Samsung 870 EVO 2TB 2.5-Inch SATA SSD: features, specs and who it suits

The Samsung 870 EVO 2TB is a 2.5-inch internal solid state drive that connects through the SATA interface. It replaces or adds to a hard drive or older SSD in a desktop, laptop or network storage device, and it suits anyone upgrading an older machine that has no M.2 slot. Here is what the specs mean.

SATA speeds in context

Samsung lists sequential speeds of 560MB/s for reads and 530MB/s for writes. These figures are close to the ceiling of the SATA III interface, which runs at 6Gb/s, so the drive is described as maximising the interface. Newer NVMe drives are much faster on paper, but they need an M.2 or PCIe slot. For booting an operating system, loading applications and moving files, a SATA SSD is typically a big step up from a spinning hard drive.

Samsung notes the speeds were measured on a specific test system with the drive as a secondary drive, and that real results vary with firmware, hardware and configuration. Write performance relies on Intelligent TurboWrite, a buffer that absorbs bursts of data, and Samsung says a larger variable buffer helps keep speeds high over time.

Endurance: what TBW means

TBW stands for terabytes written, the total amount of data the drive is rated to take over its life. Samsung lists up to 2,400 TBW for this capacity, and the warranty is five years or the TBW figure, whichever comes first. For typical home and office use that is a very large allowance, because most people write only a small fraction of a terabyte a day.

Compatibility

SATA 6Gb/s drives work with older SATA 3Gb/s and 1.5Gb/s ports, though speeds are then limited by the port. Samsung says it has tested the 870 EVO with major chipsets, motherboards, NAS devices and video recording equipment, including systems from AMD, MSI, Gigabyte, Synology, QNAP, Blackmagic Design and ATOMOS. Use this as a guide and check your own device's compatibility notes.

Security and durability

The listing mentions Class 0 AES 256-bit encryption, TCG/Opal v2.0 and Microsoft eDrive (IEEE 1667) support. These features let compatible software and operating systems manage hardware encryption. It also gives a shock tolerance of 1,500G for 0.5 ms.

Form factor

The drive follows the standard 2.5-inch format, about 3.9 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (roughly 10 x 7 x 0.7 cm) and weighing 0.1 lb. It fits most laptop bays and desktop drive cages, usually with a bracket for the latter. Samsung describes it as suitable for everyday computing through to 8K video processing.

Who it suits

It suits people refreshing an older PC or laptop, building a NAS or recorder with SATA bays, or adding bulk fast storage where an M.2 slot isn't available. If your computer has a fast M.2 slot, an NVMe drive might use it better.

What to check before you buy

• Connection type: confirm your device uses a 2.5-inch SATA bay, not M.2 or PCIe.
• Mounting: laptops may need a spacer or tray, and desktops may need a bracket.
• Cables: a SATA data cable and power connection are needed in a desktop.
• Capacity: check the operating system and any NAS supports a 2TB drive.
• Migration: plan how to copy or clone your existing data across.
• Firmware and tools: check the maker's tools for updates and drive health monitoring.

The short version

• A 2TB, 2.5-inch SATA III internal SSD.
• Sequential speeds of up to 560/530MB/s, per Samsung.
• Up to 2,400 TBW and a five-year limited warranty.
• AES 256-bit encryption, TCG/Opal v2.0 and eDrive support.
• Compatibility-tested with a range of motherboards, NAS devices and recorders.

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