Samsung 860 QVO SSD Targets Entry-Level Consumer Market

NAND-based storage like SSDs are often hailed for their reliability and speed but their prices have put them out of reach from average consumers. Fortunately, technology and manufacturing may be starting to become cheap enough that data storage manufacturers will soon be able to offer cheaper options. That does seem to be Samsung's spiel for its new 860 QVO SSDs, offering capacities that reach up to 4 TB without reaching the prices of other SSDs, even its own. At least in theory.

As expected, Samsung has thrown a lot of technical jargon in its announcement, from 4-bit MLC (Multi-Level Cell) V-NAND to MJX SSD controllers. These are pretty much the same technologies that Samsung uses for its other two SSD product lines. Now it has three, the QVO, EVO, and PRO SSDs in rising prices, targeting different market tiers.

What all the specs really boil down to is a sequential read speed of up to 550 MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 520 MB/s. That's for 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB all squeezed into a 2.5-inch form factor that will fit most laptops and desktops with a standard SATA interface. Perfect for the growing demands of regular consumers who record higher quality videos on their phones, download 4K videos, and play games with install sizes reaching dozens of gigabytes.

The real appeal of the Samsung 860 QVO SSD is its price tag, supposedly. With an MSRP of $149.99 for the 1 TB capacity, with prices going up as high as $599.99 for 4 TB though that has yet to be confirmed. It's definitely one of the cheaper options around and one that comes with a three-year limited warranty.

The slight problem with this proposition is that Samsung has strangely just discounted its 860 EVO 1 TB SSD from $200 to $130, making it actually cheaper than its entry-level sibling. And with a five-year warranty, it also sounds a lot more attractive too. The catch is that this $70 discount may not last long, especially now that the 860 QVO is available.