Final Words & Conclusion
The Samsung 990 PRO 1TB SSD model tested remains extremely suitable for a PCIe Gen 4 SSD even if it is getting a little dated. To ensure optimal performance and maintain thermal stability, it is recommended to keep adequate airflow within the computer case when using the Samsung 990 PRO SSD. Implementing effective air movement around the SSD installation area is particularly important for users intending to engage in intensive and continuous usage. For those who opt for the bare drive version of the Samsung 990 PRO, which lacks a pre-installed heatsink, additional cooling solutions should be considered. Installing the SSD with a motherboard M.2 heatsink or a third-party heatsink is more than plentiful. Samsung provides the Magician Software toolkit, which offers a comprehensive suite of features for managing and monitoring the 990 PRO SSD. This software allows users to access dashboard information that includes drive health status, real-time temperature readings, and historical temperature data, which can be exported for further analysis. The built-in performance tester enables users to assess the SSD's performance, save test results, and monitor performance trends to identify any potential degradation. Additionally, the software facilitates firmware updates, diagnostic scans, and performance optimizations tailored to the specific SSD model. Advanced features include over-provisioning control, LED lighting settings, secure erase functions, encryption options, and data migration tools.
Endurance
We're testing a TLC-based engineering sample, so the discussion is a little irrelevant, but it offers 600 TBW (Terabytes Written) for the 1TB model and 1200TBW for the 2TB model. That's not a whole lot though, especially considering the previous generation 980 PRO series offered heaps of endurance. Still, everything is relative and perhaps endurance is the smallest problem of a modern-age SSD these days. We talked so much about this in the past already, endurance, the number of times NAND cells can be written before they burst and shatter into small pieces (well, they die and are mapped out, and any data present on that cell is written to a healthy one). Bigger volume sizes mean more NAND cells; more NAND cells thus increase endurance. For the 2TB model, you'll get a rated 1200 TBW; the 1 TB model marks 600 TB written. So how long does a 600 TWB storage unit last before NAND flash cells go the way of the dodo? Well, if you are an extreme user, you might be writing 50 GB per day (normal users likely won't even write that per week), but based on that value, 50GB x 365 days = 18.25 TB per year written. So that's almost 33 years of usage. And again, writing 50 GB per day is a very enthusiastic value. So likely other components like the NAND controller are far more prone to fail as opposed to NAND cells dying.
Thermals
You know it, and we have shown it in the past, the controller still gets hot under load despite it being on a 8nm fabrication node, however, underneath a heatsink minimal thermal throttling once it passes 75 Degrees C. A proper heatsink cooler from your motherboard combined with some airflow inside your chassis is sufficient to cool down the SSD. It is ill-advised to NOT use a heatsink as demonstrated on the previous page.
Performance
While it may not deliver peak performance metrics anno 2024 compared to higher-end models, the 990 PRO still demonstrates sufficient capabilities for specific workloads. Benchmarks indicate that the drive can achieve sustained read speeds (in targeted scenarios) of just over 6-7GB/sec and sustain write speeds between 6-7 gigabytes per second (GB/s). These performance figures make the 990 PRO suitable for tasks that require heavy data transfer rates based on gaming, moderate content creation, and standard enterprise applications. However, the overall performance of the E31 SSD exhibits some inconsistencies across different testing parameters. The trace results are outstanding, meaning the SSD can take a lot in real-world work scenarios.
The QLC/TLC, pSLC write hole then, normally occurs at higher queue depths and thus sequential and linear queued workloads. For typical consumer workloads at lower depths, you'll easily see anywhere from 5 GB/s read and write speeds linear. The buffers run dry at roughly 12 % of writes, meaning this 1TB SSD wrote 120 GB before performance plunged towards fifo writing to TLC directly. Even when that happens you're still above ~1.76 GB/sec writes. I'd say you're fine on all fronts there.
Concluding
In 2024 the Samsung 990 PRO SSD will still demonstrate robust performance across various benchmarks. Notably, the sequential write performance surpassed that of competing models, indicating its capability for high-speed data transfers. However, this SSD comes with a higher cost, which may not be suitable for users prioritizing budget constraints. Currently, that is $100 for the 1 T B unit and still $160 USD for the 2 TB model. There are other brands out there often offering better performance at less cost. For those seeking more affordable Samsung SSD options, the Samsung 980 and Samsung 970 Evo offer reliable alternatives with lower price points. During intensive thermal stress testing, the SSD exhibited brief throttling when subjected to sustained high write operations, yet it maintained a substantial read speed of 1.76 GB/s despite throttling. Samsung provides a variant with a heatsink for an additional cost, though it may not be necessary for standard usage scenarios. Plain and simple, keep it underneath a heatsink and provide a bit of airflow. The Samsung 990 PRO still excels in random 4K performance, particularly in Q32T16 read and write operations, and showcases superior PCIe Gen 4.0 class SSD performance in PCMark 10 and 3DMark Storage gaming tests. This SSD is versatile, performing well not only in workstation applications but also in gaming environments with modern titles utilizing DirectStorage. hile its endurance ratings are below average for its class, it remains a competitive option. Pricing still is a bit too high though.
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