Samsung 960 EVO, 960 Pro NVMe SSDs: The Writing Is Literally On The Wall (Updated)

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The Samsung SSD Global Summit kicks off tomorrow with a two hour presentation. Samsung hasn't released any details but the writing is on the wall--literally--for the 960 Pro and 960 EVO to debut. Below is a picture of the wall of our hotel:

Neither product's existence should come as a surprise to anyone. The 960 Pro is the retail version of the SM961 we tested here and here. The 960 EVO is the same for the OEM model we tested here. Both products are spectacular, but the retail models should increase performance, resolve any outstanding bugs, and give users access to Samsung's excellent software suite.

The image shows the 960 EVO 1TB and the 960 Pro 2TB. For Samsung to reach 2TB and still keep the M.2 2280 single-sided design it will need new 60-layer V-NAND, a product we don't expect until early 2017. This wouldn't be the first time Samsung has announced smaller capacity size models with a promise of a larger version in the future. Last year, the company put forth a 950 Pro 1TB NVMe SSD, but it never came to market. The new 960 line solves Samsung's capacity scaling issue, but we had to wait an additional eight months after the planned release.

Look for more news coming out of the SSD Global Summit in the next 24 hours. Something tells me the new 960 SSDs are not the only new products that will come out of Seoul this year.

Update, 9/20/2016:

After looking at the drive with fresh eyes this morning, we discovered a few features on the new 960 Pro 2TB. The drive has a Polaris controller, DRAM package, and four NAND flash packages. This arrangement allows Samsung to reach 2TB with existing 48-layer NAND, but the form factor may change to M.2 22110 (22mm wide, 110mm long). We've seen SSDs configured with four packages on one side in a 2280 (80mm long) before, but some of the components, like DRAM, on the other side of the printed circuit board. We don't see a place on the Pro 2TB drive for DRAM, but Samsung packaged the DRAM with the controller in the 750 EVO series. If that is how Samsung addressed the form factor problem with the 960 Pro 2TB, it would also account for the low 1-amp power rating at 3.3 volts.

The 960 EVO uses the same layout as the PM961 OEM SSD we tested a few days ago. On the retail drive, Samsung will enable TurboWrite, and users may gain access to Rapid Mode, a DRAM-based acceleration algorithm.

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Chris Ramseyer
Chris Ramseyer
Chris Ramseyer is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews consumer storage.
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • thundervore
    I look at these M.2 NVMe SSDs and all I can think of is FINALLY!! They finally figured out how to put the sticker on the right way so when customers install it directly on a motherboard the logo is not backwards or upside-down.
    Reply
  • spoidz
    Is there any kind of storage bay device that uses M.2 devices? Could they build a mini device using them?

    Not debating whether they would be cost effective or practical, just wondering if this exists.
    Reply
  • tiagoluz8
    18623383 said:
    I look at these M.2 NVME SSds and all I can think of is FINALLY!! They finally figured out how to put he sticker on the right way so when customers install it directly on a motherboard the logo is not backwards or upside-down.

    YES! I think SSD manufacturers were like "we like it this way" and motherboard manufacturers were like "we like it that way", seems like one side finally won the battle.

    Reply
  • tiagoluz8
    18623470 said:
    Is there any kind of storage bay device that uses M.2 devices? Could they build a mini device using them?

    Not debating whether they would be cost effective or practical, just wondering if this exists.

    do you mean those adapters to U.2? I only know Intel (750 Series) SSDs that use that, some new motherboards have the connection onboard (no adapter required).
    Reply
  • spoidz
    18623671 said:
    18623470 said:
    Is there any kind of storage bay device that uses M.2 devices? Could they build a mini device using them?

    Not debating whether they would be cost effective or practical, just wondering if this exists.

    do you mean those adapters to U.2? I only know Intel (750 Series) SSDs that use that, some new motherboards have the connection onboard (no adapter required).

    No I mean a separate container with M.2 slots that would allow for a very small footprint.

    Thinking M.2 DAS or NAS

    Reply
  • thundervore
    18623470 said:
    Is there any kind of storage bay device that uses M.2 devices? Could they build a mini device using them?

    Not debating whether they would be cost effective or practical, just wondering if this exists.

    Im not sure the question you are asking but there are M.2 to SATA adapters. The adapters are convenient when a laptop dies and you need to transfer the data off.
    Reply
  • jkhoward
    He is asking if there is a enclosure that supports only M.2 SSD. Like a NAS/SAN designed for these small footprint devices.

    I've seen them in the server environment before but I am not aware of any that have made it to the consumer market yet.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    18623622 said:
    YES! I think SSD manufacturers were like "we like it this way" and motherboard manufacturers were like "we like it that way", seems like one side finally won the battle.
    Connector to the right seems like the only logical orientation to me: on a typical motherboard, the chipset which provides the PCIe lanes for the M.2 slot lives in the bottom-right corner of the motherboard and it makes more sense for motherboard manufacturers to put their M.2 connectors there to reduce trace length.
    Reply
  • svan71
    Samsung's excellent software suite? The most important features Rapid Mode and Performance Optimization do not work.
    Reply
  • tiagoluz8
    18623913 said:
    18623671 said:
    18623470 said:
    Is there any kind of storage bay device that uses M.2 devices? Could they build a mini device using them?

    Not debating whether they would be cost effective or practical, just wondering if this exists.

    do you mean those adapters to U.2? I only know Intel (750 Series) SSDs that use that, some new motherboards have the connection onboard (no adapter required).

    No I mean a separate container with M.2 slots that would allow for a very small footprint.

    Thinking M.2 DAS or NAS

    Oh, I found this one QNAP TBS-453A NAS with 4x M.2 Drives but I don't know if that's exactly what you are reffering to.
    Reply