Samsung is pushing the limits of the PCIe 4.0 interface with the launch of its latest 990 Pro NVMe
SSDs.
The M.2 SSDs are capable of 7,450MB/s sequential read speeds and 6,900MB/s writes, with Samsung
claiming this is the "the highest speed currently available from the PCIe 4.0 interface." As the theoretical limit for read speeds over PCIe 4.0 is 8,000MB/s, it seems unlikely anyone will be able top the 990 Pro assuming it does achieve such speeds in real-world testing.
The target market for these new drives is gamers and creative pros. KyuYoung Lee, Vice President of the Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics said, "The 990 Pro provides an optimal balance of speed, power efficiency and reliability, making it an ideal choice for avid gamers and creative professionals seeking uninterrupted work and play."
Gaining access to these speedy SSDs is going to require some patience, though. Samsung intends to make 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models of the 990 Pro available, but not immediately. In October, the $179 1TB and $309 2TB versions will become available, while the 4TB version doesn't have a price yet and won't be available until some point next year.
All three drives include a five-year warranty, 256-bit AES full-drive encryption, and Samsung Magician software when used in a PC. The promised write durability varies based on the size of the drive, with Samsung rating the 1TB drive at 600TB, the 2TB drive at 1,200TB, and the 4TB at 2,400TB. They are all
suitable for installing in a PS5 to act as additional storage, and a heatsink version will be made available for better thermal management.
