Samsung 860 QVO 1TB SATA SSD: features, specs and who it suits

The Samsung 860 QVO (model MZ-76Q1T0B/AM) is a 1TB internal solid state drive that connects over SATA. It is meant as a replacement for, or addition to, a traditional hard disk in a desktop or laptop, with no moving parts and much quicker start-up and file access. Here is what its specs mean and what to confirm before fitting one.

What V-NAND and a SATA interface mean

Samsung builds the drive with its V-NAND technology, which stacks memory cells in vertical layers rather than laying them out flat. The company says this is how it reaches terabyte-level capacity in a small package. The drive itself is compact: about 3.9 inches long, 2.8 inches wide and 0.3 inches thick (roughly 99 x 71 x 7 mm), and it weighs about 0.1 lb.

The connection is SATA 6 Gb/s, the standard interface on many laptops and desktops from the past decade. Samsung says it is also compatible with SATA 3 Gb/s and 1.5 Gb/s ports, though the drive will then run at the slower port's limit.

Speeds in everyday use

Samsung rates sequential reads at up to 550MB/s and sequential writes at up to 520MB/s. Those figures are close to the ceiling of the SATA 6 Gb/s interface, so the drive's speed is capped by the connection more than by the memory. A drive that uses NVMe over PCIe can be faster, but SATA drives are a straightforward fit for older systems that have no M.2 slot.

Samsung says an SSD like this can boot a computer up to four times faster than a conventional hard disk drive. Real results depend on the rest of the system, so treat that as the brand's comparison rather than a promise.

How TurboWrite works

SSDs generally write data to a fast buffer first and then move it into the main storage. Samsung's Intelligent TurboWrite uses a larger, variable-size buffer, which the company says speeds up writing and helps keep performance high over the long term. In general, sustained writes of very large files can slow down once a buffer of this kind fills, so peak figures mostly describe shorter bursts of activity.

Encryption options

The drive supports AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption, with compliance to TCG Opal and IEEE 1667. Hardware encryption is handled by the drive itself rather than by the processor. It has to be switched on through supporting software or system settings, so it is an option rather than something that protects data automatically.

Who it suits

Samsung positions the drive for people who want a large amount of storage, such as hours of 4K video and thousands of photos, on a SATA system. It suits anyone upgrading an older laptop or desktop, adding a second drive to a computer with a free SATA bay, or building a system that keeps bulk files on solid state storage. Samsung backs it with a 3-year limited warranty.

What to check before you buy

• Your computer has a free 2.5-inch drive bay and a SATA port, or a laptop slot that takes a 7 mm 2.5-inch drive.
• You have a SATA data cable and power connection if it is going into a desktop; laptops use their existing connector.
• You know how you will move your files across, whether by cloning software or a fresh install of your operating system.
• Your software or BIOS supports the encryption option if you plan to use it.
• You have read the warranty terms and any limits on total data written.
• You have a backup of anything on the old drive before you start.

The short version

• 1TB 2.5-inch SATA SSD built with Samsung V-NAND.
• Rated by Samsung at up to 550MB/s reads and 520MB/s writes.
• Intelligent TurboWrite buffering and optional AES 256-bit hardware encryption.
• Works with SATA 6 Gb/s ports and the slower SATA 3 Gb/s and 1.5 Gb/s.
• Comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

Bloiq is reader-supported. Some links may earn us a commission; it never affects what we write. How we make money.