# TLDR Review: Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB SSD

*Published: 2026-03-02 | Updated: 2026-03-02 | Source: https://shopsavvy.com/reviews-tldr/samsung-990-evo-plus-1tb-ssd*

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## Product: Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB SSD
**Brand:** Samsung

## Pros
- Game load times are dramatically faster—Cyberpunk 2077 drops from 30+ seconds to just 9 seconds
- Windows boot time falls from 25 seconds to under 8 seconds
- Delivers 7,250 MB/s read speeds with 100GB transfers completed in just a couple of minutes
- System stays responsive during multitasking—install large games while running other programs simultaneously
- Excels at gaming, video editing, and heavy workloads without lag
- Straightforward installation with immediate system recognition
- Runs cool and quiet without any reliability issues
- Excellent durability from a trusted manufacturer
- Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 maintains peak performance during demanding workloads
- Compatible with both PCIe Gen 4 and Gen 5 for forward compatibility

## Cons
- No heatsink included—requires motherboard with built-in M.2 cooling or a separate cooler
- Requires PCIe Gen 4 or 5 compatible system for optimal performance
- Performance capabilities may exceed what's needed for basic storage expansion
- Lower longevity compared to Samsung's professional SSD lineup

## Bottom Line

The Samsung 990 EVO Plus is an exceptional drive that delivers genuinely impressive performance gains for gaming and creative work—those load time improvements are no joke. If your system supports PCIe Gen 4 or 5 and you can handle the cooling requirement (either built-in on your motherboard or with a separate heatsink), this drive is absolutely worth it. However, if you're just looking for extra storage space without caring about speed, you're paying for performance you won't use. For gamers, content creators, or anyone who values system responsiveness, this is a fantastic investment.

## Pros vs Cons at a Glance

| Pros | Cons |
|------|------|
| Game load times are dramatically faster—Cyberpunk 2077 drops from 30+ seconds to just 9 seconds | No heatsink included—requires motherboard with built-in M.2 cooling or a separate cooler |
| Windows boot time falls from 25 seconds to under 8 seconds | Requires PCIe Gen 4 or 5 compatible system for optimal performance |
| Delivers 7,250 MB/s read speeds with 100GB transfers completed in just a couple of minutes | Performance capabilities may exceed what's needed for basic storage expansion |
| System stays responsive during multitasking—install large games while running other programs simultaneously | Lower longevity compared to Samsung's professional SSD lineup |
| Excels at gaming, video editing, and heavy workloads without lag |  |
| Straightforward installation with immediate system recognition |  |
| Runs cool and quiet without any reliability issues |  |
| Excellent durability from a trusted manufacturer |  |
| Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 maintains peak performance during demanding workloads |  |
| Compatible with both PCIe Gen 4 and Gen 5 for forward compatibility |  |

## Current Prices

| Retailer | Price | Availability |
|----------|-------|-------------|
| Best Buy | $289.99  | In Stock |

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*About this review: We pulled together findings from professional and user reviews, and cross-referenced them with ShopSavvy's pricing data from thousands of retailers to give you the short version.*