Samsung SSD 990 Delivers Solid PCIe 4.0 Speeds as $530 2TB MSRP Hurts Value
Updated
Updated · PCMag · Jul 14
Samsung SSD 990 Delivers Solid PCIe 4.0 Speeds as $530 2TB MSRP Hurts Value
2 articles · Updated · PCMag · Jul 14
Summary
Samsung’s new SSD 990 posted generally good benchmark results, landing above the value-focused 990 EVO but usually behind the 990 Pro and WD Black SN850X.
At $269.99 for 1TB and $529.99 for 2TB, the drive looks expensive in a memory-short market where the reviewer said it would need to fall near $380 for 2TB to be competitive.
The DRAM-less M.2 drive uses host memory buffer caching, supports AES 256-bit encryption, and Samsung says it improves power efficiency by 38% versus the 990 Pro.
Trade-offs include a three-year warranty and lower endurance—400TBW for 1TB and 800TBW for 2TB—versus 600TBW and 1,200TBW on several rival PCIe 4.0 drives.
The pricing pressure reflects a broader flash shortage as manufacturers steer capacity toward higher-margin AI data-center products, pushing consumer SSD prices sharply higher.