Move over 2TB SSDs, there’s a new behemoth in town! Samsung’s 990 Pro has strolled into the 4TB arena, and it’s packing quite a punch. Fresh off its dazzling debut at Photopia 2023 in Hamburg, this SSD is turning heads and breaking benchmarks. But is it the showstopper it claims to be? Let’s dive in.
Why All the Buzz About the 990 Pro?
Samsung’s 990 Pro doesn’t merely offer enormous storage; it boasts a sleek design that is quintessentially Samsung—efficient, aesthetic, and absolutely performance-packed. Designed with the tech enthusiast in mind, it doesn’t restrict your high-performance cravings to just 2TB per M.2 slot anymore. Whether you’re a gamer or an on-the-go content creator with a beastly laptop, the 990 Pro promises to keep up.
What sets it apart is its single-sided design, an answer to the challenges of integrating such capacity. Plus, the cherry on top? Samsung’s offer to slap on a heatsink for that extra oomph in cooling.
Blink, and You Might Miss Its Speed!
This drive isn’t just about size. It roars with speeds of up to 7,450 / 6,900 MB/s for sequential reads and writes—pushing the very boundaries of the PCIe 4.0 interface. It also flaunts a staggering 1.6 / 1.55 million random read and write IOPS. Got concerns about endurance? Samsung’s got you covered with a five-year warranty, assuring 2400TB of endurance.
Samsung’s Signature Touch
Beyond raw performance, the 990 Pro is wrapped with Samsung’s signature software suite. The Samsung Data Migration ensures smooth transitions to your new drive, while the gold standard Samsung Magician application, now in its 8.0 version, remains the ideal toolkit for every SSD owner.
And don’t fret about dubious fakes on the market. Samsung’s got its legit-check feature right within its Magician software, and for those DIY enthusiasts, a quick hardware inspection will reveal the Pascal SSD controller, authentic Samsung DRAM, and flash.
A Worthwhile Investment?
At launch, the 990 Pro is priced at $344.99 for the bare model and an additional $10 for the heatsink version. Sure, it carries a premium tag, but with the promise of dropping retail prices, this could be the most bang-for-buck SSD soon.
| Product | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB |
| Pricing USD (w/ heatsink) | $169.99 ($189.99) | $289.99 ($309.99) | $344.99 ($354.99) |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface / Protocol | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| Controller | Samsung Pascal | Samsung Pascal | Samsung Pascal |
| DRAMM | LPDDR4 | LPDDR4 | LPDDR4 |
| Flash Memory | 176-Layer V-NAND TLC | 176-Layer V-NAND TLC | 236-Layer (V8) V-NAND TLC |
| Sequential Read | 7,450 MBps | 7,450 MBps | 7,450 MBps |
| Sequential Write | 6,900 MBps | 6,900 MBps | 6,900 MBps |
| Random Write | Up to 1.55M | Up to 1.55M | 1,550K |
| Security | TCG/Opal 2.0 | TCG/Opal 2.0 | TCG/Opal 2.0 |
| Endurance (TBW) | 600TB | 1200TB | 2400TB |
| Height (w/ heatsink) | 2.30mm (8.20mm) | 2.30mm (8.20mm) | 2.30mm (8.88mm) |
| Warranty | 5 year | 5 year | 5 year |
The Verdict?
With competitors launching hard-hitting drives, it’s been a challenging year for Samsung. Yet, the 990 Pro seems to be their ace. While it may not be the groundbreaking revolution many hoped for, it certainly asserts itself as the leading 4TB SSD in the marketplace right now.
For those on the hunt for power, performance, and sheer storage capacity, Samsung’s 990 Pro seems ready to claim the SSD throne. So, whether you’re aiming for faster game loads on your PS5 or seamless 4K video edits on your PC, the 990 Pro is worth every byte! 🚀🔥🖥️.
