Samsung is one of the two most recommended NVMe SSD brands for PC builders (alongside Crucial/Micron), and the Samsung SSD lineup has expanded to the point where choosing between models requires understanding what each generation and tier actually offers. This guide covers the full Samsung NVMe SSD lineup comparison — 990 Pro vs 990 Evo Plus, 980 Pro vs 990 Pro, and the new 9100 Pro — plus a separate section on Samsung’s 18650 lithium-ion battery cells, which are a completely different Samsung product category that frequently comes up alongside SSD searches.
For Samsung phone and appliance comparisons, see our Samsung vs LG comparison guide which covers the full product portfolio beyond SSDs.
Samsung NVMe SSD Lineup Overview (2026)
| Model | Interface | Seq Read | Seq Write | TBW (2TB) | Best For |
| 990 Pro | PCIe 4.0 x4 | 7,450 MB/s | 6,900 MB/s | 1,200 TBW | Pro workstation, heavy sustained write |
| 990 Evo Plus | PCIe 4.0/5.0 x4 | 7,250 MB/s | 6,300 MB/s | 600 TBW | Gaming, everyday PC, good value |
| 980 Pro | PCIe 4.0 x4 | 7,000 MB/s | 5,100 MB/s | 600 TBW | Previous gen — still solid for PS5 and gaming |
| 9100 Pro | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 14,500 MB/s | 13,400 MB/s | 2,400 TBW | Absolute maximum performance; PCIe 5.0 only |
Samsung 990 Pro vs 990 Evo Plus: Which to Buy?
The 990 Pro and 990 Evo Plus are Samsung’s two current mid-to-high-tier NVMe options, and the choice between them depends entirely on your workload.
Buy the 990 Evo Plus if:
- Your primary use case is gaming — game load times are essentially identical between the Evo Plus and Pro since games do not saturate NVMe sustained write bandwidth
- You want the best price per GB in Samsung’s current lineup
- Your motherboard supports PCIe 5.0 — the 990 Evo Plus can operate at PCIe 5.0 x2 mode on compatible motherboards, giving it a slight speed boost over PCIe 4.0 x4 operation
Buy the 990 Pro if:
- You do sustained heavy write workloads — video editing, large file transfers, database operations
- You need higher TBW (drive endurance) — the 990 Pro’s 1,200 TBW on 2TB is double the Evo Plus
- You are building a workstation where drive endurance matters for long-term reliability under heavy use
For the majority of gamers and general PC users, the 990 Evo Plus is the better value. The 990 Pro’s advantages are real but apply primarily to professional workloads rather than consumer gaming or productivity.
Samsung 980 Pro vs 990 Pro
The Samsung 980 Pro was Samsung’s previous-generation flagship NVMe SSD and remains a strong performer for gaming and everyday use. The 990 Pro offers meaningful improvements:
- 990 Pro sequential read: 7,450 MB/s vs 980 Pro’s 7,000 MB/s
- 990 Pro sequential write: 6,900 MB/s vs 980 Pro’s 5,100 MB/s — a more significant improvement under sustained write
- 990 Pro TBW: 1,200 TBW (2TB) vs 980 Pro’s 600 TBW — double the rated endurance
- 990 Pro heat management: improved thermal throttling management vs the 980 Pro which had documented thermal throttle issues under sustained loads
If you already have a 980 Pro and it is working well, there is no compelling reason to upgrade — the real-world gaming experience difference is negligible. For a new build or replacement, the 990 Pro or 990 Evo Plus are the better buys given their improved endurance ratings and pricing that has come down since launch.
Samsung 990 Pro vs 9100 Pro
The Samsung 9100 Pro is Samsung’s PCIe 5.0 flagship SSD — a different generation of technology with dramatically higher peak speeds. Comparing it to the 990 Pro requires understanding whether PCIe 5.0 speeds actually benefit your workload.
- 9100 Pro sequential read: 14,500 MB/s — roughly double the 990 Pro
- 9100 Pro price: significantly more expensive per GB than the 990 Pro
- PCIe 5.0 requirement: the 9100 Pro requires a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, only available on recent Intel Core 13th/14th Gen and AMD Ryzen 7000+ platforms
- Real-world gaming: PCIe 5.0 speeds provide essentially no gaming benefit — the bottleneck for game load times is game engine design, not storage bandwidth
The 9100 Pro is the right choice for content creators, video editors, and professionals whose workloads genuinely saturate PCIe 4.0 bandwidth. For gamers and general users, it is expensive overkill — the 990 Evo Plus delivers 99% of the gaming experience at a fraction of the cost.
Compatible M.2 Enclosure for Samsung 990 Pro with Built-In Heatsink
Using a Samsung 990 Pro in an external M.2 enclosure (for use as a fast external SSD) requires careful enclosure selection, particularly if the drive has Samsung’s own heatsink installed. The heatsink adds height to the drive and makes it incompatible with enclosures that have tight clearance above the M.2 slot.
Recommended approach
- Remove Samsung’s heatsink before installing in an enclosure — most M.2 enclosures have their own thermal management through the aluminum enclosure body
- Choose an enclosure with a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) or Thunderbolt 3/4 interface to get maximum speed from a PCIe 4.0 SSD in an external configuration
- ORICO, SABRENT, and Plugable are among the consistently well-reviewed M.2 enclosure brands with confirmed 990 Pro compatibility
- The Samsung 990 Pro in a good USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 enclosure typically delivers around 1,900-2,000 MB/s read externally — fast enough for video editing from an external drive
Samsung 18650 Battery Cells: What Are They?
Samsung’s 18650 batteries are cylindrical lithium-ion cells manufactured by Samsung SDI (Samsung’s battery division) — a completely different product from Samsung’s consumer electronics. The 18650 format (18mm diameter, 65mm length) is the standard cylindrical cell size used in laptop batteries, power banks, flashlights, vaping devices, electric scooters, and DIY battery packs.
Samsung INR18650-35E
The Samsung INR18650-35E is one of the most popular Samsung 18650 cells for high-drain applications. Key specifications:
- Capacity: 3,500 mAh — one of the highest-capacity 18650 cells available
- Chemistry: INR (lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide) — optimized for balanced capacity and discharge rate
- Continuous discharge: 8A — suitable for moderate-drain devices; not a high-drain cell
- Common uses: flashlights, power banks, electric bikes, portable battery packs
Buying authentic Samsung 18650 cells
Counterfeit Samsung 18650 cells are extremely common on general marketplaces including Amazon. Authentic Samsung SDI cells should be purchased from established battery retailers — 18650batterystore.com, illumn.com, and Liion Wholesale are among the US retailers commonly recommended for verified authentic Samsung cells. Cells bought from Amazon third-party sellers at unusually low prices are high-risk for counterfeits.
For independent Samsung SSD benchmark data and comparison tests, see Tom’s Hardware SSD benchmark database. For Samsung 18650 cell datasheets and specifications, see the Samsung SDI battery specifications page.
Samsung SSD Model Number Decoder
Samsung NVMe SSDs use model number strings that appear in PC diagnostics, device manager, and purchase listings — understanding the string helps confirm you have the right drive installed.
For example, the Samsung MZVL21T0HCLR-00B00 is a 990 Pro 1TB OEM drive — the ‘MZVL2’ prefix indicates the 990 Pro family, ‘1T0’ indicates 1TB capacity, ‘HCLR’ is the module identifier, and ’00B00′ identifies the specific OEM variant. Samsung’s model decoder is available through Samsung’s Magician software, which is free to download and provides full drive diagnostics, firmware updates, and health monitoring for all Samsung NVMe SSDs.
Samsung Magician is one of the strongest manufacturer SSD tools available and is worth installing regardless of whether you are troubleshooting or simply want to monitor drive health over time. It is available free from Samsung’s website for Windows and macOS.
Samsung SSD Firmware Updates
Samsung periodically releases firmware updates for its NVMe SSDs that address performance issues, thermal management improvements, and occasionally compatibility fixes with specific motherboard platforms. The 990 Pro received notable firmware updates after launch that addressed early thermal throttling concerns under sustained loads.
• Update SSD firmware through Samsung Magician — connect the drive (either as the boot drive or as a secondary drive), open Magician, and check for available firmware under the Firmware Update section
• Firmware updates typically require a system restart to complete
• Check Samsung’s support page for your specific model number for the full firmware update history and release notes
Samsung SSD for PS5
The Samsung 980 Pro was one of the first widely recommended PS5 NVMe expansion drives, and both the 990 Evo Plus and 990 Pro are compatible with the PS5 M.2 expansion slot. The PS5 M.2 slot uses PCIe 4.0 — the 9100 Pro’s PCIe 5.0 speed advantage is wasted in a PS5, making the 990 Evo Plus the best value Samsung SSD specifically for PS5 expansion. The PS5 heatsink requirement is important: add a heatsink to any bare M.2 SSD installed in the PS5 — Samsung’s own drives do not include a heatsink, and a third-party heatsink is required for the installation.
Samsung’s NVMe SSD lineup covers every performance tier from everyday gaming to professional workstation use, and the right choice is determined almost entirely by your workload and budget rather than brand preference.
For gaming, the 990 Evo Plus delivers everything the hobby requires at the best value in Samsung’s current lineup. For professional workloads, the 990 Pro or 9100 Pro justify their premium through endurance and sustained performance that matter in ways gaming simply does not require.
WD Black vs Samsung SSD: Which to Buy?
Western Digital’s WD Black SN850X is the other commonly recommended PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD alongside Samsung’s 990 Pro and 990 Evo Plus. The SN850X is particularly well-regarded for PS5 compatibility and gaming workloads, and frequently competes directly with the Samsung 990 Evo Plus on price.
• In gaming benchmarks, WD Black SN850X and Samsung 990 Evo Plus perform essentially identically for game load times
• The SN850X includes a heatsink option by default in its standard retail packaging — useful for PS5 installation where a heatsink is required
• Samsung 990 Pro has better sustained write endurance (TBW) than the SN850X at the 2TB tier
• Both are excellent drives — price at time of purchase is typically the deciding factor
The Samsung 18650 cell note bears repeating: if you searched for Samsung batteries and landed here expecting phone or laptop batteries, the INR18650-35E is a cylindrical industrial cell from Samsung SDI — a separate company from Samsung Electronics — used in power tools, flashlights, and DIY battery packs, not Galaxy phone batteries which are non-removable lithium polymer cells.
Use Samsung Magician to keep your Samsung SSD firmware up to date, monitor drive health, and optimize performance settings — it is one of the most genuinely useful manufacturer tools in the PC hardware space and is free.
Between the 990 Evo Plus for value-focused buyers, the 990 Pro for endurance-focused workstation users, and the 9100 Pro for those who need PCIe 5.0 performance, Samsung’s NVMe lineup has a well-positioned option at every tier.
Match the drive to your workload, install Samsung Magician, and the Samsung SSD will reliably handle whatever you throw at it.
With TBW ratings, sequential speeds, PCIe generation, and PS5 compatibility all clearly mapped in this guide, you have everything needed to make the right Samsung SSD choice for your specific build.
Related Guides on TechPlayGuide
For more Samsung guides, see our Samsung vs LG appliances and products comparison.
For more Samsung guides, see our Samsung Galaxy Watch guide.
Bottom Line
| Best for gaming | 990 Evo Plus — same game load times as Pro at lower price |
| Best for workstation/video editing | 990 Pro — higher TBW and better sustained write |
| Is 9100 Pro worth it for gaming? | No — PCIe 5.0 speed provides no gaming benefit |
| 990 Pro in external enclosure | Remove heatsink; use USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt enclosure |
| Samsung 18650 cells | Samsung SDI product — buy from verified battery retailers, not random Amazon listings |
| INR18650-35E best for | High-capacity applications: power banks, lights, e-bikes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the Samsung 990 Pro or 990 Evo Plus?
For gaming, buy the 990 Evo Plus — game load times are essentially identical to the 990 Pro at a lower price. For sustained heavy write workloads like video editing or large database operations, the 990 Pro is worth the premium for its higher TBW endurance and better sustained write performance.
Is the Samsung 980 Pro still worth buying?
The 980 Pro is still a competent gaming SSD but the 990 Evo Plus offers better value for new purchases in 2026 — improved sustained write speeds, double the TBW on the Pro tier, and better thermal management. If you already own a 980 Pro, there is no compelling reason to upgrade for gaming.
What is the Samsung 9100 Pro?
The Samsung 9100 Pro is Samsung’s PCIe 5.0 flagship NVMe SSD, offering sequential read speeds up to 14,500 MB/s — roughly double the 990 Pro. It requires a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and is significantly more expensive. For gaming, the performance advantage over a 990 Evo Plus is negligible. For content creation and sustained professional workloads, the 9100 Pro is the fastest consumer NVMe available.
What is the Samsung 18650 battery?
Samsung 18650 batteries are cylindrical lithium-ion cells manufactured by Samsung SDI for use in power banks, flashlights, electric bikes, and DIY battery packs — not related to Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy phones or SSDs. The Samsung INR18650-35E (3,500 mAh) is one of the most popular Samsung 18650 cells for moderate-drain high-capacity applications. Buy from verified battery retailers to avoid counterfeits.
What M.2 enclosure works with Samsung 990 Pro?
For using a Samsung 990 Pro as an external SSD, remove Samsung’s heatsink first to ensure clearance in the enclosure, then choose a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) or Thunderbolt 3/4 enclosure for best performance. ORICO, SABRENT, and Plugable produce well-reviewed M.2 enclosures with confirmed compatibility with the 990 Pro.
