The latest EVO drive from Samsung is likely to give any enthusiast PC a decent boost in terms of performance, especially if you are looking to make the leap from older mechanical drives. While it isn't quite as fast as the 850 Pro and only slightly faster than the 840 EVO the cost is very competitive weighing in at a little under £200, just £10 more than the previous generation 840 EVO. If only every 'evolution' cost increase was as little as this! 18 months ago the 500GB 840 EVO cost £290 and even with the price cuts, the 840 EVO still commands a £190 price tag. With all this talk about cost savings though you would be forgiven for thinking the 850 EVO is a budget SSD - it isn't. It is neither the most expensive nor the cheapest 500GB SSD, striking a good balance between both high and low ranges.

Performance wise, the 850 EVO again is neither the slowest nor the fastest - at least until RAPID technology is enabled. That is when this drive really takes off and puts other drives into the shade. The blistering performance of RAPID shows just how much an advantage SAMSUNG have over other manufacturers in the current marketplace and indeed why their SSDs are just so damn popular. SAMSUNG could command a higher price tag and users; especially enthusiasts would no doubt pay the premium for the extra speed. The 850 EVO isn't just for the speed freaks though because at just 7mm in height it will appeal to both notebook and ultra book users alike. Encryption levels are good too and the drive is backed up with a substantial 5 year warranty. We look forward to see what SAMSUNG do with the mSATA versions of the 850 EVO because if this drive is a taster of what is available we cannot wait to bring you a further review of these products.



Overall, we feel justified in awarding our Gold award to the 850 EVO. In 'normal' operation the drive is not the fastest but remains toward the top half of our performance charts. Enable RAPID using Magician software though and the drive is near untouchable. The warranty period is extended to 5 years over the 4 offered with the 840 EVO while retaining the same excellent encryption levels available. All this for £10 more than the outgoing 840 EVO is not a lot to ask for and certainly a price we would pay were it our money. You should too!

In summary:
Feature packed and ridiculously fast thanks to 3D V-NAND and RAPID technologies will no doubt make the SAMSUNG 850 EVO extremely popular with enthusiast and business users alike.