Samsung 840 series review: High-end entry-level SSDs

The Samsung 840 series, which is not to be confused with the recently reviewed Samsung 840 Pro, is not really an upgrade to the Samsung 830 series that was released more than a year ago. The new drive belongs to Samsung's new tier; it's slightly slower and has components that suggest it's an entry-level SSD.

7.5

Samsung 840 series

$85 at Amazon

The Good

The <b>Samsung 840 series</b> solid-state drive (SSD) is affordable, good-looking, and offers very good performance.

The Bad

The Samsung 840 comes with just three, not five years of warranty coverage and is likely to have shorter lifespan than others of the same capacity.

The Bottom Line

The Samsung 840 series is an excellent entry-level solid-state drive for budget and general users, but not really a good buy for advanced or professional users.

That said, it's probably the best entry-level SSD you can find out on the market. This is because the Samsung 840 is not just great-looking but also offers the kind of performance that you'd expect from a more expensive drive. It's an excellent choice for budget home users who want to move up from hard drives for their laptops.

Professionals or those wanting top speed or durability, however, should still stick with the good-old Samsung 830 series, or the new 840 Pro, or any other drives on this top-five list.

Design and features