Samsung 990 EVO 2TB
Score: 87/100
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 Samsung 990 EVO 2TB offers a balanced mix of high random performance, strong power efficiency and modern PCIe flexibility, making it ideal for laptops and compact PCs. Its DRAM-less design keeps costs and power low, though heavy write workloads may see a slowdown once the cache is depleted.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
2,000 GBbest | 2,000 GBbest | |
5,000 MB/s | 7,250 MB/sbest | |
4,200 MB/s | 6,300 MB/sbest | |
700,000 IOPS | 1,000,000 IOPSbest | |
800,000 IOPS | 1,350,000 IOPSbest | |
1,200 TBWbest | 1,200 TBWbest | |
5 yearsbest | 5 yearsbest | |
| ↓ lower better | 5.5 W | 4.6 Wbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Performance(5) | ||
Sequential Read Speed (MB/s) | 5000 MB/s | 7250 MB/s |
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 4200 MB/s | 6300 MB/s |
Random Read IOPS (IOPS) | 700000 IOPS | 1000000 IOPS |
Random Write IOPS (IOPS) | 800000 IOPS | 1350000 IOPS |
Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe 5.0 x2 | PCIe Gen4 x4 / Gen5 x2 |
Storage(1) | ||
NAND Type | 133-layer V-NAND TLC | 236-layer V-NAND TLC |
Power & Energy(1) | ||
Active Power Consumption (W) | 5.5 W | 4.6 W |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the 990 EVO for its flexible dual-mode PCIe support, strong power efficiency and solid random performance, while noting that raw sequential speeds lag behind flagship models and sustained writes are not class-leading.
Everyday users rate the drive highly, highlighting easy installation, fast boot times and noticeable gains over older SATA or PCIe 3.0 SSDs, with occasional complaints about the lack of a heatsink and DRAM-less architecture.
“Excellent random 4K performance for a DRAM-less SSD, outperforming older models like the 980 PRO in some benchmarks.”
“Users consistently rate the drive highly (4.8-5.0 stars across platforms), praising its ease of installation and fast boot times.”
“The single-sided design fits perfectly in my mini-PC and stays cool.”
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.
