• 2 min read
Samsung 990 SSD arrives with QLC and no DRAM cache
Samsung’s new 990 SSD is now on sale in 1TB and 2TB versions for $270 and $530, using 280-layer QLC NAND and PCIe 4.0.
Image: iXBT
Samsung’s new 990 SSD has gone on sale, and early reviews are already out. It is an unusual entry for this product family: unlike other drives in the lineup, this model uses QLC NAND and ships without a DRAM cache.
The drive is built on 280-layer QLC memory, supports PCIe 4.0, and comes in 1TB and 2TB versions priced at $270 and $530, respectively.
According to the published specifications, the 1TB model reaches up to 7150 MB/s sequential read and 6450 MB/s sequential write, along with up to 700,000 IOPS for 4K random reads and 1.1 million IOPS for 4K random writes. The 2TB version is slightly faster, with up to 7250 MB/s sequential read, 6450 MB/s sequential write, and up to 850,000 and 1.2 million IOPS in the same random workloads.
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Compared with the 990 Evo, which is based on TLC memory, the new drive takes a hit in endurance. The new model is rated at 400 TBW and 800 TBW depending on capacity, versus 600 TBW and 1200 TBW for the older drive.
Tom’s Hardware says the SSD delivers generally acceptable performance. The outlet also notes that its TBW and DWPD figures are above average, but points to mediocre power efficiency and a 3-year warranty, which is not especially generous for this segment.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via iXBT
