Category: Storage | Est. Reading Time: 5 min
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SSD prices have been climbing all year thanks to what Tom’s Hardware calls the “AI-driven pricing crisis” — NAND flash supply tightening, increased demand from data centers, and manufacturers prioritizing higher-margin enterprise SSDs. That’s why seeing two Samsung 2TB drives hit near-record lows at the same time is a big deal.
Here’s what’s live right now:
| Drive | Price | Discount | All-Time Low? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB | $113 | ~36% off | ✅ Yes (ATH) |
| Samsung 990 Pro 2TB | $390 | ~39% off ($250 off) | Near-ATH |
These are early Prime Day deals — Amazon’s 2026 Prime Day runs June 23–26, but these SSD discounts are already active.
Specs Comparison
| Spec | Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB | Samsung 990 Pro 2TB |
|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 / Gen 5.0 x2 | PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 |
| Seq. Read | Up to 7,250 MB/s | Up to 7,450 MB/s |
| Seq. Write | Up to 6,900 MB/s | Up to 6,900 MB/s |
| NAND | Samsung V-NAND (TLC) | Samsung V-NAND (TLC) |
| Controller | Samsung In-house | Samsung Pascal |
| DRAM | HMB (Host Memory Buffer) | 2GB LPDDR4 DRAM |
| TBW | 1,200 TB | 1,200 TB |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years |
| Amazon Rating | 4.6/5 (1.2K+ ratings) | 4.7/5 (12K+ ratings) |
| Current Price | $113 | $390 |
Who Is This For?
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB → Best for Budget-Upgrade Builders
• You’re building a new PC or upgrading a PS5 on a budget
• You want PCIe Gen 5 compatibility (future-proofing) without paying the premium
• Great for gaming, content creation, and everyday workflows
• Skip if: You need the absolute fastest sequential speeds for 8K video editing or heavy workstation tasks
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB → Best for Enthusiasts & Workstations
• You want the fastest PCIe Gen 4 drive on the market
• You’re running demanding workloads (4K/8K video editing, large file transfers, VMs)
• You value the DRAM cache for sustained performance under heavy load
• Skip if: You’re on a tight budget — the 990 EVO Plus delivers 97% of the real-world speed for 29% of the price
Real-World Performance
990 Pro (7,450/6,900 MB/s): In CrystalDiskMark, the 990 Pro consistently hits 7,400+ MB/s sequential reads and 6,800+ MB/s writes. Real-world impact: a 50GB game like Call of Duty transfers in under 12 seconds. Random 4K performance is best-in-class at 1,000K+ IOPS — you’ll notice snappier boot times and faster application launches.
990 EVO Plus (7,250/6,900 MB/s): Despite being the “budget” pick, the 990 EVO Plus is surprisingly fast. Its unique PCIe Gen 5×2 support means it can interface with Gen 5 slots (common on newer AMD AM5 and Intel Ultra 200-series boards), though at half the lane width. Real-world gaming load times are within 1–2 seconds of the 990 Pro — the difference is essentially imperceptible outside benchmarks.
The key trade-off: The 990 Pro has a dedicated 2GB DRAM cache, which helps with sustained writes under heavy multitasking. The 990 EVO Plus uses HMB (borrows system RAM), which works great for 95% of users but can lag under extreme sustained write loads.
Pros & Cons
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB
Pros:
• All-time low price at $113 — unbeatable value for 2TB
• PCIe Gen 5 compatible (x2 mode) = future-proof for newer motherboards
• Excellent gaming performance at a fraction of flagship cost
• 1,200 TBW endurance rating — good for years of daily use
Cons:
• No dedicated DRAM (HMB instead) — slight performance dip under sustained heavy writes
• Not the absolute fastest sequential read (7,250 vs 7,450 MB/s)
• Fewer reviews than the 990 Pro
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
Pros:
• Best-in-class PCIe Gen 4 performance — 7,450 MB/s reads
• 2GB LPDDR4 DRAM cache for consistent sustained write performance
• Excellent for heavy workstation workloads
• 12K+ ratings with 4.7/5 stars
Cons:
• $390 still expensive — 3.4x more than the EVO Plus
• Overkill for most gamers (you won’t notice the difference vs EVO Plus)
• PCIe Gen 4 only (no Gen 5 support)
Competitor Comparison
| Drive | Price (2TB) | Read Speed | DRAM | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB | $113 | 7,250 MB/s | No (HMB) | Best value |
| Samsung 990 Pro 2TB | $390 | 7,450 MB/s | Yes (2GB) | Enthusiasts |
| WD Black SN850X 2TB | $199 | 7,300 MB/s | Yes | Gaming (DRAM + Game Mode 2.0) |
| Crucial T500 2TB | $169 | 7,400 MB/s | Yes | Good all-rounder |
| Seagate FireCuda 540 2TB | $299 | 10,000 MB/s | Yes | PCIe Gen 5 option |
Bottom line: The 990 EVO Plus at $113 is the best value-per-dollar 2TB SSD right now. The 990 Pro at $390 is the best PCIe Gen 4 drive if budget isn’t a concern. For most gamers, the WD SN850X at $199 is a strong middle ground with dedicated DRAM.
FAQ
Are these early Prime Day deals?
Yes — these are early Prime Day 2026 discounts. Amazon’s event runs June 23–26.
Should I wait for Prime Day for lower prices?
These are already near-record lows. The 990 EVO Plus at $113 is an all-time low. SSD prices are expected to rise later this year due to the NAND pricing crisis — grabbing these now is smart.
Is the 990 Pro worth 3.4x the EVO Plus?
Only if you need sustained write performance (video editing, large dataset work, VMs). For gaming and everyday use, the 990 EVO Plus delivers near-identical real-world performance.
Does the 990 EVO Plus work with PS5?
Yes — PCIe Gen 4 SSDs are fully compatible with PS5. The 990 EVO Plus meets Sony’s speed requirements.
What’s the warranty?
Both drives come with Samsung’s 5-year limited warranty and 1,200 TBW endurance rating.
Which one should I buy?
• Budget pick: 990 EVO Plus 2TB at $113 — incredible value
• Best overall PCIe 4.0: 990 Pro 2TB at $390 — maximum performance
• Middle ground: WD SN850X 2TB at $199 — DRAM cache + Game Mode 2.0
Final Verdict
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB — Score: 9.5/10 ⭐
Buy it if: You want 2TB of fast, reliable NVMe storage at an unbeatable price. At $113, this is the best SSD deal I’ve seen all year.
Skip it if: Your workload demands sustained sequential writes exceeding 20+GB at a time — get the 990 Pro instead.
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB — Score: 9/10 ⭐
Buy it if: You need the fastest PCIe Gen 4 drive available and price isn’t the primary concern.
Skip it if: You’re a gamer on a budget — the 990 EVO Plus gives you 97% of the performance for 29% of the price.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, PC Master Deals earns from qualifying purchases.
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