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0 Samsung’s 990 EVO Plus is the latest addition to Samsung’s highly popular NVMe SSD lineup. Offering a combination of speed, reliability, and efficiency targeted at a wide range of users, from gamers to creative professionals. This SSD features upgraded NAND technology, an optimized controller, and firmware improvements, enabling it to deliver stellar read and write speeds. However, with the market’s shift toward PCIe 5.0, the question arises: how well does the 990 EVO Plus hold up on a PCIe 4.0 interface, and what should users consider as they prepare for the next-gen PCIe 5.0 platform?
I was kindly sent a 1TB version to explore, however, it is also available in 2TB and 4TB variants.
Design
Samsung has kept the design of the 990 EVO Plus clean and practical. They have followed the standard M.2 2280 form factor, making it compatible with most modern desktops and laptops. It is a single-sided design, allowing it to be fitted into thinner, compact devices without sacrificing performance. The SSD also boasts a black PCB, which blends in with most motherboard aesthetics for a sleek, minimal look.
It’s What’s Inside That Counts!
Internally, Samsung’s latest seventh-generation V-NAND technology powers the 990 EVO Plus. This technology offers higher storage density, better endurance, and improved power efficiency, resulting in a drive that can manage both speed and longevity. Samsung’s proprietary controller further optimizes these components, achieving excellent temperature regulation without a heatsink, thanks to firmware-level advancements and efficient architecture. I, however, still deployed my heatsink when installing the drive onto my motherboard.
PCIe 5.0 Platform Compatibility
One of the most notable considerations for the Samsung 990 EVO Plus is its reliance on PCIe 4.0 technology in an era when PCIe 5.0 is becoming increasingly common in high-end gaming and creative professional systems. PCIe 5.0 theoretically doubles the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, offering a massive potential for higher transfer speeds, making it ideal for demanding tasks such as AI processing, large data handling, and ultra-high-definition video editing.
While the 990 EVO Plus cannot fully leverage the increased bandwidth of PCIe 5.0, it can still be installed in PCIe 5.0 slots, as PCIe generations are thankfully backward-compatible. For users that have taken the plunge to the latest generation of hardware, I can speak firsthand that the drive will function seamlessly in a PCIe 5.0 slot, although it will operate at its designed PCIe 4.0 speeds. Don’t get me wrong, the current performance of PCIe 4.0 is sufficient at the moment, with the 990 EVO Plus offering impressive read and write speeds that outpace nearly all my user needs. However, those with highly demanding workloads may find PCIe 5.0 SSDs to be a better choice for future-proofing if they are considering an upgrade. It also depends on how much you are willing to spend!
Samsung has hinted that a PCIe 5.0 line of EVO and PRO SSDs is in development, which will provide further options later down the line for those seeking cutting-edge technology.
Performance
The Samsung 990 EVO Plus is one of the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSDs available, boasting sequential read speeds of up to 7250 MB/s and write speeds of around 6300 MB/s. This performance level makes it suitable for any task, from gaming to heavy data transfers and large media file handling. When I tested the drive on CrystalDiskMark I managed to get 7090 MB/S and 5826 MB/S. Whether the difference in drive speeds was my CPU being an 8-core 7800X3D and the one used in Samsung’s original benchmarking being the 16-core 7950X, I shall not know.
The Future
Despite the still impressive performance, in the future, PCIe 5.0 drives have the potential to reach speeds up to 14,000 MB/s or more, thanks to the doubled bandwidth. For those investing in a PCIe 5.0-ready motherboard, the 990 EVO Plus offers a fantastic interim solution but may become less competitive as more PCIe 5.0 drives hit the market and become more affordable.
Conclusion
The Samsung 990 EVO Plus is an outstanding PCIe 4.0 SSD that combines high-speed performance with excellent reliability, making it a top choice for gamers and creators alike. With PCIe 5.0 slots offering backward compatibility, there is some future-proofing for those upgrading to new platforms, though it’s limited to PCIe 4.0 speeds in this instance. For those who need a high-performance drive today but are not yet ready to pay the premium for PCIe 5.0, the 990 EVO Plus remains one of the best values in the market with the 1TB version starting at £110.
I award the Samsung 990 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD the Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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