Samsung 840 Pro SSD - Revisited

Review: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB
Reviewed by: Wendy
Robertson

Provided by:  Samsung
Model: MZ-7PD256BW
Firmware version: DXM05B0Q

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It was roughly one year ago that I covered the Samsung 840
Pro SSD, and I found it a very impressive performer. Quite a lot has changed
with the 840 Pro over that year. It has new firmware, and it now supports
'Rapid mode' via the Samsung Magician software. As we have already found out,
Rapid mode can substantially boost performance, and in this article, I'll not
only be testing the 840 Pro in Rapid mode, but also taking a look at what the
latest 840 Pro firmware has to offer with regards to performance.

The model I'll be testing is the 256GB version.

So let's find out how this SSD performs in our range of
tests.

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Samsung company information

Samsung should need no introduction, but those of you who
would like to find out more about Samsung, can do so at their website.


The Samsung 840 Pro - 256GB SSD

Now it’s time to take a look at the drive itself and what it
came shipped with.

Packaging

The review sample I received was the basic kit, which is the
bare drive.

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Drive top


Box front


Box rear

Specifications

Software

The software supplied, via download from the Samsung website,
is as follows.

  • Samsung Magician 4.3
  • Samsung Migration software (not shown or tested)


Samsung Magician

The Samsung Magician software allows the user to maintain
the SSD, and has the following features.

  • Disk drive: Brings up useful information about the
    SSD, including its health status, and how much data has been written to
    the SSD.
  • System info: Allows the user to see system and
    drive properties.
  • Performance Benchmark: Performs a basic benchmark
    on the SSD.
  • Performance optimization: Performs a manual TRIM of
    the SSD.
  • OS Optimization: Allows operating system features,
    that can affect SSD performance, to be switched on or off.
  • Firmware Update: Allows the Samsung 840 Pro firmware
    to be updated.
  • Secure Erase: Sends a Secure Erase command to the
    SSD, clearing all NAND and returning the SSD back to its default factory
    state.
  • Over Provisioning: Allows the user to set aside a
    given amount of NAND as a manual over provisioning area.
  • SSD authenticity test: Checks to make sure
    that the SSD is a genuine Samsung SSD.
  • Enable Rapid mode: Enables the NVELO 'Rapid' cache
    feature.

 

Let’s head to the next page where we take a look at our
testing methods and the review PC....

 

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