Lexar 2TB SSD PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2

The Lexar NM790 is a 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that hits 7400 MB/s reads and 6500 MB/s writes, putting it near the top of our speed charts. It's DRAM-less but still manages 1000K random read IOPS, which is impressive. Pricing varies wildly from USD 330 to USD 476 in the US, so shop around, Newegg has the best deal. For laptop users especially, this is a strong buy with a 1500 TBW endurance rating and 5-year warranty.

The headline numbers are 7400 MB/s sequential read and 6500 MB/s sequential write. That's essentially maxing out the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, and it lands this drive in the top tier of our speed rankings. For real-world use, that means game loads, large file transfers, and video scrubbing all feel snappy. You won't see a meaningful difference between this and a drive that costs 50% more in day-to-day tasks.

Random performance is where the NM790 really surprises. 1000K random read IOPS and 900K random write IOPS put it near the top of our charts, which is impressive for a DRAM-less drive. Historically, DRAM-less SSDs struggled with random workloads because they lacked a dedicated cache buffer. Lexar is clearly using HMB (Host Memory Buffer) effectively here, borrowing a slice of your system RAM to handle the mapping tables. The result is a drive that punches well above its class in random operations, which matters more for everyday responsiveness than sequential numbers do. The endurance rating of 1500 TBW is also well above average for a 2TB drive, so you can write a lot of data to this thing before it starts to sweat.

The NM790 goes up against some heavy hitters. The Western Digital Black SN850X is probably the most direct competitor, and it's been a favorite for a while. The SN850X has a DRAM cache and slightly better sustained write performance, but you'll pay more for it. The Crucial T500 is another strong option with similar specs and a more established track record. The Kingston FURY Renegade is aimed at gamers and has comparable sequential speeds, though it tends to run hotter and cost more.

The Samsung 9100 PRO is the wildcard here. It's a newer drive with impressive specs, but Samsung's pricing has historically been premium. If you're brand-loyal to Samsung, you'll pay for that loyalty. The Micron T710 is interesting because Micron actually makes the NAND that goes into many other drives, including possibly this Lexar. The NM790's advantage is that it delivers near-flagship performance at a price that undercuts most of these competitors, especially when you catch it at the low end of its price range. The trade-off is a thinner track record and less social proof. Lexar isn't a no-name brand, but they don't have the same mindshare as Samsung or WD in the SSD space.

Pricing on the NM790 is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, we're seeing listings from USD 330 to USD 476, which is a USD 146 spread for the exact same drive. That's a big enough gap that you'd be silly not to shop around. Newegg has the best deal at USD 330, and at that price this drive is a steal. At the higher end of that range, the value proposition gets murkier because you're creeping into territory where more established flagships live.

In Canada, the spread is even wider. CAD 450 to CAD 727 is a CAD 277 difference, and again Newegg comes in with the lowest price at CAD 450. If you're paying anywhere near the top of that range, you're overpaying for what this drive is. The affordability percentile sits at 31st, which means it's not the cheapest option out there, but the performance you get for the money at the low end of the price range is hard to beat. The key is to not pay list price. Wait for a sale or buy from the vendor with the best everyday price.

The Lexar NM790 is one of those drives that makes you wonder why you'd pay more for a flagship. On paper it's a 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD with 7400 MB/s reads and 6500 MB/s writes, which puts it right at the ceiling of what the Gen4 interface can do. But the interesting part is how it gets there. This is a DRAM-less design using TLC NAND, and a few years ago that combo would have meant serious performance compromises. Lexar clearly figured something out, because the numbers tell a different story.

Who's this for? Laptop owners, mostly. Our scoring puts it at 84.3 out of 100 for laptop use, which is the strongest category for this drive. It also does well as an overall pick at 80.8. The PS5 compatibility is a nice bonus if you're tired of deleting games to make room for new ones. Gamers and creators who need fast sequential transfers without paying Samsung or WD flagship prices should pay attention.

The catch is that this isn't a drive for every scenario. The portable score is rough at 20.4 out of 100, so if you're planning to slap this in an external enclosure and carry it around, you should probably look elsewhere. But as an internal drive for a laptop or desktop, the NM790 makes a strong case for itself. The 1500 TBW endurance rating and 5-year warranty suggest Lexar isn't treating this as a budget throwaway either.

If you're planning to use this drive in a portable external enclosure, look elsewhere. The portable score of 20.4 out of 100 is one of the weakest we've seen in this category, and it suggests the NM790 doesn't handle the thermal and power constraints of external enclosures well. You'd be better off with a drive designed for that use case, or at minimum one with better thermal characteristics.

Heavy workstation users doing sustained writes all day should also consider alternatives. The DRAM-less design, while impressive for what it is, can still show its limits under constant heavy load. If you're editing 8K video or running a database server off this drive, something like the WD Black SN850X with its onboard DRAM cache will maintain more consistent performance over long sessions. And if you're the type who values brand recognition and a long track record, the thin social proof on this drive might give you pause. Samsung and WD have years of reviews and user reports behind them, while the NM790 is still building that history.

For laptop users, this is an easy recommendation. The 84.3 laptop score reflects what matters most in a portable machine: good performance, reasonable power draw, and solid endurance. The DRAM-less design actually helps here because it means fewer components generating heat and draining battery. If you're upgrading from a SATA SSD or an older Gen3 drive, the jump will feel massive.

For desktop users, it's a bit more nuanced. The NM790 is still a great drive, but if you're doing heavy sustained writes like 4K video editing or large database work, a drive with a DRAM cache like the SN850X might hold up better over long sessions. For gaming and general use, though, you won't notice the difference. And if you're building a PS5 storage expansion, the NM790 checks all the boxes Sony requires. Just make sure you buy from the vendor with the best price, because the spread between retailers is significant.