Samsung 990 EVO Review

 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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