Samsung 990 EVO 2TB NVMe SSD: PCIe 4.0 x4 and 5.0 x2, specs and who it suits

The Samsung 990 EVO 2TB is an internal solid state drive in the compact M.2 2280 format, built for desktop PCs and laptops that have an NVMe slot. Samsung rates it at up to 5,000 MB/s for reads and 4,200 MB/s for writes, and it works with either a PCIe 4.0 x4 or a PCIe 5.0 x2 connection. It is aimed at people who want faster loading and a smaller power draw than older drives.

Reading the speed figures

Sequential read and write speeds describe how quickly large files move to and from the drive. Samsung lists up to 5,000/4,200 MB/s for the 990 EVO. For comparison, a SATA SSD typically tops out at around 550 MB/s, so an NVMe drive like this is several times quicker in sequential transfers. Samsung notes that write results were measured with Intelligent TurboWrite active, and that performance varies with the drive's firmware, the system hardware and its configuration.

In daily use, the gap shows up most in game loading, large file copies and video projects. Opening a web page or a document is limited by other things, so don't expect every task to feel five times faster.

PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2

PCIe is the connection between the drive and the rest of the computer, and "x4" or "x2" is the number of lanes. A PCIe 4.0 x4 link and a PCIe 5.0 x2 link offer similar total bandwidth, since each Gen 5 lane carries about twice as much as a Gen 4 lane. Samsung says the 990 EVO supports both, which means it can run in an older Gen 4 slot or in a newer slot that provides two Gen 5 lanes. Samsung advises checking the processor and motherboard maker's website to see which your system supports.

Power efficiency

Samsung says the 990 EVO delivers up to 70% better performance per watt than the 970 EVO Plus, based on tests of the 1TB model (1,020/933 MB/s per watt for reads/writes, against 636/550 for the older drive). Lower power use matters most in laptops, where it can help with battery life and heat, though results depend on how the machine is used.

Thermal control

Fast drives get warm, and many slow themselves down when they overheat. Samsung says the 990 EVO pairs a tuned controller with a heat-spreading label to limit sudden performance drops during long jobs. It doesn't come with a separate heatsink, so check whether your motherboard or laptop provides one.

Magician software

Samsung's Magician software handles firmware updates, extra encryption options and ongoing drive-health monitoring, according to the listing. It's a handy way to keep an eye on the drive's condition.

Size

The drive measures about 3.1 x 0.9 x 0.1 inches (roughly 80 x 22 x 2.4 mm), the standard M.2 2280 shape: 22 mm wide and 80 mm long.

What to check before you buy

• That your computer has an M.2 slot that accepts NVMe drives and a 2280 length. Not every M.2 slot is NVMe.
• Which PCIe generation and lane count the slot supports, to understand the speeds you'll actually get.
• Whether your laptop or motherboard has a heatsink or thermal pad for the drive.
• How you will move your existing data across, such as cloning software or a fresh operating system install.
• Whether the listed speeds suit your use. Everyday browsing and office work rarely reach them.
• The manufacturer's warranty terms for the model.

The short version

• The Samsung 990 EVO 2TB is an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD with 2TB of capacity.
• It is rated at up to 5,000 MB/s reads and 4,200 MB/s writes.
• It supports PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2 connections.
• Samsung claims up to 70% better performance per watt than the 970 EVO Plus.
• Samsung Magician software covers updates, encryption and health monitoring.

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