Samsung PM981 512GB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
What Buyers Say
Samsung PM981 512GB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
The Samsung PM981 NVMe SSD generally delivers excellent performance, with users reporting fast boot times and high read/write speeds. However, several reviewers received used or OEM units instead of new retail drives, and one received a Kingston drive instead of Samsung. Overall, the drive is praised for its speed and ease of installation, but the packaging and authenticity issues are notable concerns.
Pros
- Fast boot times
- High read/write speeds
- Easy installation
- Good value for money
- Compatible with many laptops
Cons
- Received used or OEM units
- One received Kingston instead of Samsung
- Packaging not retail
- Pre-installed software on used drive
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Users are highly satisfied with this SSD, praising its exceptional speed and reliable performance for gaming and photo editing. One user noted thermal concerns during heavy gaming, reaching 62°C without a heatsink, but overall sentiment remains very positive. The drive is easy to install and has proven durable over a year of use.
Pros
- Blazing fast speeds
- Easy installation
- Reliable performance
- Good value for refurbished price
Cons
- Thermal concerns under heavy load
- No heatsink included
Scores
Specifications
| Samsung PM981 | Samsung 990 PRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | ||
| Capacity | ||
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| Protocol | NVMe | NVMe |
| PCIe Generation | 3 | 4★ |
| External | ✗ | ✗ |
| Performance | ||
| Sequential Read (MB/s) | ||
| Sequential Write (MB/s) | ||
| Random Read (IOPS) | No data | |
| Random Write (IOPS) | No data | |
| Hardware | ||
| NAND | — | TLC★ |
| DRAM Cache | — | ✓★ |
| Controller | — | Samsung |
| Reliability | ||
| Endurance (TBW) | No data | |
| MTBF (hours) | No data | |
| Warranty (years) | — | 5★ |
| Features | ||
| Heatsink | — | ✓★ |
| Hardware Encryption | — | ✓★ |
Pros & Cons
Samsung PM981 512GB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
- Below average endurance (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average feature (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (29th percentile)
- Below average capacity (35th percentile)
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
- Strong feature (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong random (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong social proof (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong speed (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Below average affordability (21st percentile)
Pricing
Samsung PM981 512GB PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 6 of 6 usage categories and 13 of 18 specs.
