The Samsung 990 Pro reclaims its throne as the fastest consumer NVMe SSD, boasting unparalleled performance. But does its premium price tag justify the upgrade for everyone?
The Samsung 990 Pro has emerged as the undisputed speed champion in the consumer NVMe SSD arena. This review dives deep into its features, performance, and value proposition to determine if it’s the right SSD for you.
Features and Specifications
The Samsung 990 Pro is a cutting-edge PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 SSD, equipped with 1GB of DRAM per terabyte for efficient caching. Leveraging an in-house Samsung controller and 236-layer 3D TLC NAND, this drive delivers exceptional performance.
Available in the standard 2280 form factor, the 990 Pro currently offers capacities ranging from 1TB to 4TB, with an 8TB version slated for release in the second half of 2025.
Samsung 990 Pro 4TB
A notable feature is its reduced power consumption compared to its predecessor, the 990 Pro. This translates to improved battery life in laptops and reduced heat generation in any system.
Samsung backs the 990 Pro with a five-year warranty and a 600TBW (Terabytes Written) rating per terabyte of capacity. While the warranty duration is standard, the TBW rating could be more generous considering the premium price point.
Pricing and Availability
The 990 Pro’s pricing reflects its high-end performance. The 1TB model retails for $200, the 2TB version for $300, and the 4TB variant for $550. An optional heatsink is available for an additional $20. However, most users won’t require a heatsink unless their system lacks one and can accommodate it.
Samsung 990 Pro retail box
While significantly more expensive than DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the 990 Pro’s performance justifies the premium for users who demand the absolute best.
Performance Analysis
The 990 Pro dominates synthetic benchmarks. In tests using CrystalDiskMark 8, AS SSD 2.0, and ATTO Disk, it consistently outperformed all competitors, including its predecessor, the 990 Pro.
CrystalDiskMark 8 results
While real-world performance was slightly behind some PCIe 5.0 DRAM-equipped rivals in large file transfers, the differences were marginal.
Random performance comparison
Although the 990 Pro excelled in single-queue random operations, it lagged behind competitors in multi-queue scenarios. However, since most current software utilizes single queues, this shouldn’t significantly impact real-world usage.
48GB transfer times
While the 450GB write test revealed a slightly slower performance compared to some rivals, the difference remained relatively small in practical terms.
450GB write test results
It’s important to note that real-world transfer tests, primarily conducted using Windows Explorer, often don’t fully utilize the capabilities of NVMe drives due to Windows’ single-queue limitations.
Verdict
The Samsung 990 Pro is undeniably the fastest consumer NVMe SSD available. If you require top-tier performance and are willing to pay a premium, this is the drive for you. However, for most users with less demanding workloads, a more affordable DRAM-less or PCIe 4.0 SSD may suffice.
Testing Methodology
Testing was conducted on a Windows 11 system with an X790 motherboard, i5-12400 CPU, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro for the OS and source drive. Tests were performed on a freshly formatted and TRIM’d drive. Results may vary depending on capacity, specific components, and usage conditions.
