Best 250GB PCIe 3.0 Samsung DRAM SSDs
There are 5 250GB PCIe 3.0 Samsung DRAM SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Samsung EVO PLUS 970 M.2 at 3500 MB/s read at 250GB. Sequential reads across the group span 2500–3500 MB/s at 250GB.
Why this configuration
A 250GB PCIe 3.0 Samsung DRAM SSD is an affordable NVMe step up from SATA. Gen3 is roughly six times SATA's throughput yet often costs little more, making it the easy default for a first NVMe drive or a laptop that only supports Gen3. Samsung specifically tends to be chosen here for its firmware track record and warranty support.
250GB covers an OS and core apps with little room for a large game library.
Usually chosen for: budget builders, laptop upgraders and anyone leaving SATA behind.
Good fit: workstation and creative loads that hammer random I/O.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 250GB ratings where published (3 of 5 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 250GB run 1500–2300 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 250GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung EVO PLUS 970 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung EVO 970 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3400 | 600 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 |  Samsung 960 EVO 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Samsung Polaris Controller (5-Core | 3200 | 400 | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 |  Samsung PM981 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER "S4LR02 | 3200* | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 5 |  Samsung 950 PRO 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Samsung UBX | 2500* | 400 | Check price on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 250GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
250GB fits an OS plus core apps.
PCIe 3.0 x4 reaches about 3,500 MB/s — plenty for everyday use and gaming, and cheaper than Gen4.
An onboard DRAM cache keeps the flash mapping table on the drive, holding random performance steady under sustained load.
Staying with Samsung means consistent firmware, tooling and warranty handling across the range.