Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD Review| A Step Up in Storage

Samsung has been at the top of the SSD game for years, and the 990 EVO Plus shows why. It’s the kind of drive that feels like a performance powerhouse in your system, without demanding pro-level prices.

The result? A compact, energy-efficient storage solution that doesn’t cut corners on real-world performance. And although it’s a DRAM-less drive, it uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology smartly to keep things running fast and smooth.

If you're looking to speed up your PC, boost your game load times, or upgrade your laptop without completely draining your wallet, chances are you’ve come across the Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD. It supports PCIe Gen4 and Gen5, meaning it works flawlessly with current hardware while still being ready for future builds.

From its sleek design and excellent thermal control to the impressive numbers it pushes in read/write speeds, the 990 EVO Plus is built to impress. What's especially cool about the 990 EVO Plus is how it balances high-end speed and solid efficiency.

It's a strong contender in the world of next-gen SSDs, and in this review, we're breaking down everything you need to know.

·         Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4 / PCIe Gen5 x2, NVMe 2.0

·         Form Factor: M.2 2280

·         Capacities Available: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB

·         NAND Type: Samsung V-NAND 3-bit MLC (TLC)

·         Controller: Samsung in-house 5nm controller

·         Memory Cache: DRAM-less with HMB (Host Memory Buffer)

·         Sequential Read Speed: Up to 5,000 MB/s

·         Sequential Write Speed: Up to 4,200 MB/s

·         Random Read (4KB, QD32): Up to 800,000 IOPS

·         Random Write (4KB, QD32): Up to 950,000 IOPS

·         Power Consumption (Active): Read – 5.5W / Write – 4.8W

·         Power Consumption (Idle): 60mW

·         Power Consumption (Sleep): 5mW

·         Security: AES 256-bit encryption, TCG/Opal 2.0, IEEE 1667

·         Warranty: 5-year limited

Samsung keeps things neat and efficient by utilizing a single-sided board layout, which is ideal for thinner systems and better thermal management. It's an efficient trade-off that saves space and power without sacrificing too much performance.

This drive doesn’t include DRAM, but Samsung cleverly covers it up by using HMB tech, which borrows some of your system’s RAM for mapping data. The SSD offers a nickel-coated controller and heat spreader label, which is helpful in reducing thermal throttling, which is also a very common issue in compact setups or during intensive operations.

The 990 EVO Plus comes in a slim M.2 2280 form factor, which makes it compatible with most modern desktops, laptops, and even PlayStation 5 consoles.

Samsung 990 Evo flexes in performance and speed; it is made with Samsung’s 5nm controller and 8th-gen V-NAND 3-bit TLC flash. It delivers fantastic results across both sequential and random workloads.

In everyday tasks, from booting your OS to transferring large media files, the SSD feels lightning fast. Even when multitasking with heavy files or editing 4K videos, the drive holds up with minimal lag. Game load times are significantly reduced, and apps open in the blink of an eye.

Samsung claims the 990 EVO Plus can hit sequential read speeds of up to 5,000 MB/s and write speeds of up to 4,200 MB/s.

Like other premium Samsung SSDs, the 990 EVO Plus is also backed by the Samsung Magician Software, which means this drive is easily manageable and very efficient. It helps in monitoring drive health, running performance benchmarks, and updating firmware, and even uses Samsung’s Rapid Mode (caching feature) to further boost speed using your system RAM.

It also features built-in tools for data migration, which makes it incredibly easy to copy your existing drive when upgrading your system. All these small touches and some extra features make Samsung stand out.

It’s optimized for both desktop and laptop environments, which means better battery life for portable systems without compromising on speed. The 990 EVO Plus handles power so incredibly, which is surely a win. Thanks to its advanced 5nm controller and DRAM-less architecture, the drive runs cooler and consumes less power compared to older SSDs.

It is suitable to make your gaming on the go or edit video in a coffee shop, you'll appreciate the efficiency this drive offers.

The 990 EVO Plus offers solid endurance ratings, with the 1TB version offering up to 600 TBW. Samsung is always at the top when it comes to delivering reliable SSDs without any exception. That means even under heavy usage, like video editing or gaming, this drive will last for years.

It’s also backed by a 5-year limited warranty, and with Samsung’s reputation in the NAND space, you can feel confident about long-term durability.

Below are the pros and cons of the 990 EVO Plus.

Pros:

·         It offers blazing-fast read/write speeds for everyday and heavy tasks

·         It supports PCIe Gen5 (x2) and Gen4 (x4) for great compatibility

·         This SSD has excellent power efficiency for laptops

·         Offering compact single-sided design for tight builds

·         Comes with great thermal management with a heat spreader

·         It includes Samsung Magician software for monitoring and updates

·         It has reliable encryption and security features

Cons:

·         No onboard DRAM (relies on HMB)

·         Not ideal for sustained heavy write workloads like NAS

·         PCIe Gen5 support is limited to 2 lanes (not full x4 bandwidth)

·         Competitors may offer higher endurance in the same price range

The Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD isn’t just an upgrade, it is a proper smart investment. In a market flooded with NVMe options, the 990 EVO Plus hits a perfect balance between price and performance. If you want a fast, future-ready SSD from a trusted brand, this one is hard to beat.