Samsung
Samsung 960 EVO 500GB Solid State Drive (MZ-V6E500BW) m.2 NVMe,Hybrid Drive
Bottom line: The Samsung 960 EVO 500GB Solid State Drive m.2 NVMe ($197.97 on Amazon as of 2026-10-07): Sequential reads up to 3200MB/s, roughly 6x SATA SSD ceilings; main trade-off: writes peak at 1800MB/s, well under the 3200MB/s read figure.
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-07. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Sequential reads up to 3200MB/s, roughly 6x SATA SSD ceilings
- ✓ Samsung V-NAND flash instead of commodity third-party NAND
- ✓ M.2 2280 fits desktops and SFF builds with no cables or drive bay
- ✓ Samsung Magician adds health monitoring and automatic firmware updates
Cons
- ✗ Writes peak at 1800MB/s, well under the 3200MB/s read figure
- ✗ PCIe 3.0 x4 only, so it cannot use PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 slot bandwidth
- ✗ 500GB fills fast if you install several modern AAA games
- ✗ Superseded generation, so firmware and driver updates are winding down
Manufacturer description
Built on Samsung V-NAND, it posts sequential read speeds up to 3,200MB/s and sequential write speeds up to 1,800MB/s, so Windows boots, game level loads, and large project file transfers finish in a fraction of the time a SATA SSD needs. The 2280 form factor drops straight into an M.2 slot on tower desktops and small form factor builds, with no data cable and no drive bay to give up. Samsung Magician software handles the rest: drive health monitoring, over-provisioning, performance benchmarking, and automatic firmware updates from one dashboard. At 500GB you get room for the OS, a…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Samsung 960 EVO 500GB Solid State Drive m.2 NVMe using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the ssds & storage category. Samsung's ssds & storage lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for ssds & storage of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is the Samsung 960 EVO 500GB?
Samsung rates it at up to 3,200MB/s sequential read and up to 1,800MB/s sequential write over a PCIe 3.0 x4 connection. Real-world speeds vary with your motherboard, thermals, and how full the drive is.
Will this fit my motherboard?
It is an M.2 2280 (80mm) card that needs an M.2 slot wired for PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe. Check your motherboard manual for M.2 NVMe support; SATA-only M.2 slots will not run this drive.
Can I use it in a small form factor PC?
Yes. Samsung lists it as a client SSD for both high-performance tower desktops and small form factor PCs, and the M.2 card mounts flat to the board with no power or data cables.
What software comes with it?
Samsung Magician, which handles SSD management, drive health and performance checks, and automatic firmware updates. It is a free download from Samsung rather than something on the drive itself.
Is 500GB enough capacity?
It comfortably holds Windows, drivers, and an everyday application set with space for several games. If you keep large game libraries or video projects locally, plan on pairing it with a secondary drive.
Key Features
- M.2 (2280) - PCIe 3.0 x4 NVM Express SSD for Client PCs
- V-NAND Client SSD ideal for high-performance tower desktops and small form factor PC’s
- Sequential Read Speeds up to 3200MB/s and Sequential Write Speeds up to 1800MB/s
- Samsung magician software delivers SSD management and automatic firmware updates
- COLOR: Black/Gray
Full Specifications
| Brand | Samsung |
|---|---|
| COLOR | Black/Gray |
| Color | Gray |
| Model Name | 960 EVO |
| Read Speed | 3200 megabytes_per_second |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Form Factor | small form factor, tower |
| Media Speed | 1900 megabits_per_second |
| Model Number | MZ-V6E500BW |
| Compatibility | PC |
| Built-In Media | NVMe M.2 (2280) SSD & User Manual (All Other Cables, Screws, Brackets Not Included) |
| Item Type Name | MZ-V6E500BW |
| Hard-Drive Size | 500 GB |
| Mfr Part Number | MZ-V6E500BW |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Special Feature | Portable |
| Item Part Number | MZV6E500BW |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Installation Type | Internal Hard Drive |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop |
Ready to buy?
Samsung 960 EVO 500GB Solid State Drive (MZ-V6E500BW) m.2 NVMe,Hybrid Drive is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-07. Price and availability subject to change.
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