Prime Day may be over, but some of the best deals are still available. In fact, one of the most popular deals of the whole event is still live. The Samsung 990 Pro is considered the best M.2 SSD, and is even compatible with the PS5. The 2TB model is still down to just $149.99 after Prime Day, but now widely available to all potential buyers rather than locked behind a Prime membership.
This is a tremendous $115 off the original list price of $264.99, and one of the best SSD deals of the year so far, especially since it's one of the best SSDs you can buy.
The Samsung 990 Pro is the impressive successor to the popular 980 Pro, boasting significantly faster performance. Samsung touts a 50% improvement in performance per watt over the 980 Pro. This SSD offers blazing sequential read speeds of 7,450MB/s and write speeds of 6,900MB/s, along with random speeds of 1400K/1550K IOPS.
Unlike many other SSDs, Samsung manufactures all components in-house. The 990 Pro features the new Samsung Pascal controller and 7th-generation TLC NAND flash chips. While top-tier SSDs like the WD Black SN850X and SK Hynix P41 Platinum are renowned for their performance, the Samsung 990 Pro outperforms them all.
Is the Samsung 990 Pro Compatible with the PS5?
Absolutely! The Samsung 990 Pro is a fantastic choice for your PS5. From a performance standpoint, it's more than capable; in fact, it's overkill, as the PS5’s stock SSD will be the limiting factor. The PS5 requires a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 SSD with a read speed of at least 5,500MB/s, and the 990 Pro exceeds this requirement with ease.
Given its current price, this SSD is a bargain compared to many slower alternatives. Sony recommends using an SSD with a heatsink, and the 990 Pro includes a robust, all-metal heatsink that's slim enough to fit perfectly in the PS5's SSD slot.
How to Choose the Best M.2 SSD
- Check Compatibility:
- Motherboard Size: Look at your motherboard to see which M.2 sizes it supports. Most common is M.2 2280, but smaller motherboards may require M.2 2230.
- Specific Devices: For example, the Steam Deck supports only M.2 2230 drives.
- Consider Speed:
- Newer is Faster: Newer SSDs are generally faster. PCIe 5.0 drives are faster than PCIe 4.0, but you need a recent CPU (Intel 12th-gen or newer, AMD 7th-gen or newer) to fully utilize this speed.
- Backward Compatibility: PCIe 5.0 drives will work with older processors but won’t reach their maximum speed.
- For PS5 Users:
- Heatsink Requirement: Ensure your SSD has a heatsink to help dissipate heat during intense use. Aftermarket heatsinks are available, just make sure they fit in the PS5’s SSD slot.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
