Samsung SM963 480GB U.2 NVMe Enterprise SSD - MZQKW480HMHQ
Technical Identity
This enterprise NVMe solid-state drive is the Samsung SM963 480GB U.2 NVMe Enterprise SSD (MZQKW480HMHQ-00003), a refurbished 2.5-inch data center storage device sold by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS. The Samsung SM963 is a mainstream enterprise NVMe SSD built on Samsung V-NAND MLC with the Samsung Polaris controller, positioned between the read-centric PM953 and the write-intensive PM1725b in Samsung's datacenter hierarchy. Condition: Refurbished — tested and verified by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Engineering Context
The Samsung SM963 480GB (MZQKW480HMHQ-00003) delivers sequential read throughput up to 3,000 MB/s and sequential write throughput up to 700 MB/s over its PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.2 interface. Random read performance reaches approximately 350,000 IOPS and random write approximately 38,000 IOPS. The drive uses Samsung V-NAND MLC flash with the Samsung Polaris controller, capacitor-backed power-loss protection, and AES 256-bit hardware encryption. The SM963 is faster on reads than the PM953 (3,000 vs. 2,100 MB/s) but has lower write throughput than the PM1725b (700 vs. 2,000 MB/s), targeting mixed-read workloads. The 15mm z-height is standard for U.2 enterprise drives. The SM963 was superseded by the PM9A3 (PCIe 4.0) and PM9C3.
Deployment & Use Cases
The Samsung SM963 480GB is deployed as general-purpose datacenter NVMe storage for mixed-read workloads. Common deployments include web server backends and content management system storage, VM hosting with multiple VMs requiring higher IOPS than SATA, database index storage and fast-tier in tiered storage architectures, and SATA-to-NVMe migration in servers with U.2 bays (Dell PowerEdge R, HP ProLiant DL, Lenovo ThinkSystem). For write-intensive workloads (OLTP, logging), the Samsung PM1725b provides significantly higher write throughput.
Specifications
OEM: Samsung
Series: SM963
Part Number (MPN): MZQKW480HMHQ-00003
Capacity: 480GB
Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.2
Form Factor: 2.5-inch U.2 (SFF-8639), 15mm z-height
NAND Type: Samsung V-NAND MLC
Controller: Samsung Polaris
Sequential Read: Up to 3,000 MB/s
Sequential Write: Up to 700 MB/s
Random Read IOPS: ~350,000 (4K)
Random Write IOPS: ~38,000 (4K)
Power-Loss Protection: Capacitor-backed
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
What This Is NOT
The Samsung SM963 MZQKW480HMHQ is NOT a consumer SSD — it is an enterprise-class drive with power-loss protection and datacenter endurance. It is NOT a SATA or SAS drive — the interface is PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.2 over a U.2 SFF-8639 connector. It is NOT a write-intensive drive — sustained write workloads (OLTP, transaction logging) should use the Samsung PM1725b or PM1735 instead. It is NOT a PCIe 4.0 device — the SM963 is PCIe 3.0 only; the PCIe 4.0 successor is the Samsung PM9A3. It is NOT an M.2 drive — the 2.5-inch U.2 15mm form factor does not fit M.2 slots.
Compatibility
The Samsung SM963 MZQKW480HMHQ requires a U.2 (SFF-8639) NVMe-capable bay or a U.2-to-PCIe adapter card. Compatible hosts include Dell PowerEdge R-series (R630/R730/R740 with NVMe backplane), HP ProLiant DL-series (DL360/DL380 Gen9/Gen10 NVMe SKUs), Lenovo ThinkSystem SR-series, and Supermicro NVMe-enabled chassis. It does NOT connect to SATA, SAS, or M.2 slots. The 15mm z-height does NOT fit standard 7mm SATA trays. For PCIe 3.0 environments, the SM963 remains fully compatible; PCIe 4.0/5.0 hosts will negotiate down to PCIe 3.0 x4.
FAQ
What are the read throughput and IOPS of the Samsung SM963 480GB MZQKW480HMHQ?
The Samsung SM963 480GB (MZQKW480HMHQ-00003) delivers up to 3,000 MB/s sequential read and approximately 350,000 random 4K read IOPS over PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.2. Sequential write is up to 700 MB/s with approximately 38,000 random write IOPS.
Can the Samsung SM963 MZQKW480HMHQ be used in a SATA or 7mm drive bay?
No. The Samsung SM963 MZQKW480HMHQ is an NVMe drive with a U.2 SFF-8639 connector. It does NOT work in SATA or SAS backplanes. The 15mm z-height does NOT fit standard 7mm SATA trays. A U.2 NVMe backplane or PCIe adapter with 15mm clearance is required.
What is the condition of the Samsung SM963 MZQKW480HMHQ from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
The Samsung SM963 480GB MZQKW480HMHQ-00003 sold by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS at tes-itsolutions.com is refurbished and lab-tested with NVMe SMART data verification to confirm drive health, remaining endurance, and full functionality before shipment.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every Samsung SM963 SSD sold by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS is lab-tested with NVMe SMART data verification to confirm drive health, remaining endurance, and full functionality. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS provides technical consultation for NVMe migration planning, server compatibility verification, and enterprise storage architecture. Orders ship within 1–3 business days with global delivery via DHL, FedEx, and UPS.