Beware: Samsung's 840 EVO SSD's are TLC, not MLC

[Rabby]

I writing this with a bag over my head because I'm embarrassed. Maximum PC gave a 9 Kick *ss award to Samsung's 840 EVO 1TB SSD this summer and I bought it thinking it was an MLC. In fact, Samsung's web page describes it as their "new 3 bit MLC NAND." But I spied rumors here and there that my drive was TLC and I logged into my Samsung account and wrote them for clarification. After three weeks passed without a reply I called them and a customer service representative sheepishly admitted that my SSD was TLC. For the same $600 I could've instead bought Crucial's M500 960GB SSD that is truly MLC. I went to anandtech.com and read Anand Lal Shimpi's review of it and saw it described as TLC. I'm disappointed that Maximum PC didn't point this out in their rave review. And I'm disappointed with Samsung for parsing language. From now on I'll make sure to read Anand Lal Shimpi's reviews to know the skinny. I've set my SSD to maximum reliability which makes it much less fast than it could be so it won't burn out as soon. And I probably won't be able to edit videos. Buyer beware.

[DenHond]

It's not that the ssd will be at a snail pace in 5 years (or you must be really pushing some data).
Then again, I get your dissapointment, but don't let it spoil your fun with it. Put it back on a normal setting and enjoy it!

[Rabby]

The other settings are maximum performance or maximum capacity. I'm afraid of the latter. In Anand Lal Shimpi's review he pointed out that the Crucial M500 960GB SSD is true MLC. It's not easy reading Anand's reviews because he doesn't necessarily try to speak to laymen. I had to click on "p/e cycles" to learn that it means "program/erase cycles," etc. In SLC there are two voltage cycles, in MLC there are four, and in TLC there are eight. Over time the silicon insulator of the cell wears out with each voltage cycle. Anand tries to allay fears that normal use won't wear out the Samsung 840 EVO very soon, but again, this means that I shouldn't think of editing videos. I thank you, friend, for your encouraging reply. :)

[Bad 💀 Motha]

TBO u are worrying over nothing. Unless u read and write TB upon TB worth of data each day, your everyday usage and even things such as video editing, should not really put a dent in the drives' life-cycle. As even with earlier gens of SSD with poorer life cycles, they are still on-track to out last pretty much any home/office consumer grade HDD on the market to date.

Unless u happen to get a drive that is poor in general from the start, then I seriously wouldn't worry. But with any drive u buy, it needs a backup copy if that data is important to you.

[Rabby]

I had a hi-fi stereo phase when I spent a lot of money and had speakers that could snuff out a cigarette lighter. Then I had a car phase when I spent a lot of money for performance that pulled me back into my seat when I floored it. I'm now in my PC phase which has been costing me more than the first two phases combined. I try to invest in the best components I can afford. This is why I was upset. However, the two encouraging replies I received in here is making me feel better and I'm very grateful. Thank you very much.