Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare
PCIe 4.0 · 7450/6900 MB/s · 1TB
TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB
PCIe 5.0 · 12400/11800 MB/s · 1TB
TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare lands at 86 and TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB at 92. That puts TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB ahead by 6 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare if…
- ✓M.2 NVMe
- ✓Competitive per-GB cost
- ✓TBW scales with capacity
Pick TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB if…
- ✓M.2 NVMe
- ✓Competitive per-GB cost
- ✓TBW scales with capacity
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testEndurance & reliability
TieWrite endurance and long-term dependability
Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.
Value for money
Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bareSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare more score per dollar ($90 vs $180).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare | TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0 |
| Capacity | 1TB | 1TB |
| Read/Write | 7450/6900 MB/s | 12400/11800 MB/s |
Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare
- +M.2 NVMe
- +Competitive per-GB cost
- +TBW scales with capacity
- −Thermals on Gen 5 drives
- −DRAM-less models slower under sustained load
- −Require heatsinks in many systems
TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB
- +M.2 NVMe
- +Competitive per-GB cost
- +TBW scales with capacity
- −Thermals on Gen 5 drives
- −DRAM-less models slower under sustained load
- −Require heatsinks in many systems
FAQ: Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare vs TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB
Which is better, Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare or TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB? +
TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare worth the price? +
At $90, Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in read.
Is TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB worth the price? +
At $180, TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in read.
Does Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare or TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB 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 Pro 1TB · bare or TeamGroup T-Force Cardea Z540 1TB? +
Samsung 990 Pro 1TB · bare — more score per dollar ($90 vs $180). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.