Samsung 870 QVO 8TB SATA SSD: features, specs and who it suits

The Samsung 870 QVO (model MZ-77Q8T0B) is a 2.5-inch SATA solid state drive that offers up to 8TB of capacity. It is aimed at people who want to replace or add to a hard drive in a desktop or laptop without changing the connection their machine already uses. Here is what its main specifications mean in everyday use.

What QLC storage means

Samsung describes the 870 QVO as its second-generation QLC SSD. QLC stands for quad-level cell: each memory cell holds four bits of data. Packing more bits into each cell is what makes very large capacities possible in a small 2.5-inch case. The usual trade-off with QLC memory is that sustained writes can be slower than on drives that hold fewer bits per cell, and that the endurance figure is lower. Samsung says this model uses a refined error-correction algorithm to keep performance stable.

Reading the speed figures

Samsung rates sequential speeds at up to 560 MB/s for reads and 530 MB/s for writes. These numbers sit at the practical ceiling of the SATA III interface, so they say as much about SATA as about the drive. The company also says random access and sustained performance are improved over the previous generation, and that reads are up to 13% faster than the 860 QVO. Real-world results depend on the rest of the system and on how full the drive is.

For comparison, NVMe drives on a PCIe slot are typically many times faster in sequential transfers. The point of a SATA drive is compatibility and capacity rather than peak speed.

Capacity and endurance

The drive is offered in 1, 2, 4 and 8TB sizes. Samsung rates the 8TB model at up to 2,880 TBW. TBW means terabytes written, the total amount of data the manufacturer expects the drive to handle over its life. For typical home use, such as installing programs, keeping photos and keeping a media library, that is a very large allowance. Heavier workloads, such as constantly rewriting large video files, use it up faster.

As with all storage, the capacity printed on the box is in decimal units, so a computer will usually report a slightly smaller figure.

Form factor and compatibility

The drive uses the common 2.5-inch, 7mm form factor and measures about 3.9 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (roughly 10 x 7 x 0.7 cm), weighing about 0.2 lb (around 90 g). Samsung says it works with SATA 3 Gbps and 1.5 Gbps interfaces as well as SATA 6 Gbps, although an older port limits the speed. That makes it an option for older desktops and laptops, and for some game consoles and external enclosures that accept a 2.5-inch SATA drive.

Who it suits

It suits people who need a lot of fast-enough storage in a machine that has a spare SATA bay or a 2.5-inch laptop slot: photographers with large libraries, people archiving media, or anyone retiring a spinning hard drive. It is less suited to users who need the highest sustained write speeds for large, continuous transfers.

What to check before you buy

• Connection: confirm the machine has a free SATA port and a power connector, or a 2.5-inch bay.
• Space: a 7mm drive fits most laptop bays, but check yours, and whether a bracket is needed in a desktop.
• Workload: think about how much data you write daily compared with the endurance figure.
• Backups: keep a copy of important files elsewhere, whatever drive you use.
• Cloning: if you are replacing a drive, check what software you will use to migrate your data.
• Warranty: read Samsung's current warranty terms for the 8TB model.

The short version

• An 8TB, 2.5-inch, 7mm SATA III solid state drive from Samsung, model MZ-77Q8T0B.
• Rated at up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write.
• Second-generation QLC memory, with the 8TB size rated at up to 2,880 TBW.
• Works with SATA 6, 3 and 1.5 Gbps interfaces, though older ports limit speed.
• Best suited to large libraries and everyday computing rather than extreme sustained writes.

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