It has been nearly a year and a half since the current Apple TV was released, so the device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade. Below, we recap rumors about the next Apple TV, including potential features and launch timing.
The current model is the third-generation Apple TV 4K, announced in October 2022. Key new features compared to the previous model from 2021 include a faster A15 Bionic chip, a larger 128GB storage option, a slightly thinner and lighter design, HDR10+ support, a USB-C port on the Siri Remote, lower pricing, and more.
Launch Timing
In January 2023, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reported that a new Apple TV would be released in the first half of 2024. If that timeframe remains accurate, a new Apple TV would be released by the end of June. If so, the device could be announced in a press release on Apple’s website, or unveiled during the WWDC keynote on June 10.
Gurman has not commented on the next Apple TV in recent months, and his report was published nearly 15 months ago, so it is unclear if the device remains on track to launch in the first half of 2024 or if Apple’s plans have changed.
Announcement dates for recent Apple TV models:
Third-generation Apple TV 4K: October 2022
Second-generation Apple TV 4K: April 2021
First-generation Apple TV 4K: September 2017
Apple TV HD: September 2015
Rumors
Faster Chip
The next Apple TV will be equipped with a faster processor compared to the current model, according to Gurman’s report last year. It’s unclear which chip will power the device, but possibilities include the A16 Bionic chip that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro models or the A17 Pro chip that debuted in the iPhone 15 Pro models.
Lower Price
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the next Apple TV to be “more affordable” than the current model. He said a “sub-$100 price” would be the “sweet spot” for the Apple TV, but exact pricing for the next model remains to be seen.
Both the second-generation (2010) and third-generation (2012) versions of the Apple TV were priced at $99 in the U.S. at launch, and Apple eventually lowered the price of the third-generation model to $69, so there is precedent for a sub-$100 Apple TV that would better compete with low-priced streaming devices sold by Google, Amazon, and Roku.
In the U.S., the current Apple TV starts at $129 with 64GB of storage, and a 128GB model with an added Ethernet port is available for $149.
Similar Design
The new Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, Gurman said.
Apple said the A15 Bionic chip’s increased power efficiency allowed for the fan to be removed in the current Apple TV, resulting in the device having a more compact design that is around 12% thinner and around 50% lighter than the previous model.
Apple TV With Camera
A future Apple TV could have a built-in camera for FaceTime and other video calling apps, Gurman said in his Power On newsletter a few days ago.
tvOS 17 added a FaceTime app to the Apple TV, allowing for users to have video calls by using the rear camera on a connected iPhone or iPad. If the Apple TV gained a built-in camera, users would no longer need to rely on an external device.
It is unclear if a camera would be added to the next Apple TV or a later model.
Staff at UK video game retailer GAME have reportedly been told to expect layoffs as they’ve been moved to zero-hours contracts.
According to a recent report from Eurogamer, the high street chain owned by Fraser Group will now employ most non-managerial staff with zero-hours contracts from now on, while newer junior staff members, who are also on zero-hours contracts, are being referred to as “cast members.”
Multiple staff members, who remained anonymous, confirmed the changes to the publication and said that the move to make zero-hours contacts standard across the business was not unexpected.
In addition, staff have been told to expect layoffs and that employees will either be contacted by email or telephone, informing them of any job cuts.
At this time, GAME hasn’t released a statement and it’s currently unclear how many jobs will be cut.
In February, GAME halted all trade-ins in its stores to phase out its pre-owned stock. Standalone GAME stores will continue to sell pre-owned stock until everything is gone, while concession stores – like those that exist within Sports Direct stores – were stopped entirely.
Concession stores were set to complete store-to-store transfers of their pre-owned software, while hardware will be sent back to the distribution center to be redistributed.
Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.
The new policy comes after a transition phase that saw the retailer move from standalone stores to smaller concession stores in Sports Direct and House of Fraser.
This most recent report is another in an ongoing wave of job cuts across the games industry, all of which have amounted to over 16,000 in the past 18 months according to PC Gamer.
“The company is also working on new versions of the low-end iPad and iPad mini, but those won’t be coming before the end of the year at the earliest,” he said. “The new downscale iPad will probably end up being a cost-reduced version of the 10th generation model from 2022, while the iPad mini update won’t include much more than a processor upgrade.”
The current sixth-generation iPad mini was released in September 2021, and it is equipped with an A15 Bionic chip. Gurman expects the next model to feature a newer chip, but few other changes. Additional features rumored by other sources include camera upgrades and a fix for the “jelly scrolling” display behavior.
The low-end iPad was last updated in October 2022. An eleventh-generation iPad could start at a lower price than the 10th-generation iPad, which could pave the way for Apple to discontinue the ninth-generation iPad with the Lightning connector.
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
Apple agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models (“batterygate”), and eligible customers can now submit a claim for payment. Apple’s settlement received court approval on March 4, and the claims period began today, according to law firm Rochon Genova LLP. To submit a…
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook this week sold 196,410 shares of the company’s stock, which had a total value of approximately $33.2 million based on the average sale price of the transactions, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. After taxes, Cook netted nearly $16.4 million from the sales. Cook received all of the shares that he sold this week as a performance-based stock…
It has been nearly 18 months since Apple last updated its iPad lineup, and customers are anxiously waiting for new models to be announced. For months, there have been rumors about new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but the estimated timeframe for their release has been repeatedly pushed back from March to April to May. In defense of these rumors, it does sound like Apple has experienced…
Apple is exploring various “personal robotics” projects in an effort to create its “next big thing,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Amazon’s Astro robot One of these projects is described as a “mobile robot” that would “follow users around their homes,” while another is said to be an “advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around”:Engineers at Apple have…
Apple this week made the first betas of iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 available to developers for testing. The upcoming software updates include only a few new user-facing features so far, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the first iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 betas so far. Web Distribution Starting with iOS 17.5, iPhone…
The cost of ditching Windows 10 at your business and upgrading to the latest software might end up being a rather expensive process, Microsoft has revealed.
Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, with businesses then needing to pay out for its Extended Security Updates (ESU).
The company has now unveiled details on how much businesses will need to have to pay if they want to keep using Windows 10 after its official end of support deadline without being left open to security attacks.
Costly Windows 10 upgrade
In a blog post explaining the changes, Microsoft reminded businesses that will need to keep using Windows 10 after support ends that they will need to enroll those PCs in the ESU program.
There will be three paid options for businesses looking to extend their support, Microsoft said – the traditional 5-by-5 activation key method, a cloud-based activation method, and activation included with your Windows 365 subscription.
The former is the base license package, costing $61 per device for Year 1, with users simply downloading an activation key and applying it to whichever individual Windows 10 devices they have selected for the ESU program.
Companies will also be able to access ESU through their existing Windows 365 subscription at no extra cost, with devices automatically be activated to receive security updates without any additional steps.
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Finally, Microsoft also has a “special offer” for organizations using a Microsoft cloud-based update management solution such as Microsoft Intune or Windows Autopatch, who can access a 25% discount, meaning their ESU will cost $45 per user for up to five devices for Year 1.
“ESUs allow you to receive critical and/or important security updates for Windows 10 PCs when you need extra time to move to Windows 11,” the company noted.
“Organizations that run legacy software are at a higher risk of security breaches and potential compliance violations. While Windows 10 PCs will continue to function after they reach end of support, they will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, feature improvements, or security issue resolutions. Upgrading to Windows 11 or transitioning to a new Windows 11 PC will help you deliver the best, most secure computing experience to your employees—and help protect your organization.”
When WWDC 2024 takes place in June, Apple will unveil the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 15. While most of what we’ve heard about upcoming software has been focused on iOS, macOS and iOS often share many features, so we have some idea of what’s coming to macOS as well.
AI Features
Apple is working to add a number of AI-centric features to its operating system updates, many of which are likely to be cross-platform.
Siri improvements and deeper integration with Shortcuts.
Siri could benefit the most from AI improvements, and there are rumors suggesting the personal assistant will be better at natural conversation and user personalization, with the new functionality set to be available cross-device.
Apple is specifically working on improved interaction between Siri and the Messages app, so Siri will be able to do things like auto-complete sentences more effectively and follow multi-part, complex commands.
Deeper integration with the Shortcuts app could allow users to automate complex tasks that involve multiple apps.
There is a slim possibility there might be some kind of chatbot based on generative AI, as rumors suggest that Apple is considering partnering with Google or OpenAI to use their large language models, but Apple may also just be planning to use generative AI for system features.
Other New Additions
There are several other features that are rumored to be coming to macOS 15.
Accessibility – Apple is working on an Adaptive Voice Shortcuts feature for creating a custom phrase and linking an accessibility setting to it, plus there will be an option for organizing Live Speech into user-created categories.
Freeform – A Scenes feature will let users select specific sections or Scenes within their boards for faster navigation and sharing.
Since 2013, Apple has been using California landmark names for the Mac operating system, and there’s no sign that’s going to change. Apple has trademarked several names over the last decade, and some of the possibilities that have yet to be used include Redwood, Grizzly, Sequoia, Mammoth, Pacific, Rincon, Farallon, Miramar, Condor, Diablo, and Shasta.
Apple could go with a non-trademarked name, and it has done so several times in the past.
These are the names that Apple has used since it started naming macOS after California landmarks:
Mavericks
Yosemite
El Capitan
Sierra
High Sierra
Mojave
Catalina
Big Sur
Monterey
Ventura
Sonoma
Release Date
macOS 15 will be previewed at the WWDC 2024 keynote on Monday, June 10. The first beta will be provided to developers that same day, and a public beta will likely follow in the summer.
macOS 15 will then see a public launch sometime in the fall, either in September or October based on past launch timelines.
Read More
For more on what to expect in macOS 15, check out our macOS 15 roundup, which we will keep up to date both before and after WWDC.
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting “later” in 2024, and Google has since revealed a more narrow timeframe.
In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the “fall of 2024.” This timeframe suggests that RCS support will be added to the iPhone with iOS 18, which should be available in beta in June and released in September. At the latest, support should be added in iOS 18.1, which is likely to be released in October.
RCS support should result in the following improvements in the Messages app for conversations between iPhones and Android smartphones:
Higher-resolution photos and videos
Audio messages
Typing indicators
Read receipts
Wi-Fi messaging
Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users
These modern features are already available for iMessage, and in many third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS support on the iPhone will extend the features to green bubbles in the Messages app.
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple’s password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they’ll respond favorably to social engineering. An…
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will…
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the “biggest” update in the iPhone’s history, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. “The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone’s software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade,” wrote Gurman, in a r…
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new…
Apple may be planning to add support for “custom routes” in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple’s pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled “CustomRouteCreation.” While not much is revealed…
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS…
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to “Apple Fellow” in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working…
One UI 6.1 is finally hitting the air for Galaxy devices launched before 2024. Starting today, One UI 6.1 is coming to the Galaxy S23 series, the Galaxy S23 FE, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the Galaxy Tab S9 series, with the update already live in some markets.
One UI 6.1 is an exciting update, and if you own one of the devices mentioned above, you will probably spend the rest of the day spamming the Download and install option in your phone or tablet’s Settings » Software update menu until the update actually shows up.
However, you may find that your device notifies you of a network or server error when you try checking for the update. Don’t worry, it’s not just you: One UI 6.1 started rolling out just a few hours back, and Samsung’s servers, as large as they are, may end up being overloaded by the high number of requests from users.
The servers may also be struggling because the One UI 6.1 update is a whopping 3GB download, matching the size of Android 14 and One UI 6.0 combined, which means each download will take longer to finish.
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the “biggest” update in the iPhone’s history, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone.
“The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone’s software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade,” wrote Gurman, in a report focused on WWDC 2024. Apple recently said that its annual developers conference will run from June 10 through June 14, and iOS 18 will be a key announcement.
iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more customizable Home Screen and other user interface design changes, new features in apps like Apple Maps and Freeform, additional accessibility features, and more.
Smarter Siri and Generative AI
iOS 18 is rumored to have new generative AI features for Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and more, according to sources such as Gurman and The Information‘s Wayne Ma.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly teased that the company is working on generative AI, and plans to share details “later this year,” and Apple’s marketing chief Greg Joswiak also hinted at AI this week in a social media post about WWDC 2024.
Generative AI surged in popularity in late 2022, when OpenAI released ChatGPT, a chatbot that can respond to questions and other text prompts. The company has also expanded into generative AI tools for images and videos. Other companies like Google and Microsoft have also pushed into the generative AI space, and the technology is quickly evolving.
MacRumors exclusively reported that iOS 18 will finally allow users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid. This means that users will be able to create blank spaces, columns, and rows between app icons. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones, and now Apple is bringing it to the iPhone.
iPhone users can already customize the Home Screen with apps such as Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, which can be used to create “blank” app icons and widgets, but Apple’s official solution will be much more convenient.
We expect iOS 18 to include additional customization options beyond icon arrangement, as part of the biggest Home Screen revamp in years.
New Apple Maps Features
MacRumors recently revealed two potential new Apple Maps features coming with iOS 18: custom routes and topographic maps.
With the custom routes feature, Apple Maps users would be able to choose specific roads to travel on while navigating, for reasons such as familiarity or scenic views. This feature is expected to be available in the U.S. only at launch. Google Maps already allows users to create custom routes on the web, and then view them on an iPhone.
Topographic maps first debuted on the Apple Watch last year with watchOS 10, and code suggests that the feature will be expanded to the iPhone, Mac, and Vision Pro with iOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2. These maps include details such as trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest for hiking and other outdoor uses.
RCS Support in Messages App
In November, Apple announced that it would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting “later” in 2024, so it will likely be an iOS 18 feature based on that timeframe.
RCS support should result in the following improvements to the default messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices:
Higher-resolution photos and videos
Audio messages
Typing indicators
Read receipts
Wi-Fi messaging between iPhones and Android devices
Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users
These modern features are already available for iPhone-to-iPhone conversations with blue bubbles, via iMessage, and many of the features are also available in third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS support on the iPhone will extend the features to green bubbles in the Messages app.
The Samsung 990 EVO steps into the spotlight following the well-received Samsung 990 Pro, setting the stage for an SSD to carry forward the EVO series’ legacy of performance and reliability.
The 970 EVO Plus, this SSD’s predecessor, was one of the best SSD picks when it was released a couple of years back, and it’s still celebrated as one of the best cheap SSDs you can get even now, despite lacking the kinds of data rates you’ll get with a modern PCIe 5.0.
That leaves the 990 EVO with the ambitious task of following up a beloved budget model while introducing a hybrid PCIe 4.0/5.0 interface aimed at carving out a niche in an increasingly competitive SSD arena, and in that, it kind of succeeds – but also disappoints.
Right out the gate, the 990 EVO distinguishes itself with an interface capable of toggling between x4 PCIe 4.0 and x2 PCIe 5.0, which gives PC users a decent amount of wiggle room for their PCs if they’ve got a lot of drives plugged in. Coupled with a newly minted 5nm controller designed to enhance efficiency, the 990 EVO should be set up for success.
The drive opts for a DRAM-less configuration, however, that somewhat tempers expectations with its more modest bandwidth, leading to speeds that clock below what the best PCIe 4.0 drives are capable of.
Despite this, the single-sided 2TB variant I reviewed presents a versatile option for both PC enthusiasts and PlayStation 5 owners, a nod towards the growing standardization of high-capacity, single-sided drives. It lacks a heatsink, so PS5 users especially will want to look at an add-in heatsink just to be safe, but given the speeds involved, this drive doesn’t really get hot enough that you’ll need to be too concerned.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Targeted primarily at the laptops, OEM, and pre-built PC markets, the 990 EVO promises to deliver sufficient performance for gaming and everyday use, and positions itself as a compliment to the far more robust 990 Pro. It’s a more cost-effective solution for gamers and others while still benefiting from Samsung’s solid software support and reliability, and the option to toggle between PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 is a real value add for this drive.
Price-wise, the 990 EVO entered the market with a recommended retail price of $149.99 for the 1TB model and $239.99 for the 2TB variant, according to Samsung’s website, but even there, these prices have been marked down quite a bit, and you can find the 1TB model for about $90/£100/AU$219, depending on where you look.
This pricing strategy places it in a good balance with its Pro sibling and other competitors, especially in a market where SSD prices are on the rise.
Performance specifications for the 990 EVO boast up to 5,000 MB/s and 4,200 MB/s in sequential reads and writes, respectively, alongside impressive random read and write IOPS. These figures are complemented by a standard five-year warranty and support for TCG Opal 2.0 encryption, making it an attractive option for security-conscious laptop users.
In terms of real-world performance, I more or less achieved these speeds across the board, and the drive’s flexibility to operate across both PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 interfaces is a highlight. Despite the drive’s low-ish 5,000MB/s advertised sequential read speed (which doesn’t come close to maxing out the PCIe 4.0/5.0 lanes available to it), the drive does at least hit or exceed this claimed speed.
Despite these technical intricacies, the 990 EVO’s broader challenge lies in its identity within the highly competitive SSD market. It seeks to offer a balance between performance, efficiency, and price – a task complicated by the competitive pricing and superior performance of PCIe 4.0 alternatives like the 990 Pro, PNY XLR8 CS3140, or Patriot Viper VP4300.
All together then, the Samsung 990 EVO represents a solid addition to the SSD market. It doesn’t bring you the kind of PCIe 5.0 speeds we see with the Crucial T705, but it’s not meant for full-on performance. If you want that, you’ll be better off investing in a ‘real’ PCIe 5.0 SSD, but for what it is, the 990 EVO hits the mark it needs to hit.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Samsung 990 EVO: Price & availability
How much does it cost? MSRP starting at $149.99/£100/AU$219
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Samsung 990 EVO starts at $149.99/£100/AU$219 for 1TB and maxes out at 2TB for $239.99/£169/AU$359, at least officially.
This doesn’t include a heatsink, but given the rather modest speeds and energy usage of this SSD, your motherboard’s heatsink will be more than enough since you really don’t even need the extra heat spreader for this drive.
While the above are retail prices for this SSD (according to Samsung’s website), even Samsung can be found offering these drives for up to 40% off, making this one of the best cheap SSD options out there if you’re hoping to find a good balance between price and performance.
Samsung 990 EVO: Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell – Column 0
Samsung 990 EVO 1TB
Samsung 990 EVO 2TB
Price
$149.99/£100/AU$219
$239.99/£169/AU$359
NAND
Samsung V-NAND TLC
Samsung V-NAND TLC
Heatsink?
N
N
Form factor
M.2 2280
M.2 2280
Interface
PCIe 5.0 x2 | PCIe x4
PCIe 5.0 x2 | PCIe x4
Max Sequential Read
5,000MB/s
5,000MB/s
Max Sequential Write
4,200MB/s
4,200MB/s
Active power (Read/Write)
4.9W | 4.5W
4.9W | 4.5W
Endurance rating
600TBW
1200TBW
Warranty
5-year
5-year
Should you buy the Samsung 990 EVO?
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Samsung 990 EVO Scorecard
Value
At its MSRP, there are far better PCIe 5.0 SSDs that will get you better performance, but thanks to recent price drops, this SSD is a much better value.
4 / 5
Design
The single-sided design makes this a good potential SSD for PS5’s, especially thanks to its lower power-usage and more manageable thermal performance.
4 / 5
Performance
This is an EVO-branded SSD, so it’s more about balance than pure performance, and for that, it comes out as a pretty solid performer.
4 / 5
Average rating
While not the best PCIe 5.0 SSD you can get at this price, the improved power efficiency and single-sided form factor makes this ideal for mobile devices like laptops. But at it’s MSRP, you can do better.
4 / 5
Buy the Samsung 990 EVO if…
Don’t buy it if…
Samsung 990 EVO: Also consider
If my Samsung 990 EVO review has you looking for other options, here are two more SSDs to consider…
How I tested the Samsung 990 EVO
I spent about two weeks testing the Samsung 990 EVO
I used it as my main system drive on my workstation PC
I used my standard battery of benchmark tests along with content creation and general use
I spent about two weeks testing the Samsung 990 EVO, using it as my primary system drive on my workstation PC that I used for content creation, general work use, and some light gaming.
Primarily, though, this drive is best reserved for mobile devices like laptops and possibly PC gaming handhelds that can better benefit from its improved energy efficiency.
I’ve been reviewing PC hardware for several years, in addition to earning my Master’s Degree in Computer Science in 2024, so I know very well how a drive like this should perform with its given architecture and price point — knowledge I leverage to ensure you find the best SSD for your needs and budget, whether it’s the Samsung 990 EVO or a competing drive.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained – regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it’s on our radar.
Although QLC NAND is capable of storing substantial amounts of data, it falls behind in performance when compared to other NAND types. Because it’s denser (housing four bits per cell) than TLC (which accommodates three), it’s typically slower and less robust.
Western Digital has employed a smart method to improve the performance and durability of its new SN5000S QLC flash drive. Thanks to the integration of a high-speed pseudo-SLC cache, over-provisioning of raw cells, and a controller that minimizes write amplification, it surpasses its TLC predecessor, SN740.
While the older SN740 was built using WD and Kioxia’s fifth generation BiCS 112-layer vertically stacked 3D NAND, the newer SN5000S benefits from BiCS sixth generation 162-layer NAND.
Speed improvements
Due to the SLC caching, the SN5000S has shown a 1.4% increase in random read IOPS and a 12.5% improvement in random write IOPS. Its sequential reads and writes are reportedly faster by 16.5% and 15.5%, respectively.
The SN5000S comes in M.2 2280 “gumstick” and M.2 2230 form factors with capacities ranging from 512GB to 2TB.
While the SN5000S has shown significant improvements, it’s worth mentioning that it uses slightly more power at peak than the SN740. The 2TB model’s peak power is 6.9W compared to 6.3W with its predecessor.
Additionally, the SN5000S 512GB and 1TB models have lower endurance than the SN740 equivalents. This improves with the 2TB model though – SN5000S hits 600 TBW while SN740 is 500 TBW.
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
As the SN5000S drives are primarily for OEMs, no official prices are available.
