Unmatched Speed and Performance, But Is It the Best PCIe Gen 4 SSD for 2024?
The Samsung 990 EVO promises to deliver top-tier performance with PCIe Gen 4 speeds, making it a perfect choice for gamers, professionals, and content creators in 2024. In this in-depth review, I’ll explore whether the 990 EVO truly stands out and if it’s worth your investment.
Design and Build: Sleek, Functional, and Minimalistic
The Samsung 990 EVO keeps the same sleek, minimalistic
design that we’ve come to expect from Samsung’s EVO line.
Its compact M.2 2280 form factor fits easily into most
setups, whether you’re building a high-end desktop or upgrading a gaming laptop.
While the design is clean and functional, there’s no
built-in heat sink, which could be a drawback when compared to drives like the
WD Black SN850X, which comes with optional built-in cooling.
Installation: Easy Setup, But Lacks Installation Tools
Installing the Samsung 990 EVO was simple and took just a
few minutes, especially for anyone familiar with M.2 SSDs.
However, Samsung doesn’t include any extra tools or
installation hardware, which might be a minor inconvenience if you're upgrading
a system without spare screws.
Compared to some competitors like Crucial, which provides
software utilities and installation kits, Samsung is a bit lacking in this
department.
Performance: Blazing Fast Speeds That Set a New Standard
The Samsung 990 EVO boasts exceptional read speeds of up to
7,450 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,900 MB/s, making it one of the fastest
PCIe Gen 4 SSDs available.
During my tests, the drive handled large file transfers,
high-resolution video rendering, and demanding gaming scenarios with ease.
Games like "Cyberpunk 2077" loaded almost
instantly, and even large 4K video files were processed rapidly.
When compared to the Samsung 980 Pro, the 990 EVO offers a
noticeable bump in speed, especially in write performance, making it ideal for
content creators who need to move massive files quickly.
Gaming Performance: Optimized for AAA Games, But Competitive Gamers May Not
Notice Big Gains
For gamers, the Samsung 990 EVO provides exceptional load
times and quick texture streaming, making it perfect for demanding titles like
"Call of Duty: Warzone" and "Elden Ring." However, the
performance difference between the 990 EVO and other high-end Gen 4 SSDs like
the Seagate FireCuda 530 may not be significant enough to notice during regular
gaming.
While the 990 EVO shines in benchmarks, competitive gamers
may not feel a tangible advantage over slightly less expensive alternatives
like the WD Black SN850X.
Thermal Management: Runs Cool, But Lacks Advanced Cooling
Under normal usage scenarios like gaming or moderate file
transfers, the Samsung 990 EVO maintained stable temperatures.
However, during extended stress tests such as 4K video
rendering or sustained gaming sessions, the drive’s temperatures crept up,
though it didn’t throttle performance.
This isn’t surprising, as the drive lacks an integrated heat
sink, unlike some competitors like the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus, which includes
more robust cooling options.
If you plan on pushing this drive to its limits in a compact
system, additional cooling might be necessary.
Durability: Impressive Endurance for Power Users
The Samsung 990 EVO offers an endurance rating of up to
1,200 TBW (terabytes written) for the 2TB model, ensuring that it can handle
years of heavy use.
For users who frequently deal with large amounts of data,
like video editors or developers, this endurance rating means that the drive is
built to last.
Compared to similarly priced drives like the Kingston FURY
Renegade, the 990 EVO offers better endurance, which makes it a more reliable
choice for long-term heavy workloads.
Software: Samsung Magician is Feature-Rich but Not Always Necessary
Samsung’s Magician software is one of the best in the SSD
market, offering users easy-to-use tools for monitoring drive health, updating
firmware, and optimizing performance.
During my testing, I used the software to update the
firmware and optimize performance settings, which worked seamlessly.
However, for casual users or those less inclined to tweak
their hardware, these advanced features might not be necessary.
Compared to Western Digital’s SSD Dashboard, Samsung
Magician is more robust, though the difference may be negligible for the
average user.
Real-World Use: Perfect for Creators, Gamers, and Professionals
Whether you’re editing videos, compiling large codebases, or
playing the latest AAA games, the Samsung 990 EVO delivers stellar real-world
performance.
I tested it with Adobe Premiere Pro and found that it
significantly reduced rendering times, while large video projects were handled
without a hitch.
In gaming, I noticed virtually no stutter or delay when
loading massive open-world titles.
While it excels in gaming, its real strength lies in content
creation, where the extra speed and endurance truly shine.
Value for Money: A Premium Price for Premium Performance
The Samsung 990 EVO sits at the higher end of the pricing
spectrum for PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, but its performance justifies the cost.
For users who need top-tier speed, high endurance, and
reliable performance across a wide range of tasks, the 990 EVO is an excellent
investment.
However, if you’re simply looking to upgrade from an older
SSD for general use, you may find that the performance benefits don’t justify
the premium price.
Alternatives like the Crucial P5 Plus or WD Black SN850X
offer great performance at a lower price, though they fall slightly behind the
990 EVO in terms of raw speed.
Comparison with Similar Products: The Fastest, But Not by Much
When compared to the Samsung 980 Pro, the 990 EVO offers
faster write speeds and better overall performance, making it a solid choice
for users looking for the best that Gen 4 has to offer.
However, the difference between the two may not be
significant enough to warrant an upgrade if you already own the 980 Pro.
Compared to other top competitors like the Seagate FireCuda
530 or the WD Black SN850X, the 990 EVO edges them out in performance but not
by a huge margin, making those alternatives worth considering if budget is a
concern.
Conclusion: A Stellar PCIe Gen 4 SSD, But Consider Your Needs
The Samsung 990 EVO is an outstanding SSD that delivers some
of the best performance available for PCIe Gen 4, making it ideal for gamers,
content creators, and professionals who need maximum speed and durability.
However, its premium price tag and lack of advanced thermal
management may give some users pause, especially when considering slightly
cheaper alternatives that offer similar performance.
Pros:
- Exceptional
read and write speeds
- High
endurance rating for heavy use
- Feature-rich
software for advanced users
Cons:
- Lacks
integrated heat sink
- Expensive
compared to some competitors
- Marginal
gains over similarly priced Gen 4 SSDs
Recommended Alternative: If you’re looking for a more
affordable option with great performance, the WD Black SN850X offers a
similar level of speed and endurance at a slightly lower price, making it an
excellent choice for gamers and power users who don’t need the absolute fastest
SSD available
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