Samsung Teases Their 4TB 990 PRO SSD

Samsung is poised to introduce a 4TB variant of its flagship SSD, marking a significant stride in storage capacity and performance. Despite the emergence of PCIe 5.0 drives on the market, Samsung’s 990 PRO maintains its standing as an exceptional performer. While PCIe 5.0 drives tend to emphasize maximum sequential speeds, these speeds are often underutilized in modern computing environments.

Samsung’s 990 PRO series has notched a remarkable 55% improvement in random I/O performance compared to its predecessor, the 980 PRO SSD. This enhancement translates to a substantial speed surge without necessitating the transition to PCIe 5.0. The 990 PRO also boasts a substantial augmentation in sequential read/write speeds, tapping into the full potential of PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots. Impressively, Samsung has disclosed its ongoing efforts to develop a capacious 4TB version of the 990 PRO SSD, providing users with an ample supply of swift PCIe 4.0 storage.

Under the hood, the new controller of the 990 PRO yields up to a 50% escalation in power efficiency compared to the Elipis controller found in the 980 PRO SSD. This power efficiency upgrade has a cascading effect, leading to diminished heat generation and consequently lower temperatures for the SSD. This development benefits all users, particularly those who exert their SSDs intensively during productivity-intensive tasks.

Samsung is promoting their 4TB 990 PRO SSD as possessing “the same blazing-fast storage with double the maximum capacity for gaming, video editing, 3D rendering, and more.” It’s worth noting that the additional NAND in this drive won’t confer any extra performance gains; however, it will deliver performance on par with its 2TB counterparts. Detailed specifications for Samsung’s 990 PRO series are provided below, with the caveat that the 1TB model exhibits slightly lower random read IOPS than its 2TB and 4TB counterparts.

Excitement has been stirred with Samsung’s teaser for their 4TB 990 PRO SSD, although details regarding pricing and availability are yet to be divulged. Nevertheless, anticipation is building for the imminent unveiling of this new SSD.

Although the 990 PRO may not claim the title of the fastest sequential performer, it remains an extraordinarily rapid SSD. In a departure from many of today’s PCIe 5.0 SSDs, this drive maintains its cool without demanding elaborate cooling solutions or running excessively hot. This aspect renders the 990 PRO highly appealing to those needing rapid storage but averse to grappling with the challenges presented by early PCIe 5.0 storage devices.

You wanted it so badly, we had no choice but to deliver. The 4TB 990 PRO by #SamsungSSD is coming. Same blazing-fast storage with double the max capacity for gaming, video, 3D editing, and more. Stay tuned for more details. pic.twitter.com/B3iRso9Q3p

— Samsung Semiconductor (@SamsungDSGlobal) August 24, 2023