Update on Samsung SSD Reliability (pugetsystems.com)

Article summary

Puget Systems reports that Samsung's 980 Pro 2TB SSD has shown abnormally high failure rates, but a recent firmware update may address the issue. However, the newer 990 Pro series is experiencing rapid health degradation, with some drives losing 1% endurance per week. Puget Systems is transitioning to Sabrent drives due to these reliability concerns. The company is working with Samsung to resolve the issues and will support customers affected by the problems.

Main themes

• SSD reliability
• firmware updates
• warranty and support
• transparency and open-source firmware
• consumable products
• repairability and recycling
• product lifespan and design

What commenters say

• Some commenters have experienced similar issues with their Samsung SSDs, including freezing and rebooting problems.
• The cause of the failures is unclear, with possible explanations including thermal problems, power delivery issues, and firmware bugs.
• There is a desire for longer warranties and better support for SSDs, with some suggesting a 10-year warranty or a trade-in program for failed units.
• Others argue that lifetime warranties are not reasonable for consumable products like SSDs, which have a limited number of writes.
• The importance of transparency and open-source firmware is highlighted as a potential solution to improve SSD reliability and performance.
• Some commenters have had negative experiences with warranty claims and support from manufacturers, leading to skepticism about the effectiveness of warranties.
• The idea of a decent warranty is seen as a way to incentivize companies to design products with longer lifespans, rather than cutting it close and risking warranty claims.
• There is nostalgia for the past when products were more repairable and had longer lifetimes, and a desire to return to those times or implement recycling programs for consumer products.