Samsung launches speedy new 970 series NVMe SSDs

Updated May 7, 2018: Samsung's 970-series SSDs are now available, and the Pro versions are a bit cheaper than originally anticipated to boot. Instead of starting at $329.99, the Samsung 970 Pro now starts at $249.99 for the 512GB model. The 970 Pro 1TB model is now available for $499.99. Meanwhile, the Evo starts at $109.99 for the 250GB option.

Samsung today unveiled its latest pair of solid state drives (SSD), and they're both as speedy as it gets. As if designed to answer Western Digital's new drives introduced earlier this month, Samsung's new 970 series, which includes the 970 Pro and Evo NVMe SSDs, kick things up a notch by advertising even greater speeds.

Designed on the M.2 form factor, both drives are built for gaming and working quickly with intense workloads, such as 4K video editing and 3D design. The 970 Pro, in particular, can reach sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 2,700 MB/s. The Evo can also reach sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s, but it hits a slightly lower sequential write speed of up to 2,500 MB/s.

The faster speeds, Samsung says, are due in large part to its latest V-NAND technology and new Phoenix controller. The 970 Evo takes advantage of "Intelligent TurboWrite technology," which Samsung says provides a buffer size of up to 78GB in order to deliver faster write speeds. Overall, the increased sequential write speeds represent a 30 percent improvement over Samsung's 960 series.

The new 970 Pro and Evo will be up for grabs starting on May 7. The 97- Evo will be available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities, while the 970 Pro will be available in 512GB and 1TB capacities. Prices start at $329.99 for the Pro and $119.99 for the Evo.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl.