# QLC vs TLC SSDs (Samsung QVOs vs EVOs)



## Reid Rosefelt (Jul 31, 2020)

Perhaps you have wondered about the difference between various SSDs.

From my quick reading about this, QLC technology (QVO) reads just as fast as 3D TLC, but doesn't write as fast. QLC technology is intended to cut costs. No matter the brand, QLC SSDs should be about 25% cheaper. 

So the main difference is when you are installing programs and libraries, or anything else that involves writing. After that, there shouldn't be any difference in speed between a QVO or an EVO. There could be other issues, like power or durability, so check it out before you buy. 

If you see 3D NAND when you're shopping for an SSD, it's TLC. 

The last time I looked on Amazon for a 1 TB Samsung
860 QVO $109
860 EVO $129
860 PRO $299


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## Bman70 (Jul 31, 2020)

I can't tell which type this is, but it seems fast so I bought one:


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## mussnig (Jul 31, 2020)

Bman70 said:


> I can't tell which type this is, but it seems fast so I bought one:




Good choice but for samples even the non-pro version should be more than good enough (but given the current price, going with Pro seems a no-brainer).

I am using this one (but non-pro) as well. Before it became my sample drive I used it for a movie project and all the files (video files where recorded with 400 MBit/s) were on this drive and I could still work on the project and didn't notice any issues ...


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## Bman70 (Jul 31, 2020)

mussnig said:


> Good choice but for samples even the non-pro version should be more than good enough (but given the current price, going with Pro seems a no-brainer).
> 
> I am using this one (but non-pro) as well. Before it became my sample drive I used it for a movie project and all the files (video files where recorded with 400 MBit/s) were on this drive and I could still work on the project and didn't notice any issues ...



Oh I was concerned about speed for my libraries, which I intend to move entirely to SSD. Have never gone external before. I had a WD Blue NAND one in my wish list, but Amazon is offering 5-monthly payments billing on the Samsung, so I went for that. Next time I'll just get a non-pro 2TB.


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## VladK (Aug 1, 2020)

QLC chips are densier. Yes, write speed is significantly lower than TLC, and read speed is slightly below as well, but they are slightly cheaper per byte, and allow to pack more bytes per chip. This is why you always see SSD drives of higher capacity released with QLC chips before you see same capacity with TLC chips.

TLC means Triple-Layer Cell (3 bits per cell)
QLC means Quad-Layer Cell (4 bits per cell)

There are also SLC (single), PLC (penta), etc.

The more bits per cell and the higher the density is, the more errors need to be corrected during write operations, hence the write speed differences.


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## Reid Rosefelt (Aug 1, 2020)

There are lots of excellent 1 TB SSDs by companies like Crucial and Adata that cost in the neighborhood of $100 and even go a bit lower during a sale. They get good reviews and this will sound like heresy, most will be be as good or better as an EVO, let alone a QVO. I don't buy Samsung anymore, because I'm happier with Adata.

You can get an external enclosure for $10-$15 and there are also *kits* that allow you to hook up two drives in a single drive bay.


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## dzilizzi (Aug 1, 2020)

My Adata drive is the only one that has failed. So I am leery of getting another. I normally get the QLC for sample drives, as only the read speed matters. I've been getting an inexpensive Sabrent enclosure that is easy to install a drive into. The only problem I have with it is that it uses a double A connector (USB 3). Most of my spare cables are A one side and the extended micro B on the other. (Yes the come with a cable, but they get misplaced)


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## Virtuoso (Aug 1, 2020)

I just got the new 4TB Samsung 870 QVO yesterday for $500, which is $200 less than the 4TB 860 EVO. This will be a read-only drive so I'm not worried about write performance - the only time that will be an issue is when I'm loading it up with content.

They write at full speed (~530MB/s) until the 78GB internal cache is full, at which point the write speed drops to 160MB/s. The speed drop is only an issue if you are writing more than 78GB at a time. Read speed remains high at 550-560MB/s.

An 8TB version is on the way and the prices for this series seem to scale linearly, so it might be $999.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Aug 1, 2020)

How are the QVOs vs the Sandisk? I saw Sandisk offers longer warranty and slightly better read speeds. All my SSDs right now are Samsung EVOs, but need a 4TB one.


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## Virtuoso (Aug 1, 2020)

Looks like the Sandisk warranty is 5 years vs 3 on the Samsung, but the Samsung TBW (terabytes written) warranty for the 4TB model is 1,440 vs 600 on the Sandisk.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Aug 1, 2020)

Virtuoso said:


> Looks like the Sandisk warranty is 5 years vs 3 on the Samsung, but the Samsung TBW (terabytes written) warranty for the 4TB model is 1,440 vs 600 on the Sandisk.



As a sample drive though, does the writing duration matter as much? 3 years will come faster than 1,440 TBW I imagine.


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## Solarsentinel (Aug 2, 2020)

TigerTheFrog said:


> Perhaps you have wondered about the difference between various SSDs.
> 
> From my quick reading about this, QLC technology (QVO) reads just as fast as 3D TLC, but doesn't write as fast. QLC technology is intended to cut costs. No matter the brand, QLC SSDs should be about 25% cheaper.
> 
> ...



The best SSD is in my opinion the crucial MX 500, it is fast on read/write operations. The EVO series from Samsung is very good too, but don't go to the QVO for a writing dedicated SSD. When the cache is fulled, the rate of flow considerably drop down 250/300mo/sec => 80 mo sec! You could consider one for a sample read use but fr the difference of price i think you gain more performance with a TLC type drive.

Furthermore a TLC SSD has a better time life than a QVO.


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## Michael Antrum (Aug 2, 2020)

For sample drives the 4TB QVO is IMO a good choice. I think I’ve only written to mine about four times since I bought it last BF.

I’ve filled it with libraries and in use it seems no faster or slower than my other SSD’s (Samsung EVO or Cru iCal MX500 - both 2TB models). It’s obviously going to be slower writing rather than reading, but I just went and did something else whilst I was filling it up.


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## Markus Kohlprath (Aug 2, 2020)

I use a HDD as my drive for the daw projects on my macpro 5,1 and need to replace it because it's old and slow and runs out of free space. Would you guys suggest a ssd and which one. Obviously there will be a lot of writing and reading. I think about 2tb crucial or samsung. Or would you rather get a newer HDD drive.


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## Michael Antrum (Aug 2, 2020)

Markus Kohlprath said:


> I use a HDD as my drive for the daw projects on my macpro 5,1 and need to replace it because it's old and slow and runs out of free space. Would you guys suggest a ssd and which one. Obviously there will be a lot of writing and reading. I think about 2tb crucial or samsung. Or would you rather get a newer HDD drive.



If your samples are on a spinning HDD, I’d buy an SSD, move the samples over to that drive, and then use the space freed up for project files...


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## Markus Kohlprath (Aug 2, 2020)

Michael Antrum said:


> If your samples are on a spinning HDD, I’d buy an SSD, move the samples over to that drive, and then use the space freed up for project files...


No, no samples are all dedicated ssd of course. Projects on another dedicated hdd, and the os on another dedicated ssd. That's how I've learned it since I'm into computer music production and works very well.
I just need to replace the hdd before it breaks up. It shows some signs of decay.


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## Soundbed (May 24, 2021)

Reviving this thread, so I don't start a new one with a similar introduction.

Every time I think I know something about SSDs, I learn more. I think I "should" be fine with QLC but I am switching to my first M.2 form factor SSD, after filling up about 6 SATA drives (and many older HDDs).

I recently bought: 
Inland Platinum 2TB SSD NVMe PCIe Gen 3.0x4 M.2 2280 3D NAND​


With an external enclosure that is a bit slower than the drive (but plenty fast I think):
Sabrent USB 3.2 Type-C Tool-Free Enclosure for M.2 PCIe NVMe and SATA SSDs (EC-SNVE)​


Before I get too many more of these M2 2280 NVMe SSDs, I don't plan to keep buying individual external enclosures.

Instead, I intend to spring for an OWC enclosure dock / drive bay, to hold 4 of them at one time and increase the speeds back up to 2800MB/s -- unless something better and cheaper comes along the way in the mean time: 
OWC​Express 4M2
4-Slot M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure​





OWC Express 4M2 4-Slot NVMe M.2 SSD Enclosure at MacSales.com


TB3EX4M2 OWC Express 4M2 4-Slot NVMe M.2 SSD Enclosure. Four easy-to-access NVMe M.2 SSD slots customizable for any workflow with up to 32TB of capacity and up to 2800MB/s performance.




eshop.macsales.com


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