Samsung launches new 990 EVO SSD with improved speeds, efficiency

Samsung has unveiled its new 990 EVO SSD, which is an upgrade over the 980 SSD that was launched in 2021. It is compatible with both PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 interfaces, which makes it a great buy for many computers and laptops. While the new SSD doesn't match the company's existing 980 PRO SSD that uses the PCIe 4.0 interface, it offers a great balance of performance, efficiency, and pricing. It is meant to be an entry-level option for those who are looking to upgrade from older SSDs, like the 970 EVO Plus and the 980 SSD.

This SSD appeared on some websites out of nowhere two weeks ago, but it is now finally official.

990 EVO SSD is compatible with both PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 interfaces

The 990 EVO SSD (2280 form factor) is compatible with PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2 interfaces and is available in 1TB and 2TB models worldwide. The 1TB model is priced at $125, while the 2TB model comes in at just $210. It will be available in South Korea and other countries starting today.

The 990 EVO SSD is meant to fit into a wide range of computing needs and use cases, including gaming, media editing, and work. It offers sequential read speeds of up to 5,000MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 4,200MB/s. Random read and write speeds of up to 700K IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) and 800K IOPS, respectively, are being quoted by Samsung. It uses Samsung's V-NAND 3-TLC chips and an in-house controller.

It links to the computer's DRAM using the HMB (Host Memory Buffer) technology to offer optimized performance even without a dedicated DRAM of its own. More importantly, it offers up to 70% improved power efficiency compared to the 970 EVO Plus SSD, offering longer battery life. It also supports Modern Standy, a Windows feature that enables instant on/off function with uninterrupted connectivity to the internet and the ability to receive notifications even when the device is in the low-power/sleep state. The new SSD comes with a five-year limited warranty and promises a total functionality of 600TB for the 1TB version and 1200TB for the 2TB version.

Samsung is offering AES 256-bit full disk encryption. The Samsung Magician software that comes bundled with the 990 EVO SSD offers several data transfer and SSD management tools. It is a good SSD for your Sony PS5 if you're looking to upgrade its internal storage. While its speeds aren't as high as Sony's recommended numbers, it should work without any issues regardless.

Hangu Sohn, Vice President of Memory Brand Product Biz Team at Samsung Electronics, said, “Samsung has been leveraging its advanced memory technologies for optimized SSD solutions, and for our latest consumer product, we’ve combined both innovation and practicality to enhance the computing experiences for users. The 990 EVO balances performance, power efficiency and reliability, making it a versatile choice for the latest interface that is suitable for a variety of everyday tasks, including gaming, business workflow and creative endeavors.”