Lexar 4TB SSD PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 2280

The Lexar NM1090 PRO is a 4TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD with 14,000 MB/s read and 13,000 MB/s write speeds. It's one of the fastest drives we've tested, landing in the 98th percentile for speed and random performance. It's expensive and runs hot, but for heavy workloads it's a top-tier choice.

The headline numbers are 14,000 MB/s sequential read and 13,000 MB/s sequential write. In practice, that means a 100GB file transfer that takes around 10 seconds on a good PCIe 4.0 drive drops to roughly 7 seconds here. Random performance is just as impressive at 2,100K read IOPS and 1,700K write IOPS. Our database puts this drive in the 98th percentile for both speed and random access, which is about as good as it gets right now.

The 6nm controller does real work on thermals. PCIe 5.0 drives run hot, and Lexar's controller design helps keep temperatures in check during sustained transfers. The DRAM cache and dynamic SLC cache mean you won't see write speeds crater after the first few gigabytes, which is a common complaint with cheaper drives. For gaming, DirectStorage support means faster level loads and less CPU overhead. For AI model training and inference, the drive reduces bottlenecks when you're pushing large datasets around. It's genuinely one of the best on the market for sustained heavy workloads.

The Samsung 9100 PRO is the most direct competitor here. Both are 4TB PCIe 5.0 drives with similar speed ratings, and Samsung has stronger brand recognition and better social proof. The Lexar tends to undercut Samsung on price in most markets, which makes it the value pick if you don't care about the logo. The Kingston FURY Renegade G5 is another PCIe 5.0 option that trades blows on speed but typically runs a bit cooler thanks to its heatsink design.

Against PCIe 4.0 drives, the comparison gets more interesting. The WD Black SN850X and Crucial T500 are both excellent drives that cost significantly less. You'll give up roughly half the sequential speed, but for gaming and everyday use, most people won't notice the difference. Where the Lexar pulls ahead is in sustained heavy workloads like 8K video editing, large dataset processing, and AI training. If that's your world, the NM1090 PRO is a standout. If you're just loading games and browsing, save your money.

Value is where this drive gets complicated. At $730 in the US, it's a lot of money for storage. Canadian pricing is even more scattered, with listings ranging from CAD 900 to CAD 1,089 across three vendors. Memory Express has the best Canadian deal at CAD 900, so if you're north of the border, that's where we'd start looking. The affordability score sits in the 10th percentile, which means you're paying a serious premium for that 98th percentile speed. If you don't need PCIe 5.0 speeds, a good PCIe 4.0 drive like the WD Black SN850X or Crucial T500 will save you a chunk of change and still feel fast. But if you want the absolute fastest 4TB drive available, this is the price of admission.

The Lexar NM1090 PRO is a 4TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD that sits at the top of the performance charts. It's rated for 14,000 MB/s reads and 13,000 MB/s writes, which puts it in the same conversation as the fastest drives you can buy right now. Pricing is all over the place depending on where you shop, but in the US you're looking at around $730, while Canadian buyers will see anywhere from CAD 900 to CAD 1,089 depending on the retailer.

If you're searching for a 4TB PCIe 5.0 SSD for gaming, AI workloads, or heavy content creation, this drive answers the question pretty directly: yes, it's built for exactly that. Lexar pairs a 6nm controller with DRAM cache and dynamic SLC caching, and the whole thing supports Microsoft DirectStorage for faster game loads. The endurance rating of 2,800 TBW is solid for a drive this fast, though not class-leading.

We've seen a lot of PCIe 5.0 drives come through our database, and this one lands in the 98th percentile for both speed and random performance. That's not marketing fluff, that's our data talking. The catch is that all this speed comes at a premium, and the affordability score is rough. More on that below.

Skip the NM1090 PRO if you're on a PCIe 4.0 or older platform, since you won't see the full speed benefit. It's also a poor choice for portable use, with a score of 24.2/100 in that category, so don't plan on throwing it in an external enclosure. Budget-conscious buyers should look at the WD Black SN850X or Crucial T500 instead, both of which deliver excellent real-world performance for significantly less money. And if your storage needs are modest, like gaming and web browsing, you simply won't feel the difference between this and a good PCIe 4.0 drive.

Should you buy the Lexar NM1090 PRO? If you're building a high-end workstation or gaming rig with a PCIe 5.0 motherboard and you want the fastest 4TB drive available, yes. This is one of the best on the market right now, and our data backs that up. The combination of 14,000 MB/s reads, strong random performance, and 4TB of capacity makes it a compelling choice for content creators, AI enthusiasts, and anyone who moves massive files regularly.

But if you're on a PCIe 4.0 platform or you don't push your storage hard, this drive is overkill. The price premium is steep, and a good PCIe 4.0 drive will feel nearly identical in day-to-day use. The portable score of 24.2/100 also tells you this isn't a drive you want in an external enclosure. It's a desktop workhorse, and it's excellent at that job. Just know what you're paying for.