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Samsung 870 QVO vs Crucial MX500: Which one to choose and why?

If you ever search for a SATA SSD, you will surely get to see the Samsung 870 QVO and Crucial MX500. Both SSDs come equipped with a SATA III interface and a 2.5-inch form factor, promising compatibility with a wide array of systems.

The 870 QVO leverages QLC NAND technology, offering substantial storage capacities up to a staggering 8TB, making it a frontrunner for heavy storage needs. On the flip side, the MX500 utilizes TLC NAND technology, which, although caps at a 2TB storage capacity, promises faster performance and greater longevity.

Moreover, when we bring the lens to their performance metrics, the 870 QVO shines with sequential read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and write speeds reaching 530 MB/s. In contrast, the MX500 doesn’t lag far behind, presenting impressive read and write speeds as well, thereby ensuring a smooth and responsive computing experience.

In this article, I will delve deeper into the individual specifications, performance benchmarks, and features of each, providing a comprehensive view to assist you in pinpointing the SSD that aligns perfectly with your requirements. Let’s dissect each aspect to understand which drive holds a competitive edge.

Trying to decide which one to buy between the two can be strenuous. That is why I have mustered the specifications, benchmarks, and prices along with a few other facts that you need to know about the different variants of the two SSDs in order to make an informed purchase decision.

SpecificationSamsung 870 QVOCrucial MX500
Form Factor2.5-inch2.5-inch
InterfaceSATA III (6Gb/s)SATA III (6Gb/s)
NAND TechnologyQLC (Quad-Level Cell)TLC (Triple-Level Cell)
Storage Capacities1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Sequential Read SpeedUp to 560 MB/sUp to 560 MB/s
Sequential Write SpeedUp to 530 MB/sUp to 510 MB/s
Random Read Speed98K IOPS95K IOPS
Random Write Speed88K IOPS95K IOPS
Warranty3 years5 years
MTBF1.5 million hours1.8 million hours
Endurance (TBW)Up to 2,880 TBW (for 8TB model)Up to 700 TBW (for 2TB model)

These benchmarks are for the 1TB variants of both.

Benchmarking reveals the true potential of SSDs and that is why you must consider these scores in order to make a choice.

Benchmarks Observations: It is evident that the Samsung 870 QVO slightly edges out the Crucial MX500 in both sequential and random read/write performances. While the margin is not substantial, it nonetheless offers a superior performance profile compared to the MX500.

You can surely expect good performance in day-to-day performance with the Samsung 860 QVO. However, don’t make your decision your decision yet. The 870 QVO comes with some drawbacks which we are going to cover.

SpecificationsSamsung 870 QVOCrucial MX500
NAND TypeSamsung’s QLC NANDMicron’s TLC 3D
NAND Layers9x64/96
DRAMDRAM-Less250GB: 256MB DDR3
500GB:
512MB DDR3
1TB:
1GB DDR3
2TB:
2GB DDR3
ControllerSamsung MKXSMI SM2258
Controller ConfigurationsTri-Core, 8-ChannelsSingle-Core, 4-Channels

The MX500 is clearly equipped with better tech and that’s the reason it is much more reliable and suitable for hardcore tasks. The controller is much better with the 870 QVO to handle those heavy wear-leveling and management tasks in the QLC NAND. On the other hand, the MX500 is perfectly find with a single core controller because of its TLC NAND.

The endurance of SSDs is fairly difficult to determine practically. The usage and environment heavily impact an SSD’s life. Nonetheless, these are the figures that are furnished by the companies.

ParameterSamsung 870 QVOCrucial MX500
TBW (Total Bytes Written)1TB: 360 TBW
2TB: 720 TBW
4TB: 1,440 TBW
8TB: 2,880 TBW
250GB: 100 TBW
500GB:
180 TBW
1TB:
360 TBW
2TB:
700 TBW
Warranty3-Years Limited Warranty5-Years Limited Warranty
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure)1.50 Million Hours1.80 Million Hours

The endurance level of the 1TB variants of both SSDs is identical. The 2TB variant of the Samsung 870 QVO has more durability. So by comparing the data provided by the companies, the 870 QVO comes out to be on top.

I found those big TBW numbers with the 4TB and 8TB variants quite impressive with the Samsung 870 QVO. With the option to buy a large storage drive, the MX500 allows you to receive a good amount of endurance.

The warranty period could be an issue for a lot of us. Crucial is coming with 2 years more of warranty which is a good thing to consider while buying your SSD.

You can learn more about TBW and SSD Endurance here.

As you are now aware of the performance and durability of both SSDs, it is time to compare them in terms of their prices.

Note: The prices of any product vary depending on the time of your purchase and your location among other factors. The prices are sourced from official websites on the date of the writing of this article.

Prices

There are only two storage capacities that are mutual for both SSDs i.e. 1TB and 2TB. The prices of both are almost similar. When comparing their prices overall, the 1TB Crucial MX500 is cheaper than the 1TB Samsung 870 QVO. Whereas, the prices of the 2TB variants of the two SSDs are identical.

Even though the Samsung 870 QVO is a great SSD, the Crucial comes out to be on top when pitted against it. The reason why I say this is because the Crucial MX500 comes with a TLC NAND Flash while the Samsung 870 QVO has the QLC NAND.

I am not denying the fact that the 870 QVO is a great SSD. But, when it comes to reliability, the TLC NAND Flash is clearly better than the QLC NAND Flash. The 870 QVO is a DRAM-Less SSD which is another big drawback.

Another reason to go for the MX500 is its 5-year warranty period as compared to the 3-Years of the Samsung 870 QVO.

However, there is a great application of 870 QVO which is to store a large amount of data in a single drive. There are very few 8TB drives available in the market. So, the 870 QVO sits perfectly with that requirement if you have one.

I hope that this article has cleared your doubts and made it easy for you to make a decision. You can get in touch if you have any queries.

What is the difference between QLC and TLC NAND technologies?

The Samsung 870 QVO utilizes QLC (Quad-Level Cell) NAND technology, which allows for higher storage capacities but potentially offers slightly lower performance and endurance compared to the TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND technology used in the Crucial MX500.

Which SSD would be more suitable for heavy-duty applications requiring high storage capacity?

If high storage capacity is a priority, the Samsung 870 QVO would be the better choice, offering options up to 8TB, which is significantly higher than the maximum 2TB offered by the Crucial MX500.

Do both SSDs offer hardware encryption support?

Yes, both the Samsung 870 QVO and the Crucial MX500 offer hardware encryption support, enhancing the security of your data.

Are these SSDs backward compatible with SATA II and SATA I interfaces?

Yes, both the Samsung 870 QVO and the Crucial MX500 are backward compatible with SATA II and SATA I interfaces, although the maximum data transfer rate will be limited to the peak speeds of these older interfaces.

Do the Samsung 870 QVO and Crucial MX500 come with software for drive management and data migration?

Yes, both Samsung and Crucial offer proprietary software solutions for their SSDs. Samsung provides the Samsung Magician software, while Crucial offers the Storage Executive Tool and Acronis True Image for Crucial for efficient drive management and data migration.

Thanks for reading!

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max
1 year ago

This is misleading. Samsung is using QLC which will die faster than what they put in their endurance spec than TLC. Never trust manufacturer specs.

Corey
Corey
1 year ago
Reply to  Anshul Rana

They are identical on 1TB and on 2TB Samsung wins buy 20 TBW an increase of 2.8% whereas none of these TBWs from either manufacturer will be reached even as a heavy user at 2.7 TBs per week

Last edited 1 year ago by Anshul Rana
Madhav Pujara
Madhav Pujara
1 year ago
Reply to  Anshul Rana

I really wanna ask will a regular user /developer like me who doesn’t code that much but work more online which of this is good i bought the Samsung but i am having second thoughts after reading reviews should i buy Evo from samsung and return the qvo