The 990 Pro is Samsung's latest flagship with faster speeds (7,450 MB/s vs 7,000 MB/s read), improved power efficiency, and better thermal management. The 980 Pro is the previous generation but still excellent for most users. Both are PS5 compatible. Choose 990 Pro for the absolute best performance, or 980 Pro if you find a good deal—the real-world difference is minimal for gaming and general use.

Yes, the Samsung 990 Pro is one of the best SSDs for PS5. It exceeds Sony's requirements (5,500 MB/s minimum) with 7,450 MB/s read speeds. The drive includes an optional heatsink version specifically designed for PS5. It's consistently ranked as a top PS5 SSD choice in buyer's guides. Available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities.

870 EVO uses TLC NAND for better sustained write performance and higher endurance (up to 2,400 TBW for 4TB). 870 QVO uses QLC NAND which offers higher capacities (up to 8TB) at lower prices, but with reduced write speeds after cache fills and lower endurance. Choose EVO for boot drives and frequently-written data; choose QVO for mass storage of media files, backups, and archives where write speed matters less.

The Samsung 870 QVO typically offers the best price per TB among Samsung SSDs, especially in 4TB and 8TB capacities. For NVMe drives, the 980 (non-Pro) and 990 EVO often have competitive $/TB pricing. The 990 Pro and 980 Pro are premium-priced for their flagship performance. Check our comparison table above sorted by $/TB to find current best values.

Samsung SSDs are among the most reliable on the market. They manufacture their own NAND, controllers, and firmware in-house, ensuring tight quality control. The 870 EVO has endurance ratings up to 2,400 TBW (terabytes written), and Samsung offers a 5-year warranty on most consumer SSDs. Enterprise studies and consumer reports consistently rank Samsung at or near the top for SSD reliability.

The Samsung T7 is an excellent portable SSD with USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds up to 1,050 MB/s—roughly 9x faster than traditional external HDDs. It's compact, durable, and comes with a 3-year warranty. The T7 Shield adds IP65 water/dust resistance for outdoor use. The T7 Touch includes fingerprint security. For photographers, videographers, or anyone needing fast portable storage, it's worth the premium over cheaper external drives.

For most desktop and laptop use, a heatsink is not required—Samsung's NVMe drives have good thermal management. However, for PS5 installation, a heatsink is recommended (the 990 Pro and 980 Pro offer heatsink versions). For sustained heavy workloads like video editing or continuous file transfers, a heatsink can prevent thermal throttling. Many motherboards include built-in M.2 heatsinks that work well with Samsung drives.

Both are top-tier Gen4 NVMe SSDs with very similar performance. The 990 Pro has slightly faster sequential speeds (7,450 vs 7,300 MB/s) and better power efficiency. The SN850X sometimes edges ahead in random read performance and gaming benchmarks. Both are excellent for PS5 and high-end PCs. Choose based on price—they trade places frequently on sales. You won't go wrong with either.