Best 500GB PCIe 3.0 Samsung SSDs
There are 10 500GB PCIe 3.0 Samsung SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Samsung 960 PRO M.2 at 3500 MB/s read. Sequential reads across the group span 2500–3500 MB/s at 500GB.
Why this configuration
A 500GB PCIe 3.0 Samsung 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.
500GB is a sensible OS-plus-a-few-games size.
Usually chosen for: budget builders, laptop upgraders and anyone leaving SATA behind.
Good fit: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 500GB ratings where published (4 of 10 drives), not the family headline figure. 1 of the 10 are rated slower at 500GB than at their fastest capacity. Rated writes at 500GB run 1800–3200 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 500GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung 960 PRO M.2 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Top-tier | SAMSUNG POLARIS CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500* | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung PRO 970 M.2 500GB, 1TB | Top-tier | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500* | 1200 | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Samsung EVO PLUS 970 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 |  Samsung PM981A 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | — | 3500* | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 5 |  Samsung EVO 970 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3400 | 600 | Check price on Amazon |
| 6 |  Samsung 960 EVO 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | High-end | Samsung Polaris Controller (5-Core | 3200 | 400 | Check price on Amazon |
| 7 |  Samsung PM981 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER "S4LR02 | 3200* | — | Check price on Amazon |
| 8 |  Samsung 950 PRO 250GB, 500GB | Mid-range | Samsung UBX | 2500* | 400 | Check price on Amazon |
| 9 |  Samsung 980 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG PABLO "S4LR033" CONTROLLER | 3100 | 600 | Find on Amazon |
| 10 |  Samsung PM961 128GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Samsung Polaris Controller "S4LP07 | 3000* | — | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 500GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
500GB is a comfortable OS-and-games starting point.
PCIe 3.0 x4 reaches about 3,500 MB/s — plenty for everyday use and gaming, and cheaper than Gen4.
Staying with Samsung means consistent firmware, tooling and warranty handling across the range.