Samsung's DRAM-less 990 SSD delivers excellent burst performance but struggles with consistency and endurance

The Samsung 990 SSD, a DRAM-less PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive utilizing Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, delivers top-tier burst performance in standard system benchmarks but falls short in long-term consistency and endurance metrics. In sequential testing, the drive achieved a read speed of 7,136 MB/s and a write speed of 6,865 MB/s, exceeding Samsung's advertised write specification of 6,250 MB/s. In PCMark 10's Quick System, Data, and Full System Drive benchmarks, the 990 outperformed several high-end Gen 4 and even some Gen 5 SSDs, scoring 3,251 points in the full system test. However, under sustained workloads, the drive's performance degraded significantly. In the 24-hour PCMark 10 Drive Performance Consistency Test, which writes over 20TB of data, the DRAM-less 990 ranked near the bottom of the tested drives, falling behind lower-tier options like the Digiera LNV480. Furthermore, Samsung has reduced the drive's endurance rating to 400 TBW for the 1TB model and 800 TBW for the 2TB model, paired with a shorter three-year warranty instead of the industry-standard five years. At launch, the drive also carries a premium price tag of approximately $240 (£180) for the 1TB version.

Tech4K StaffVideo report

The Samsung 990 SSD, a DRAM-less PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive utilizing Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, delivers top-tier burst performance in standard system benchmarks but falls short in long-term consistency and endurance metrics. In sequential testing, the drive achieved a read speed of 7,136 MB/s and a write speed of 6,865 MB/s, exceeding Samsung's advertised write specification of 6,250 MB/s. In PCMark 10's Quick System, Data, and Full System Drive benchmarks, the 990 outperformed several high-end Gen 4 and even some Gen 5 SSDs, scoring 3,251 points in the full system test. However, under sustained workloads, the drive's performance degraded significantly. In the 24-hour PCMark 10 Drive Performance Consistency Test, which writes over 20TB of data, the DRAM-less 990 ranked near the bottom of the tested drives, falling behind lower-tier options like the Digiera LNV480. Furthermore, Samsung has reduced the drive's endurance rating to 400 TBW for the 1TB model and 800 TBW for the 2TB model, paired with a shorter three-year warranty instead of the industry-standard five years. At launch, the drive also carries a premium price tag of approximately $240 (£180) for the 1TB version.

The Samsung 990 SSD is a DRAM-less PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive that relies on Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology. In sequential benchmarks, the drive achieved a read speed of 7,136 MB/s and a write speed of 6,865 MB/s.

The drive excelled in PCMark 10 system and data benchmarks, outperforming several high-end Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSDs. Under sustained 24-hour write workloads, the drive's performance degraded significantly, placing it near the bottom of consistency charts.

Samsung has reduced the endurance rating of the 990 to 400 TBW per terabyte, compared to the typical 600 TBW standard. The drive comes with a three-year warranty, which is shorter than the five-year industry standard for high-performance SSDs.

At launch, the Samsung 990 carries a high price of approximately $240 in the US and £180 in the UK for the 1TB model.

Chapter guide

Introduction to the Samsung 990Overview of Samsung's new DRAM-less SSD and its positioning in the market.Design and SpecificationsExamination of the physical drive, controller layout, and lack of onboard DRAM.Samsung's AI-Generated MarketingAnalysis of errors and anomalies in the AI-generated installation images on Samsung's website.Sequential Performance BenchmarksTesting sequential read and write speeds using CrystalDiskMark.System and Data Drive BenchmarksEvaluating real-world performance using PCMark 10 system and data drive tests.Performance Consistency TestingAnalyzing how the drive handles sustained, heavy write workloads over a 24-hour period.Endurance and Warranty ConcernsComparing the drive's lower TBW rating and shorter warranty to industry standards.Pricing and Final VerdictDiscussion of the drive's high launch price relative to its performance trade-offs.

Worth noting

  • The drive is DRAM-less, meaning its sustained write performance and consistency under heavy workloads are significantly lower than SSDs with dedicated DRAM.
  • Pricing and availability are subject to change and may vary significantly by region.
  • Official specifications for the SLC cache size were unavailable from Samsung at the time of testing.

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