Finding a great gaming SSD deal can be tricky, but this 1TB Samsung 990 Evo for almost half price represents great value. With its sequential read/write speeds of 5,000 and 4,200MB/s, it’s plenty fast enough for most people’s needs, and it’s compatible with a wide range of motherboards too.
While the Samsung 980 Pro currently occupies our list of the best SSDs for gaming, its newly launched Evo counterpart is also capable, and now much cheaper, even if it doesn’t quite reach the blazing-fast speeds that the Samsung Pro line promises. The 1TB Samsung 990 Evo can now be yours. For just $79.99, which is a massive $45 saving over its $124.99 MSRP.
That’s just as well, as we criticized the price of the Samsung 990 Evo when it was first launched in January 2024. Not only was it more expensive than the Samsung 980 Pro, but it was also significantly slower. That’s all changed now, thankfully, thanks to this massive price drop.
We’ve seen this SSD in particular drop to similar price levels a few times this year on Amazon. If you’re still living with a mechanical drive, this is a great chance to upgrade to an SSD, as the difference will be night and day when it comes to boot times and using Windows. It will also make loading games much quicker.
However, you’ll need to double-check that your system is compatible with the drive to ensure you’re going to be able to make full use of the speeds on offer. To get the most out of this drive you’ll need to slot it into a 4x PCIe 4.0 M.2 connector, which will enable it to stretch its legs. Samsung also markets it as being compatible with the 2x PCIe 5.0 interface, but this is basically exactly the same speed as 4x PCIe 4.0.
In addition to just speed, the Samsung 990 Evo is also claimed to be 70% more power efficient than the company’s previous Evo drive, the 970 Evo Plus. It also comes with smart thermal control to ensure that there is no overheating and subsequent throttling at crucial moments.
If you’re worried, you can purchase a heatsink or cooler to regulate the temperatures further and maximize the performance of the driver over longer and more intense sessions. For more information, make sure you read our full guide on how to install an M.2 SSD.
Looking to create your very own gaming rig? Well, follow our guide on how to build a gaming PC and we’ll take you step-by-step through the process and make it as simple as possible.