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Let’s hit the point directly.
WD Blue SN570 and Samsung 980 NVMe SSDs are exactly the same if we look at their key specifications. Both run on PCIe Gen 3×4 interface. If we talk about the NAND Flash, both have TLC NAND Flash. Also, both are DRAM-Less SSDs.
Both have the same TBW and also the read/write performance is similar. Both come with a 5-year of warranty. Both brands offer good after-sale service. There are numerous other similarities between them both. In fact, finding any difference in terms of specifications is hard.
So, your decision for choosing the right SSD between the both will come to just two things. First one is the brand and the second one is the price difference.
Both brands are reputed as well. So, if you want to choose the right SSD between the SN570 and 980, just check the price and get the one that seems affordable. If you are a fan of a specific brand, just go for your favorite company because you will see no differences in performance.
Let’s try to do some comparison below and still, see which one suits you the best.
1. Theoretical Specifications
First of all, let’s compare the key specifications and see what are the differences you may see.
| Specification | Samsung 980 | WD Blue SN570 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Variants | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Theoretical Read Speed (Max.) | 3,500 MB/s | 3,500 MB/s |
| Theoretical Write Speed (Max.) | 3,000 MB/s | 3,000 MB/s |
| Form Factor/Interface | M.2 (2280)/PCIe® Gen 3.0 x4, NVMe™ 1.4 | M.2 (2280)/PCIe Gen 4.0 x 4, NVMe 1.3 |
| MTBF (Reliability) | 1.50 Million Hours | 1.50 Million Hours |
| Warranty | 5 Years | 5 Years |
| T.R.I.M. | Supported | Supported |
| S.M.A.R.T. | Supported | Supported |
| Encryption | AES 256-bit Encryption | No hardware encryption |
| Heatsink Option | Not Available | Not Available |
| Image |  |  |
| Availability | Check Price | Check Price |
The only difference between SN570 and Samsung 980 is Encryption. SN570 comes with no encryption at all. But, Samsung 980 is using 256-bit encryption. All other specifications are similar so we can proceed further.
2. Synthetic Benchmark Scores
It is good to compare the synthetic benchmark scores in order to understand the capabilities of any SSD. We are going to compare UserBenchmark scores below to see which SSD is equipped with better speed when used practically.
| Parameter | Samsung 980 (1TB) | WD Blue SN570 (1TB) |
|---|---|---|
| Sequential Read Speed (Avg.) | 2,623 MB/s | 2,451 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed (Avg.) | 2,916 MB/s | 2,875 MB/s |
| Random 4K Read (Avg.) | 75 MB/s | 73 MB/s |
| Random 4K Write (Avg.) | 187 MB/s | 189 MB/s |
You can see that these synthetic benchmark scores are almost similar in both. With these benchmark scores, you can say that both these SSDs will offer same results when it comes to reading and writing sequence and random data.
3. Endurance and TBW
| Parameter | Samsung 980 | WD Blue SN570 |
|---|---|---|
| TBW | 250GB: 150 TBW 500GB: 300 TBW 1TB: 600 TBW | 250GB: 150 TBW 500GB: 300 TBW 1TB: 600 TBW 2TB: 900 TBW |
| Warranty | 5-Years Limited Warranty | 5-Years Limited Warranty |
| MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) | 1.50 Million Hours | 1.50 Million Hours |
Again, these both SSDs are similar in terms of reliability specs. You can expect similar results and similar life expectancy with both the products.
4. Technical Specifications
| Technical Specification | Samsung 980 | WD Blue SN570 |
|---|---|---|
| NAND Flash Type | TLC NAND | TLC NAND |
| NAND Flash Layers | 128 | 112 |
| Controller | Samsung Elpis Controller | WD Proprietary Controller |
| Controller Configurations | Not Specified | Not Specified |
| DRAM | No DRAM (HMB) | No DRAM (HMB) |
| Heatsink Option | Not Available | Not Available |
| Website | Samsung 980 | WD Blue SN750 |
Again, these technical specifications are almost similar. Samsung 980 is having a higher number of NAND Flash Layers. All other things are the same. Both companies haven’t disclosed the controller configurations.
5. Price
As we discussed earlier, price is going to be the main deciding factor between both these SSDs. So, you can check on the different platforms before you make your final decision. However, I have seen that the SN570 is generally cheaper compared to the 980.
Final Verdict: Which one should you buy?
In my opinion, buying Samsung 980 is definitely a good option. If you see a similar price, 980 is going to give you one advantage i.e. AES-256 encryption which SN570 is missing. However, if you are capable of saving a good amount with SN570, you can go for it and miss the encryption.
Both of these are entry-level NVMe SSDs. So, you can’t expect very much from them. The prices are also pretty affordable. So, whichever SSD you are choosing, you will not get a very high speed like other top-end NVMe SSDs. So, there is no need to get confused between these both, just get the one which is affordable.
Let me know what you think about this article in the comments!