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| Brand | Samsung |
|---|---|
| Model | PM981a |
| Capacity | 256GB |
| Usage Class | Client |
| Host Interface | NVMe |
|---|---|
| Total Interface Bandwidth | 32 Gb/s |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
|---|
| NAND Flash | TLC V-NAND |
|---|---|
| Drive Writes Per Day | 0.32 |
| Total Bytes Written | 150 TBW |
| Sequential Read | 3500 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Sequential Write | 2200 MB/s |
| Random Read IOPS | 240000 |
| Random Write IOPS | 490000 |
| Average Latency | 50 μs |
| Mean Time Between Failures | 1.5 Million Hours |
|---|---|
| Uncorrectable Bit Error Rate | 1.0×10⁻¹⁷ |
| Power Loss Protection | No |
| MPN | MZVLB256HEHQ |
|---|
Compared with the earlier MZVLB256HEHQ, the PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ-000L7 delivers a more write-optimized 256GB NVMe profile, reaching up to 3,500/2,200 MB/s sequential read/write and 240K/490K IOPS to improve responsiveness in mixed client and boot-drive workloads. Its TLC V-NAND design, combined with 150 TBW and 0.32 DWPD endurance, makes it a stronger fit for OEM notebooks and compact systems that need higher write performance without stepping up to a higher-capacity SSD.
With an endurance rating of 150 TBW, the MZVLB256HBHQ-000L7 can sustain about 82 GB of host writes per day over five years, which is well above the write volume of most OS, office, and general business system-drive workloads. In practical terms, for a typical boot drive or standard enterprise client image, this level of endurance supports long-term, worry-free operation and is more than sufficient for many years of normal use. In reliability terms, the specified UBER of 1.0E-15 means the drive is designed for a very low rate of unrecoverable read errors, helping ensure stable data access in day-to-day operation, while the 1.5 million-hour MTBF further reflects strong overall hardware reliability. This model does not include power-loss protection (PLP), so it is best deployed in systems with stable power or upstream UPS support, where it remains a dependable choice for read-centric and mixed general-purpose workloads.
1. The NVMe architecture, paired with strong sequential throughput, accelerates boot volumes, large database scans, and VM image loading so infrastructure reaches productive state much faster.
2. Its high random-read capability sustains responsive performance in metadata-heavy workloads such as virtualization, online transaction systems, and read-intensive cloud services.
3. The endurance profile is best suited to read-dominant enterprise deployments where capacity efficiency matters more than heavy daily overwrite activity.
4. TLC V-NAND provides a practical balance of density, cost, and reliability, making it well aligned with scale-out storage tiers and mainstream server fleets.
5. The very low typical latency helps reduce tail-response times, improving application consistency for caching layers, real-time analytics, and latency-sensitive business platforms.
Reference capacities in the same series: Lower capacity: 128GB Higher capacity: 512GB Capacity positioning analysis: In this series, the 256GB model is the practical sweet spot. Compared with the 128GB version, it gives much better space headroom for OS images, application binaries, logs, and patch growth, reducing the risk of early capacity pressure. Compared with the 512GB version, it keeps acquisition cost and replacement budget under tighter control while delivering broadly similar sequential throughput and random IOPS for mainstream enterprise use. It is best suited for small-to-mid virtualization clusters, such as hosting boot and utility volumes for about 40 to 60 lightweight virtual machines.
Q: Is MZVLB256HBHQ-000L7 suitable for a write-heavy database server?
A: Not ideally. With TLC V-NAND, 0.32 DWPD, and 150 TBW, this 256GB NVMe SSD is better suited for read-centric or mixed workloads than sustained write-heavy database server environments.
Q: How many full drive writes per day can it actually endure over its warranty period?
A: It is rated for 0.32 DWPD, meaning about 0.32 full drive writes per day over the warranty period. For 256GB capacity, that equals roughly 82GB of writes daily.
Q: Does it include power loss protection (PLP) and why is that critical?
A: No, it does not include PLP. Power loss protection is critical in enterprise or transactional systems because it helps prevent in-flight data loss and metadata corruption during sudden power failures.
Q: What RAID level is recommended for this SSD?
A: RAID 1 or RAID 10 is generally recommended for this SSD, depending on capacity and performance goals. These levels improve redundancy and availability, which is especially important without PLP support.