Samsung 990 EVO SSD 2TB, PCIe Gen 4x4, Gen 5x2 M.2 2280 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive, Speeds Up to 5,000MB/s, Upgrade Storage for PC Computer, Laptop, MZ-V9E2T0B/AM, Black

The **Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD 2TB** is a powerhouse of an SSD that combines cutting-edge performance with reliability, making it an excellent choice for gamers, professionals, and anyone needing fast and efficient storage. Here's my detailed review:Performance 10/10This SSD delivers **sequential read speeds of up to 7,250 MB/s** and write speeds of up to 6,900 MB/s, which is truly impressive. It’s perfect for demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, and large file transfers. The **PCIe Gen 4x4 interface** ensures that it utilizes the full potential of modern systems, while its **backward compatibility with PCIe Gen 3** makes it versatile for older setups (though at reduced speeds).Real-world performance holds up under heavy workloads, thanks to **Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0**, which dynamically allocates cache to handle large files without slowing down. Whether you're transferring massive 4K video files or running multiple virtual machines, the drive performs consistently.Features 10/10Samsung has packed this SSD with advanced features:- **HMB Technology (Host Memory Buffer)**: Improves performance by using system memory to enhance data management.- **Energy Efficiency**: Optimized for low power consumption, making it ideal for laptops.- **Future-Proofing**: The drive supports **PCIe Gen 5x2**, ensuring compatibility with the next generation of hardware.Build and Design 8/10The **M.2 2280 form factor** is sleek and compact, fitting seamlessly into most laptops and desktops. However, it doesn’t come with a heatsink, so users planning sustained heavy workloads might want to invest in additional cooling to avoid thermal throttling.Pros:- Blazing-fast read/write speeds.- Excellent performance for multitasking and professional workloads.- Reliable and durable Samsung NAND technology.- Future-proof with PCIe Gen 5 compatibility.Cons:- Premium price compared to some competitors.- No included heatsink, which could be an issue for high-performance setups.- Requires PCIe Gen 4 for full speed; Gen 3 users will see reduced performance.My Final ThoughtsThe **Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD 2TB** is a fantastic upgrade for anyone who needs top-tier performance and reliability. While it’s priced at a premium, the speed, features, and future-proofing make it worth every penny. If you’re a gamer, content creator, or professional who values speed and efficiency, this SSD is a no-brainer. Highly recommended for those who demand the best!

After encountering numerous negative reviews, including from Amazon Vine reviewers who seemed unfamiliar with how to assess an SSD or handle it properly, I decided to purchase two Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2TB drives. I intended to use them in both of my Intel NUC 12 Extreme systems, specifically in the rear slot, which tends to get quite hot due to limited ventilation and its proximity to other high-heat components on the PCB. I wanted to ensure optimal temperatures for these drives under real-world conditions.First, to address a common misconception: NO, the Samsung 990 Evo Plus does NOT include a screw. NVME SSDs do not come with screws, and the screws must be provided by your laptop or PC.Additionally, it’s important to note that for both the 1TB and 2TB variants of this drive, there must be only one NAND chip. This isn’t an issue of quality control; the number of NAND chips correlates directly with the capacity of the drive.Now, on to the performance. Samsung has finally developed a DRAM-less SSD that avoids previous pitfalls. Unlike its predecessors, the Samsung 980 and 990 Evo, the new 990 Evo Plus is a strong competitor in the PCIe 4.0 SSD market, going head-to-head with drives utilizing controllers from Phison, Maxio, or Innogrit. This success is largely due to the integration of modern eighth-generation flash memory. The 990 Evo Plus delivers notable improvements over the 990 Evo, outperforming it under most conditions and, in some cases, approaching the performance of the Samsung 990 Pro. That being said, it’s not flawless. The performance of the 990 Evo Plus can be hindered by the lower-spec Piccolo controller, particularly during file copying. In these instances, it behaves similarly to QLC-based drives, which detracts slightly from its overall appeal. Still, the Samsung 990 Evo Plus stands as a capable DRAM-less SSD, excelling in demanding professional applications.There are, however, some concerns regarding the temperature management of the 990 Evo Plus. The controller runs quite hot, which could lead to potential issues. Based on practical testing, I observed possible flaws in the temperature protection system. Therefore, it is recommended to use this SSD with a heatsink, and avoid installing it in thin laptops where heat dissipation may be inadequate.The SLC cache in the Samsung 990 Evo Plus operates dynamically. With a 2TB drive, you can write 216 GB in SLC mode. The drive reserves some cache for future use, so the increased speed is sometimes still noticeable even after writing the initial 216 GB. Importantly, the 216 GB of SLC cache remains available even on a drive partially filled with files. However, when the drive is 75% full, the available cache drops to 108 GB.During load tests, the highest temperature recorded with an thermal imager was 85°C, while the flash memory temperature stayed below 70°C. However, there were inconsistencies in temperature monitoring. The 990 Evo Plus features two sensors, one for the NAND chip and one for the controller, which allow for detailed tracking of the drive’s internal temperatures. Unfortunately, Samsung's Magician software fails to display the higher of the two temperatures, which is linked to the controller. Using third-party tools like HwInfo64, I observed that while the memory temperature reached 70°C, the controller temperature reached 92°C. When the controller hits 85°C, throttling is activated, resulting in a notable performance drop. However, this protective mechanism only triggers once: after the temperature cools and the system resets, throttling doesn’t re-engage, even if temperatures rise again. This suggests a potential issue with the firmware’s handling of throttling. I was using latest firmware 2B2QKXG7.In CrystalDiskMark tests, the 2TB version of the 990 Evo Plus delivered linear read speeds of 7.1 GB/s and linear write speeds of 5.8 GB/s, with random IOPS of 1,000,000 and 1,250,000, respectively. Actual performance was around 8% lower than the rated specifications. Nonetheless, the Samsung 990 Evo Plus still significantly outperforms its predecessor, with linear speeds that are close to the theoretical limits of the PCIe 4.0 x4 or PCIe 5.0 x2 interface.In other words, when a drive with an eight-channel flash memory array and local DRAM memory seems excessive or too expensive, the Samsung 990 Evo Plus can serve as a suitable alternative. However, the price of the new model currently appears to be somewhat inflated.

I bought this and found out that my previous NVMe, a Samsung 970 EVO Plus, was potentially under Samsung warranty for 5 years, given that I register it. I had not registered it for nearly 2 or 3 years, but they still accepted the registration and then even sent in a replacement Samsung 990 Pro 1TB. My dead hard drive that suffered some sort of damage and seemed beyond repair or restoration (despite looking perfectly fine physically), refused to be recognized by any device or tool or software. And I had actually done this after already ordering and setting up this 2TB 990 Pro, so now I had 3TB of usable storage, but opted for keeping my laptop's original, stock NVMe for data redundancy. If that one fails is when I'll be using the replacement 1TB 990 Pro, which is still boxed and stored about a year later. It was cheaper to get this than the previous 970 EVO Plus so that's why I opted for this, that 1TB was $100 at the time and this 2TB was $140 years later.