Samsung 990

The Samsung 990 is a fast, reliable PCIe 4.0 SSD with standout random performance and great power efficiency. It's not the cheapest or the most durable, but owners rate it 4.9 stars and it just works. Worth the Samsung premium if you want peace of mind.

Sequential speeds are strong at 7,250 MB/s read and 6,450 MB/s write, which puts it in the 79th percentile for speed. The random performance is where it really shines though. 850K random read IOPS and 1,200K random write IOPS land it in the 88th percentile, which is one of the best on the market for this class. Samsung claims a 38% performance-per-watt improvement over the 990 PRO, which matters if you're dropping this into a laptop. The DRAM-less design doesn't seem to hurt much in real-world use, though a few owners mention it runs warm under sustained load. Nothing alarming, but worth knowing if your case has poor airflow.

Against the WD_BLACK SN850X, the 990 trades blows. The SN850X has DRAM and a longer warranty, but the 990's random performance is better and it's more power efficient. The Kingston KC3000 is a closer match on price and speed, but Samsung's reliability track record gives the 990 an edge for peace of mind. The Crucial T700 is a PCIe 5.0 drive, so it's faster on paper, but you'll pay a lot more and need a compatible motherboard. For most people, the 990 sits in a sweet spot between the SN850X and KC3000, with Samsung's brand reputation as the tiebreaker.

At $190 USD for 1TB, this isn't the cheapest PCIe 4.0 drive out there. You're paying a Samsung premium, and the 3-year warranty plus 400 TBW endurance don't exactly scream 'great value' on paper. But owners keep saying it's worth the money, and the 4.9-star rating backs that up. If you want a drive that just works and don't want to think about it, the premium is probably worth it. If you're pinching pennies, there are cheaper options that'll get you 90% of the way there.

The Samsung 990 is a DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 drive that still manages to hit 7,250 MB/s reads and 6,450 MB/s writes. That's fast enough for most people, and the random performance is actually the star here, landing in the 88th percentile in our database. It's aimed at gamers, laptop owners, and anyone who wants a reliable Samsung drive without paying 990 PRO money.

But it's not all sunshine. The endurance rating of 400 TBW is fine, not great, and the 3-year warranty is shorter than what some competitors offer. Still, with a 4.9-star average from 52 reviews, owners seem genuinely happy with it.

If you're doing heavy sustained writes all day, like video editing 4K footage or running a database server, the 400 TBW endurance and lack of DRAM might become a bottleneck. Look at the WD_BLACK SN850X or a drive with higher endurance instead. Also, if you're on a tight budget, there are cheaper PCIe 4.0 drives that'll feel nearly as fast in everyday use.

If you're building a new PC, upgrading a laptop, or just want a fast, reliable drive that won't let you down, the Samsung 990 is a solid pick. It's not the absolute fastest PCIe 4.0 drive, and the endurance and warranty are mid-pack, but the random performance is excellent and owners love it. Gamers, content creators, and anyone who values stability over chasing benchmark numbers will be happy here.