Samsung 840 Pro SSD Conclusion

IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.

In terms of performance, the Samsung 840 Pro SSD is quite the little animal. The 840 Pro consistently scores near or at the top of the charts, easily beating out most of the drives in our test bench and coming very close when it is not the winner. The 840 Pro represents the culmination of a dramatic turn-around in Samsung’s SSD line-up. Making their SSDs from start to finish has allowed Samsung to put together a definite winner in the Samsung 840 Pro SSD.

The Samsung 840 Pro SSD performs splendidly under normal circumstances, but that isn’t even all that the 840 Pro has to offer. When paired with Samsung’s Magician software and with RAPID mode enabled, the 840 Pro goes from the top of the charts to far and above the fastest SSD in our bench.

The Samsung 840 Pro SSD doesn’t exactly reach out and grab you in terms of visual appeal. The device is a simple, matte-black box with nothing flashy at all. The 840 Pro SSD has the words “ Samsung Solid State Drive” on top, along with an orange square and a tiny triangle. In reality, SSDs don’t need any visual appeal. Even in computer chassis that have a viewing window, the hard drives are normally mounted horizontally in cages. SSDs are either mounted in the HDD cages or on the bottom, back, or sides of the chassis. The point is, you are unlikely to ever look at this SSD after it gets put in your case. One could argue that the lack of visual stimulation on an SSD is a good thing, since painting a pretty picture on it would cost more money. That cost would inevitably be passed onto the consumer.

One of the best features of any Solid State Drive is solid construction concept. The lack of mechanical components via the use of flash memory makes SSDs impervious to most forms normal physical damage that would threaten a mechanical Hard Disk Drive. Falls, bumps, and drops aren’t concerning anymore. You also don’t have to worry about the control arm giving out and scratching the platters. That frightening clicking that immediately sends us into a back-up frenzy is out of the question.

Samsung’s 840 Pro SSD definitely maintains all of the well-balanced construction features of every other Solid State Drive, but they also add additional protection in the form of a completely metal housing. Also, while most SSD failures end up happening due to component defects, Samsung mitigates this risk by producing all of the components for the 840 SSD in house. They don’t have to rely on another company to ensure that all of the pieces work properly.

As of June 2014, the Samsung 840 Pro SSD is available in the following capacities and retail prices:

• 128GB: MZ-7PD128BW $110 (Amazon | Newegg)
• 256GB: MZ-7PD256BW $204 (Amazon | Newegg)
• 512GB: MZ-7PD512BW $390 (Amazon | Newegg)

The Samsung 840 Pro SSD is marketed as a commercial product, with the 840 SSD and the 840 EVO Series in the consumer market. Based on our Iometer testing, you can certainly see why the 840 Pro SSD is commercial product. That being said, it will work just fine in any situation. The prices have fallen quite a bit since the launch of the 840 Pro line of SSDs, and that’s good news. With the prices listed above, the Samsung 840 Pro SSDs are worth taking a look at. The 840 Pro did perform at the top of our charts in every test and with RAPID mode enabled, there is no question that they are worth every penny. Of course, the 840 EVO Series SSDs can also use RAPID mode and cost a lot less.

Pros:

+ RAPID Mode
+ Full drive 256-bit AES hardware encryption
+ Lightweight compact storage solution
+ Resistant to extreme shock impact
+ Excellent Performance

Cons:

– A little pricey

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.50
• Appearance: 9.00
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.50
• Value: 8.00

Final Score: 9.1 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

COMMENT QUESTION: Which brand of SSD do you trust most?