Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB
PCIe 4.0/5.0 · 7,250 MB/s · Affordable
PNY CS3250 1TB SSD
1TB · PCIe 5.0 NVMe · 14,900 MB/s read · PassMark #5
Dead heat — it comes down to priorities.
In our weighted Specdex score, Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB lands at 88 and PNY CS3250 1TB SSD at 88. With scores tied, the decision hinges on which sub-scores matter most to you.
Pick Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB if…
- ✓PCIe 5.0 capable (half-speed)
- ✓Great value
- ✓Samsung Magician software
Pick PNY CS3250 1TB SSD if…
- ✓Top 5 on PassMark Disk Score — flagship-tier sequential + random performance
- ✓PCIe 5.0 interface for next-gen platforms (AM5, LGA 1851)
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testValue for money
PNY CS3250 1TB SSDSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
PNY CS3250 1TB SSD more score per dollar ($125 vs $159).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB | PNY CS3250 1TB SSD |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 NVMe | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 |
| Read speed | 7,250 MB/s | — |
| Write speed | 6,300 MB/s | — |
| TBW | 1200 | — |
| Form factor | — | M.2 2280 |
| Sequential read | — | 14,900 MB/s |
| Sequential write | — | 13,500 MB/s |
| Controller | — | Phison E28 (PS5031-E28) |
| NAND | — | 218-layer SanDisk/Kioxia BiCS8 3D TLC |
| DRAM | — | yes (E28 DRAM design) |
| Endurance | — | 700 TBW |
| Warranty | — | 5 years |
| PassMark Disk Score | — | 92,683 |
| PassMark rank | — | #5 of 100 consumer SSDs |
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB
- +PCIe 5.0 capable (half-speed)
- +Great value
- +Samsung Magician software
- −Half-speed on PCIe 5.0
- −TBW lower than Pro
- −Write speed behind 990 Pro
PNY CS3250 1TB SSD
- +Top 5 on PassMark Disk Score — flagship-tier sequential + random performance
- +PCIe 5.0 interface for next-gen platforms (AM5, LGA 1851)
- −PCIe 5.0 drives run hot — heatsink or motherboard M.2 cooling recommended
- −Pricing varies — confirm current retail before purchase
FAQ: Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB vs PNY CS3250 1TB SSD
Which is better, Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB or PNY CS3250 1TB SSD? +
Both score 88 on our weighted rubric — tied. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB worth the price? +
At $159, Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in value.
Is PNY CS3250 1TB SSD worth the price? +
At $125, PNY CS3250 1TB SSD delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Does Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB or PNY CS3250 1TB SSD last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is the better value, Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB or PNY CS3250 1TB SSD? +
PNY CS3250 1TB SSD — more score per dollar ($125 vs $159). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.