Samsung 990 SSD praised for fast game load times despite lower specs

Samsung's 990 SSD, a DRAM‑less QLC drive in the company's PCIe 4.0 series, offers a three‑year warranty and lower sequential read/write speeds than the flagship 990 Pro. Priced at £430 for the 2 TB model and £220 for the 1 TB model, it is more expensive than older 1 TB drives but remains competitive in capacity.

In gaming benchmarks the 990 shines, achieving a 6.3‑second load time in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, matching the fastest PCIe 5.0 drives and beating the 990 Pro and WD Black SN850X. Reviewers therefore recommend the 1 TB version for gamers who prioritize load‑time performance over raw throughput.

Overall, the 990 provides solid game‑loading performance at a modest price, though its lower benchmark speeds and shorter warranty may limit broader appeal.