Samsung offers the Samsung 990 SSD to users who want high-speed storage but don’t want to pay more for the 990 Pro. Samsung 990 SSDin 2TB version 7,250 MB/s reading And 6,450MB/s write It uses PCIe 4.0 connection while reaching the speed. The model, which targets gamers, content creators and users who want to upgrade their computers, redefines the price and performance difference between it and the 990 Pro.
The new Samsung SSD comes with two different capacity options: 1 TB and 2 TB. Samsung does not include the EVO or Pro suffixes in the product name and sells the model directly under the name 990. Thus, the product is placed between the upper class 990 Pro and the more accessible Samsung SSD options. The company does not yet share information about a 4 TB capacity version.
Samsung introduced the 990 Pro in 2022 for gamers, video editors and data-intensive professionals. This model 7,450 MB/s reading And 6,900MB/s write With its speeds, it was approaching the limit of the PCIe 4.0 connection. Additionally, the 990 Pro uses LPDDR4 DRAM, ranging from 1 GB to 4 GB depending on capacity. The new Samsung 990 SSD approaches this model in sequential speeds, but gives lower results in different workloads.
The growth of file sizes has made the need for storage more evident in recent years. Big-budget games frequently exceed the 100 GB limit, while high-resolution videos quickly fill up scratch disks. However, local artificial intelligence applications require both large storage space and fast data transfer. Samsung 990 SSD aims to meet these requirements without incurring the cost of PCIe 5.0.
Samsung 990 SSD offers high transfer speeds with PCIe 4.0 connection
Samsung 990 SSD uses the M.2 2280 format, which is widely used in desktop and laptop computers. The drive works via the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface and supports the NVMe 2.0 standard. Samsung prefers its own controller and Samsung V-NAND memory in the new model. These dimensions make it easy to install the product into compatible desktop motherboards and slim laptops.
1TB Samsung 990 SSDIt reaches 7,150 MB/s in sequential reading operations. The same model offers a speed of 6,450 MB/s on the sequential writing side. In random operations, we see 700 thousand IOPS reading and 1.1 million IOPS writing values. These figures provide strong performance for operating system usage, game installs, and large file transfers.
2TB Samsung 990 SSDIt increases the sequential reading speed to 7,250 MB/s. While the write speed remains at 6,450 MB/s, random read performance increases to 850 thousand IOPS. Random write speed also reaches 1.2 million IOPS. The capacity increase thus not only brings larger space but also higher performance in some operations.
According to Samsung’s calculations, the 2 TB model can accommodate approximately 30 games with an average size of 64 GB. However, the operating system, applications and the partitions reserved for use by the drive slightly reduce the actual free space. Still, the 2 TB capacity provides greater elbow room for people who keep large game archives or work with high-resolution video files.
Samsung states that there is a significant difference in power consumption between the 990 Pro and the new model. According to the information provided by the company, the 2 TB version has a sequential read and write performance per watt. Up to 38 percent higher efficiency offers. This difference can affect battery consumption and operating temperature, especially on thin laptops. Results may vary depending on the computer’s cooling system, workload, and file type used.
In comparison with the 990 Pro, sequential transfer speeds seem quite close to each other. While the 990 Pro reaches a reading speed of 7,450 MB / s, the 2 TB Samsung 990 keeps this value at 7,250 MB / s. On the writing side, the new model offers 6,450 MB/sec compared to the 6,900 MB/sec speed of the 990 Pro. In large and uninterrupted file transfers, the difference between the two versions is limited according to these figures.
In random access tests, the distance between the two models becomes wider. The 990 Pro tops out at 1.4 million IOPS on random reads and 1.55 million IOPS on random writes. In comparison, the 2 TB Samsung 990 provides 850 thousand IOPS reading and 1.2 million IOPS writing speeds. Applications that use many small files, heavy multitasking, and professional production software may be more affected by this difference.
Samsung does not clearly share the NAND type and DRAM capacity in the official product announcement. Some technology publications report that the new SSD uses QLC NAND and does not carry a separate DRAM cache. The same sources give an endurance value of 400 TBW for the 1 TB model and 800 TBW for the 2 TB model. Samsung’s regional technical pages do not yet confirm all of these details.
At this point, the 990 Pro continues to offer more powerful features for professional workloads. TLC NAND, DRAM cache and higher random access performance provide advantages in file-intensive operations. In addition, Samsung announces higher write endurance values for the 990 Pro according to capacity. The new Samsung 990 SSD focuses on high sequential speed and lower power consumption.
For gamers, the reading speed exceeding the 7 GB/s limit creates a strong basis for the loading times of current games. Large maps, high-resolution textures, and games that receive frequent updates directly benefit from fast storage. 2 TB capacity allows you to store a larger archive on a single drive instead of a few large games. Gamers using laptops can also benefit from the increase in power efficiency.
Content producers can choose between two models depending on their work style. Samsung 990 offers sufficient speed for photo editing, short video projects and periodic large file transfers. Long-term raw video transfer, large cache files and continuous writes highlight the strengths of the 990 Pro. Especially sustainable writing speed plays a decisive role in long transfers.
General users can also experience significant speed improvements when switching from a SATA SSD or PCIe 3.0-based legacy NVMe drive. Windows startup, application installations and moving large folders can be completed in less time. Samsung Magician software collects tools such as health monitoring, firmware updates and performance management in a single center. The data migration tool also makes it easy to transfer files from the old drive to the new SSD.
Samsung launches new SSD July 15, 2026 It went on sale at select retailers in Australia. The company for the 1 TB model 385 Australian dollarsfor 2 TB model 759 Australian dollars recommended selling price announced. International publications calculate these amounts at approximately 270 and 530 US dollars. Samsung Türkiye has not yet shared the local price and sales date.
Store prices will determine the real difference between the Samsung 990 SSD and the 990 Pro. Since the 990 Pro has been on sale for a long time, various retailers may offer periodic discounts on this model. Therefore, when the new SSD comes to the shelves, it is necessary to compare the prices of 990 Pro and 990 EVO Plus together. Especially when the price difference between the two models decreases, random access performance and durability values become more important.
The Samsung 990 SSD comes close to the 990 Pro in sequential transfer speeds. NVMe SSD offers the option. The model combines 1 TB and 2 TB capacity options with a reading speed of up to 7,250 MB/s. In comparison, the 990 Pro maintains its edge in the areas of performance, DRAM and durability. Türkiye sales price and local warranty details will clarify the product’s place in the market.
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