I wasn’t expecting this, but Samsung recently released a new SSD, and it is a DRAM-Less one. Meet the Samsung 990 EVO SSD series. I haven’t heard of the EVO series for quite some time now, and I thought they already discontinued it for the 990 series. The EVO lineup usually balances price and performance, while the PRO is the faster but more expensive series. However, the 990 EVO is not about performance this time, as it only offers up to 5,000MB/s of sequential speed. Not to mention, it’s a DRAM-less SSD, and the starting retail price is a bit high. Although, retail prices of Samsung SSDs tend to drop a few weeks after release. Check out more details from the news release below.
Samsung’s 990 EVO is a DRAM-Less SSD, Offering Speeds Up To 5,000MB/s
Samsung Electronics America has launched the 990 EVO SSD, offering reliable performance for daily tasks, improved interface compatibility with various systems, and enhanced energy efficiency. Tailored to elevate everyday computing experiences, including gaming, work, and video/photo editing, this NVMe SSD is an ideal solution for a broad spectrum of users.
Jose Hernandez, Senior Director of Memory Product Marketing at Samsung:
“The 990 EVO delivers a hybrid storage solution that lets you easily bring flexibility and future-proof your setup,”. “These drives balance performance, power efficiency, and reliability, making them a versatile choice for the latest interface and great for a variety of everyday tasks, like gaming, working, editing, and more.”
A Versatile SSD for Current and Future Computing
The 990 EVO SSD is versatile, meeting current and future computing needs. It’s designed to work seamlessly with both PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 interfaces, ensuring compatibility with various systems while delivering optimal performance.
The 990 EVO supports both PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2 interfaces, catering to current systems with PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots and ensuring compatibility with future applications utilizing PCIe 5.0 interfaces.
Enhanced Performance over the Previous Generation for Faster Access
The 990 EVO delivers enhanced performance, achieving up to a 43% improvement over its predecessor, the 970 EVO Plus SSD. This translates to nearly halving data access times and reducing loading times for more efficient multitasking. With sequential read speeds reaching up to 5,000 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and write speeds up to 4,200 MB/s, along with improved random read and write speeds of up to 700K input/output operations per second (IOPS) and 800K IOPS, respectively.
Utilizing Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, the SSD optimizes performance by directly connecting to the host processor’s DRAM, even without a dedicated DRAM component. Upgrading from a previous mainstream SSD results in faster game loading speeds and quicker access to large files.
Improved Power Efficiency and Smart Thermal Control
The Samsung 990 EVO enhances power efficiency by up to 70% compared to its predecessor. This extension of battery life enables prolonged use of PCs or laptops, providing the flexibility to work in various locations, such as coffee shops, or from the comfort of your couch without needing a nearby power outlet.
The drive supports Modern Standby, ensuring quick device resumption from sleep. In low power mode, you can instantly wake up your device with continuous internet connectivity and seamless notification reception.
The heat spreader label on the 990 EVO effectively regulates the drive’s thermal conditions, ensuring consistent high-level operations without compromising drive integrity.
Samsung Magician Software Support
Samsung Magician software provides optimization tools for Samsung SSDs, enhancing functionality. It simplifies and secures the data migration process for SSD upgrades. Additionally, Samsung Magician safeguards valuable data, monitors drive health and delivers timely firmware updates for data protection.
Pricing and Availability
The 990 EVO is priced at $124.99 for the 1TB model and $209.99 for the 2TB model.
Editor’s note: The (starting) MSRP of Samsung’s SSDs is usually higher. Don’t be surprised if the MSRP of the 990 EVO is (much) higher than the current retail price of a 990 PRO. Remember, the starting price of a 2TB 990 PRO was $309, and now, the retail price is around $179 only. So, the prices of these 990 EVO SSDs should drop really soon.
Where to buy: (#ad)
Samsung 990 EVO SSD is available on Amazon here.
Samsung 990 SSD EVO Specifications
| Category | Samsung SSD 990 EVO | |
| Interface | PCIe® Gen 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 NVMe® 2.0 | |
| Form Factor | M.2 (2280) | |
| Storage Memory | Samsung V-NAND 3-TLC | |
| Controller | Samsung In-house Controller | |
| Capacity | 1TB | 2TB |
| Sequential Read/Write Speed | Up to 5,000 MB/s, Up to 4,200 MB/s | |
| Random Read/Write Speed (QD32) | Up to 680K IOPS, 800K IOPS | Up to 700K IOPS, 800K IOPS |
| Management Software | Samsung Magician Software | |
| Data Encryption | AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption, TCG/Opal V2.0,Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667) | |
| Total Bytes Written | 600TB | 1200TB |
| Warranty | Five-year Limited Warranty | |
