Samsung Launches 990 QLC DRAMless SSD for Value-Oriented Buyers
Quick Report
Samsung introduced the 990, a value-segment M.2 NVMe SSD built around QLC NAND rather than the TLC flash used in the 990 EVO Plus. The drive is available in 1TB and 2TB capacities and is positioned as a lower-cost storage option for mainstream buyers.
The 990 uses a Piccolo-Q DRAMless controller and Samsung's V9-series 280-layer 3D QLC NAND, with sequential read/write performance reaching up to 7,250/6,450 MB/s depending on capacity. The trade-off is endurance, which is lower than that of Samsung's TLC-based alternatives, making it more attractive for lighter-duty consumer workloads than sustained write-heavy usage.
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