared to the original Phoenix variant.

Key Specifications

• Interface: PCIe Gen 3.0 x4, NVMe 1.3
• Max Speeds: 3,500 MB/s Read, 3,200 MB/s Write
• Controller: Samsung Phoenix (S4LR020) / Samsung Elpis (S4LV003 - Post-2021 Revision)
• NAND Type: Samsung V-NAND 3-bit MLC (TLC)
• DRAM Cache: 512MB LPDDR4
• Endurance: 300 TBW
• Physical Trait: Single-sided PCB layout (improving compatibility with thin laptops)
• Security: AES 256-bit hardware encryption, TCG Opal, IEEE1667

Hardware Alternatives

• WD Black SN750: The primary proprietary rival in the high-end PCIe 3.0 segment. The SN750 utilizes Western Digital’s in-house architecture and SanDisk 64-layer TLC, offering similar random read performance and generally maintaining a more consistent write profile when the drive is filled.
• SK hynix Gold P31: Technologically distinct despite sharing the same performance tier. The P31 uses 128-layer 4D NAND, matching speed while consuming significantly less power, making it a preferred alternative for battery-dependent mobile devices.
• Samsung 980 500GB (Non-PRO): A DRAM-less hardware relative utilizing Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology. The 970 EVO Plus has a dedicated DRAM cache, which provides better sustained performance in heavy multitasking environments compared to the standard 980.