Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD vs Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against NVMe SSDs at a similar price

The Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD scores 7.9/10 overall, ahead of the Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD at 6.6/10.

The Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD leads on performance, endurance and efficiency and thermals.

They score the same on warranty and software.

The biggest difference is efficiency and thermals, where the Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD scores 8/10 to the Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD's 5/10.

Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD

6.6/10verdict: good, not the best

The Lexar EQ790 is a PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 2280 drive for buyers who want a long warranty and high endurance ratings at the 2TB size. It suits desktop builds and homelab machines where airflow is decent or a heatsink is fitted. It is less suited to anyone who needs steady writes over very large transfers or a laptop with tight cooling.

Typically about £134.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD

7.9/10verdict: buy

The Lexar NM790 suits people who want a fast PCIe Gen 4 2TB drive for a desktop, laptop or small homelab machine. It is aimed at buyers who value long rated endurance, a five-year warranty and low power draw. It is less well matched to anyone who regularly moves very large files and wants perfectly even speeds.

Typically about £129.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD	Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD
Performance	35%	6/10	8/10
Endurance	20%	8/10	9/10
Warranty	15%	9/10	9/10
Efficiency and thermals	15%	5/10	8/10
Software	15%	5/10	5/10
Overall		6.6/10	7.9/10

Specifications

Spec	Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD	Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD
Interface	PCIe Gen4x4	PCIe Gen4 x4, NVMe
Sequential read	Up to 7000 MB/s (1TB)	up to 7400 MB/s
Sequential write	Up to 6000 MB/s (1TB, base page; the heatsink page and a press report give 5000 MB/s)	up to 6500 MB/s
Endurance (2TB)	600 TBW (1TB); 1200 TBW (2TB)	1500 TBW (2TB)
Form factor	M.2 2280, 80 x 22 x 2.45 mm (base model)	M.2 2280
Warranty	Five-year limited warranty	five-year limited warranty

Strengths and weaknesses

Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD

+ 1,200 TBW endurance rating at 2TB
+ Five-year limited warranty
+ Heatsink version available as a separate SKU
− Base model has no heatsink
− Throttling recorded once cache fills at 224 GB

Skip it if:

Buyers who move several hundred gigabytes in single transfers and need steady write speed.
Laptop owners with poor cooling who don't want a heatsink or can't fit one.
Anyone who needs published firmware tooling or an update history.

Read the full Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD review ›

Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD

+ 1500 TBW rating at 2TB
+ Five-year limited warranty
+ Owners report low power draw and cool running
− HMB gives uneven large-file copy speeds, owners say
− Some owners report stutter in games

Skip it if:

Buyers who regularly copy very large files and need perfectly even speeds
Gamers sensitive to the stutter some owners report
Anyone who needs a published power draw figure in watts

Read the full Lexar NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe SSD review ›

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