Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB
PCIe 4.0 · 7450 MB/s · TLC
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare
PCIe 3.0 · 3500/3300 MB/s · 1TB
Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB lands at 91 and Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare at 86. That puts Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB ahead by 5 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB if…
- ✓Top-tier PCIe 4.0 sustained speeds
- ✓Magician software ecosystem
- ✓5-year warranty
Pick Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare 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
Samsung 990 PRO 2 TBWrite endurance and long-term dependability
Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB leads on endurance (92 vs 88).
Value for money
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bareSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare more score per dollar ($70 vs $199).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB | Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1 / 2 / 4 TB | 1TB |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Sequential read | 7450 MB/s | — |
| Sequential write | 6900 MB/s | — |
| NAND | V-NAND TLC | — |
| Endurance | 1200 TBW (2TB) | — |
| Warranty | 5 years | — |
| Read/Write | — | 3500/3300 MB/s |
Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB
- +Top-tier PCIe 4.0 sustained speeds
- +Magician software ecosystem
- +5-year warranty
- −Runs hot under sustained writes
- −Initial firmware ECC issues (since fixed)
- −Premium pricing
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 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
FAQ: Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB vs Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare
Which is better, Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB or Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare? +
Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB scores 91 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 5. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB worth the price? +
At $199, Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB delivers a Specdex score of 91 — strongest in software.
Is Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare worth the price? +
At $70, Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in read.
Does Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB or Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare 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 better for endurance & reliability, Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB or Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare? +
Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB — leads on endurance (92 vs 88). Write endurance and long-term dependability.
Which is the better value, Samsung 990 PRO 2 TB or Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare? +
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB · bare — more score per dollar ($70 vs $199). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.