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Samsung 990 review: a lower-spec SSD that’s weirdly great for games
Rock Paper Shotgun has reviewed Samsung's new 990 SSD, a lower-specification, DRAMless drive that unexpectedly excels at reducing in-game load times despite unremarkable overall benchmark performance. The review highlights an odd contradiction: the drive underperforms rivals in general read/write speed tests and comes with a shorter warranty, yet it matches or beats pricier alternatives when it comes to loading games quickly, making it a niche but notable option for PC gamers specifically.
The 990 offers only a three-year warranty, compared with the standard five years on other drives in Samsung's PCIe 4.0 line, including the better-performing 990 Pro. Its CrystalDiskMark scores are budget-tier at 2,878MB/s read and 3,974MB/s write, and the 2TB model's £430 price looks poor value next to the faster 990 Pro at £289; the 1TB model, at £220, is a more reasonable option. However, in Rock Paper Shotgun's Shadow of the Tomb Raider load-time test, the 990 recorded just 6.3 seconds, matching WD's PCIe 5.0 Black SN8100 and edging out both the 990 Pro and WD Black SN850X, which each took 6.5 seconds.
In short
- Samsung 990 SSD has weak specs but excellent in-game load times
- Only a three-year warranty, versus the usual five years
- 1TB model (£220) offers better value than the pricier 2TB version
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Gamers purchasing this drive benefit from its real-world gaming performance matching more expensive alternatives in the metrics that matter to them. At £220 for the 1TB, it represents genuine value for those prioritising what they actually experience—game load times—rather than abstract benchmark figures.
The case against
The reduction in warranty length, absence of DRAM, and poor benchmark performance suggest fundamental compromises on reliability and longevity that warrant concern. Consumers are generally better served by established alternatives with complete specifications and standard warranties, even if gaming load times happen to be marginally slower in some tests.
Explained simply
An SSD is a storage drive that determines how quickly a computer loads data. For PC gamers, this means faster load times when starting games or jumping between levels, letting them get playing more quickly.
Samsung makes several different SSDs at various quality tiers. The 990 is notable because although it has lower specifications than Samsung's flagship 990 Pro, it loads games as quickly as or faster than more expensive alternatives, whilst offering a shorter warranty.
Most computer uses rely on speed metrics where the 990 scores poorly compared to rival brands' drives. However, gamers typically care mainly about load times rather than general benchmark performance, which is why this drive's strength in gaming load times makes it worth considering despite weaker overall test results.
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