Samsung 990 Pro Review: Elite-Tier Performance With a Price to Match

Hey there, storage enthusiasts! The Storage Guy here from getharddrives.com with an in-depth look at Samsung’s powerhouse SSD - the 990 Pro. Many of you have been asking how this premium drive stacks up against the competition, and after extensive testing, I’m ready to share my findings.

Design & Capacity Options

The Samsung 990 Pro comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB options - no 500GB version available, which makes sense since anything smaller just doesn’t cut it for modern workloads. You can choose between models with or without a pre-installed heatsink. If your motherboard already has an M.2 heatsink, you can save a few bucks with the non-heatsink version, but trust me - this drive needs cooling.

Price Point - Premium Territory

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Samsung launches their drives with premium price tags. The 990 Pro is definitely positioned as a high-end option, typically running $10-40 more than competitors like the WD SN850X and Kingston KC3000. History shows these prices tend to drop after a few months, so if you’re price-sensitive, patience might pay off.

Performance Breakdown

Sequential Read/Write Speeds

The 990 Pro delivers what Samsung promises: blazing speeds. With read speeds hitting around 7,450 MB/s, it’s a massive leap (up to 50% faster) from the previous 980 Pro. This puts it ahead of most competitors, including the WD SN850X, in raw throughput tests.

Everyday Tasks Performance

For daily use like document work, photo editing, and general file transfers, the 990 Pro is lightning-fast. It handles these tasks with ease, though honestly, most decent Gen 4 drives will feel similar for basic operations.

System Drive Performance (OS and Applications)

This is where the 990 Pro really shines. When used as a system drive, it ranks among the absolute top performers for Gen 4 drives. It delivers elite-tier performance for OS operations and professional applications, outpacing most competitors in high-intensity benchmarks.

Gaming Performance

While the 990 Pro is incredibly fast for gaming, interestingly, the WD SN850X still edges it out slightly in game load and install times. The difference is minimal though - we’re talking milliseconds in most cases.

Heavy Workload Performance

For content creators and professionals dealing with massive file transfers and sustained workloads, the 990 Pro holds its own admirably. The drive’s custom Samsung controller and DRAM cache help maintain performance consistency even under stress.

Thermal Management - A Critical Consideration

The 990 Pro runs HOT. During stress testing, I saw temperatures hit 99°C without proper cooling, which triggers thermal throttling and reduces performance. This isn’t unique to Samsung, but it’s definitely something to be aware of.

Solution: Use a heatsink! Either get the model with the pre-installed heatsink or add a third-party one for around $10. It’s a small investment that makes a big difference in sustained performance.

Endurance Ratings and Reliability

Samsung backs the 990 Pro with a 5-year warranty, which is industry standard for premium drives. The endurance ratings are on par with other high-end options, though specific TBW (Terabytes Written) values weren’t mentioned in the source document.

The drive also supports full hardware encryption, making it a solid choice for professionals handling sensitive data.

Samsung Magician Software - The Secret Weapon

One area where Samsung consistently outshines the competition is their software. The Magician software is genuinely useful, allowing you to:

• Monitor drive health in real-time
• Optimize performance with firmware updates
• Set up hardware encryption
• Easily migrate data from your old drive

This software suite adds real value to the Samsung ecosystem that competitors often can’t match.

What Customers Are Saying

Based on user feedback, the 990 Pro scores an impressive 4.7/5 stars on Amazon. Here’s what buyers love:

• The exceptional speed for both everyday tasks and demanding workloads
• Easy installation process - plug in, format, and go
• Ample storage options, with the 4TB version being particularly popular
• Overall value despite the premium price (especially for high-end builds)

The main complaint? Heat management - reinforcing the importance of proper cooling.

Should You Buy It?

It depends on your specific needs:

• For professional content creators, developers, and power users: Absolutely. The 990 Pro delivers elite performance that will noticeably improve workflow efficiency.

• For hardcore gamers: It’s excellent but consider the WD SN850X as well, which performs similarly in gaming while often costing less.

• For everyday users: Probably overkill. A more affordable Gen 4 drive will provide a similar experience for basic tasks.

• If you’re planning a future-proof build: Consider that Gen 5 SSDs are on the horizon. They’ll offer even higher performance, though at a significant price premium.

Final Verdict

The Samsung 990 Pro is an absolute powerhouse that justifies its premium price for those who need top-tier performance. Its combination of raw speed, reliable performance under load, excellent software, and Samsung’s reputation for quality make it a standout choice.

That said, competitors like the WD SN850X offer similar performance in many scenarios at a lower price point. As always, compare prices before buying, and remember that Samsung drive prices typically drop a few months after launch.

Bottom line: An exceptional drive that delivers on its promises, but make sure you have proper cooling and consider if the premium price is worth it for your specific use case.

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If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up - I respond to all messages. Thanks for reading, and I’ll catch you in the next review!