Lexar NM790

The Lexar NM790 hits 7400 MB/s reads and 6500 MB/s writes without DRAM, which is impressive. Endurance is excellent at 1000 TBW, and it's PS5 ready. Shop around, prices swing from USD 200 to USD 280, and Best Buy has the best US deal.

Sequential speeds are top-tier for Gen4. 7400 MB/s read and 6500 MB/s write put it in the same conversation as the Samsung 990 PRO and WD_BLACK SN850X, and our database ranks it near the top of the charts for speed. Random performance is also a standout, with 1000K read IOPS and 900K write IOPS, which means snappy load times and responsive file operations. The DRAM-less design doesn't seem to hurt much in real-world use thanks to HMB 3.0, but sustained write-heavy workloads may dip a bit compared to drives with dedicated DRAM. Endurance is excellent at 1000 TBW, which is a strong showing for a 1TB drive.

Against the Samsung 990 PRO, the NM790 matches it on sequential reads and actually beats it on endurance at this capacity. The 990 PRO has DRAM, which gives it an edge in sustained heavy writes, but you'll pay more for that privilege. The WD_BLACK SN850X is another close competitor with similar speeds and a proven track record, but its 1TB endurance rating is lower than the NM790's 1000 TBW. The Kingston Fury Renegade and Crucial T710 are also in the mix, but the Lexar undercuts most of them on price when you find a good deal. The trade-off is brand pedigree and the DRAM-less architecture, which some enthusiasts will care about more than others.

Pricing is all over the place. In the US, we're seeing listings from USD 200 to USD 280, which is an USD 80 spread for the same drive. That's wild. Best Buy has the lowest everyday price in our data, so check there first before paying more elsewhere. In Canada, the spread is tighter at CAD 265 to CAD 298, with Memory Express offering the best deal. At the low end of those ranges, this drive is a steal. At the high end, you're paying Samsung 990 PRO money for a DRAM-less drive, and that's a harder sell.

The Lexar NM790 is a DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 drive that somehow still hits 7400 MB/s reads and 6500 MB/s writes. That's basically the ceiling for Gen4, and it does it without a dedicated DRAM chip by leaning on Host Memory Buffer 3.0. For a 1TB drive, the 1000 TBW endurance rating is also way above what most competitors offer at this price.

It's single-sided, which makes it a drop-in upgrade for thin laptops, and it's PS5 compatible if you grab the heatsink version. Lexar is positioning this for gamers and creators, and honestly, the specs back that up. The only real compromise is the DRAM-less design, which can show up as slightly less consistent sustained writes under heavy load.

If you're doing heavy sustained writes all day, like 4K video editing or running a database, look at a DRAM-equipped drive like the Samsung 990 PRO or WD_BLACK SN850X instead. The NM790's DRAM-less design can show its limits under constant write pressure, and you'll get more consistent performance from a drive with dedicated DRAM. Also skip it if you need more than 1TB in a single drive, since this config doesn't go higher.

If you want near-max Gen4 performance without paying flagship prices, the NM790 is a no-brainer. It's fast enough for gaming, content creation, and general productivity, and the endurance rating means you won't wear it out anytime soon. The DRAM-less design is a minor compromise that most people won't notice in daily use. Grab the heatsink version if you're putting it in a PS5 or a desktop with poor airflow.