Thursday, March 4th 2021
Samsung 980 is a Cost-Effective, DRAM-less PCIe Gen 3.0 M.2 SSD
In a move that could confuse some of the lesser informed buyers, Samsung is ready with the new 980 M.2 NVMe SSD (not to be confused with the 980 PRO). Unlike the 980 PRO, the 980 is a cost-effective drive that uses PCI-Express 3.0 x4 host interface, and a DRAM-less controller. Luckily, Samsung didn't take the QLC route with these drives, as they feature 136-layer 3D TLC NAND flash memory of the same kind used in the 980 PRO.
The Samsung 980 offers sequential transfer speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s reads, with up to 3,000 MB/s writes, and comes in capacities of 250 GB, 500 GB, and 1 TB. It offers 4K random access performance in the neighborhood of 500,000 IOPS reads (4K, QD32), with up to 480,000 IOPS random writes (4K, QD1). Samsung is expected to formally launch the 980 on March 30, 2021.
Source:
Tom's Hardware
The Samsung 980 offers sequential transfer speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s reads, with up to 3,000 MB/s writes, and comes in capacities of 250 GB, 500 GB, and 1 TB. It offers 4K random access performance in the neighborhood of 500,000 IOPS reads (4K, QD32), with up to 480,000 IOPS random writes (4K, QD1). Samsung is expected to formally launch the 980 on March 30, 2021.
34 Comments on Samsung 980 is a Cost-Effective, DRAM-less PCIe Gen 3.0 M.2 SSD
Kingston Ghost Tree is the only nvme drive I want... @btarunr please reach out to Kingston for some info on the Gen4 Ghost Tree nvme they have coming... I want that sucker so bad!!!! im still using my generic 2tb ssd... almost bit the bullet on wd black sn 850 but that Ghost Tree name and white color scheme is just too sexy. so I'm waiting for Kingston.
www.tomshardware.com/reviews/wd-blue-sn550-m2-nvme-ssd-review-best-dramless-ssd-yet
Apparently good old SandForce was DRAM-less.
perf are very good , and sometime better
cost 50% less .!
Still, unless Samsung price this cheaper than nearly all DRAM-fitted nvme drives, you'd be mad to pay more for less performance.
5 year warranty each
and the sn is less hot
Just ran some benches on my setup now. Specs in my specs
first image: default test
second image: real world & nvme
third image: peak performance & nvme
Something like this:
Having a 250 GB model is great for OS drives, I wish there was an even lower capacity option, which would be great as an OS drive for servers etc.
I'm not forcing anyone to do anything, just giving a good recommendation and showing you that SSDs under 1 TB has use in the market. :)
I would think a cpu with highly developed controller, much like the memory controllers on the I/o of cpu would be far better than any SSD controller, or just better for these Dram-less NVMe SSD's.
I would think a direct link controller to that from the Pci-express lanes that it is using. That can be turn on and off when it needed would seem like a good idea.
but samsung have boost SSD option ..with some part of the SSD itselft has cache ....
Cause shamesung is doing some big downgrades on there SSD products recently