CONCLUSION

   Noone here knows just how long NVMe will stay in the spotlight before it gets replaced by something even more durable and faster but until that happens this is as fast as SSDs can go. It goes without saying really that most consumers may never get to really “use” the performance levels offered by the 950 Pro (especially the 512GB model which we tested) but if the price is right and on par with many “regular” PCIe SSD models I don’t see why people should choose those instead. The only “slight” drawback is that your mainboard needs to have an M.2 connector (and you may also need to install Samsung’s NVMe driver) but It’s quite clear from our charts that even with a PCIe x4 adapter people without such mainboards can get pretty good results that surpass regular PCIe models. Unfortunately although our Core i7 3930k rig has a total of 12 Noctua fans and thus airflow is not a problem while testing the 950 Pro in the Z170 rig we did notice some performance irregularities (throttling) due to high temperature buildup. This shouldn’t be a problem with regular everyday use but just in case it does happen be sure to improve airflow levels inside your case (or place a small fan right over the drive).

   Samsung has a way of nailing it when it comes to pricing and the 950 Pro line is no different since currently the 512GB model retails for USD327 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 313Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) so it doesn’t cost more than regular PCIe models. The price is by no means low since you can find 480/512GB SATA III SSDs for half as much but if you need the extra horsepower and durability or if you just want the best available the 950 Pro 512GB M.2 NVM Express SSD is the clear winner and that’s why it gets our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality
- Top Of The Charts Read & Write Performance
- 1.5 Million Hours MTBF
- M.2 / PCIe Solution
- 5 Years Warranty
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Heat Buildup