Kingston NV3 1TB
Score: 81/100
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB
Score: 88/100Rankings
The Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB is a DRAM-less NVMe SSD delivering flagship-class sequential speeds, high IOPS, low power draw and robust hardware encryption in a compact single-sided M.2 2280 form factor.
The Kingston NV3 1TB M.2 SSD delivers PCIe 4.0 speeds at a budget-friendly price, using a DRAM-less architecture that keeps power low and size minimal. While it offers impressive sequential performance, its consistency and long-term reliability may lag behind higher-end models.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
1,000 GB | 2,000 GBbest | |
6,000 MB/s | 7,250 MB/sbest | |
4,000 MB/s | 6,300 MB/sbest | |
— | 1,000,000 IOPSbest | |
— | 1,350,000 IOPSbest | |
320 TBW | 1,200 TBWbest | |
3 years | 5 yearsbest | |
| ↓ lower better | — | 4.6 Wbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Performance(3) | ||
Sequential Read Speed (MB/s) | 6000 MB/s | 7250 MB/s |
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 4000 MB/s | 6300 MB/s |
Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe Gen4 x4 / Gen5 x2 |
Storage(5) | ||
Capacity (GB) | 1000 GB | 2000 GB |
NAND Type | 3D NAND | 236-layer V-NAND TLC |
Endurance (TBW) (TBW) | 320 TBW | 1200 TBW |
Warranty Period (years) | 3 years | 5 years |
MTBF (hours) | 2000000 hours | 1500000 hours |
Design & Build(2) | ||
Weight (g) | 6.57 g | 9 g |
Thickness (mm) | 2.3 mm | 2.38 mm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers view the Kingston NV3 as a budget-friendly PCIe 4.0 SSD that delivers a noticeable speed uplift over older drives, praising its price-to-performance ratio and suitability for mainstream users, but caution that the DRAM-less design can lead to inconsistent performance and reliability may not match higher-end competitors.
Everyday users generally appreciate the NV3's quick installation, fast boot times, and gaming responsiveness, especially when bought at a discount, but recurring complaints focus on inconsistent real-world speeds, occasional drive failures, and data loss.
“It's fast when it works, but I'll never buy another Kingston M.2. It's a gamble.”
“snappy performance and fast boot/load times”
“excellent as a boot drive”
Professional reviewers from Tom's Hardware and HotHardware praise the 990 EVO Plus for delivering flagship-class sequential speeds and impressive IOPS while maintaining excellent power efficiency and a compact single-sided layout.
Everyday users consistently highlight the drive's snappy performance, ease of installation, and ample 2 TB capacity, calling it an excellent boot and gaming drive.
