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Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD vs Samsung 990 PRO 2TB

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

both judged against NVMe SSDs at a similar price

The Samsung 990 PRO 2TB scores 7.4/10 overall, ahead of the Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD at 6.6/10.

The Samsung 990 PRO 2TB leads on performance and software.

They score the same on endurance, warranty and efficiency and thermals.

Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD

Lexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD

6.6/10verdict: wait for deal

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Samsung 990 PRO 2TB

Samsung 990 PRO 2TB

7.4/10verdict: wait for deal

The Samsung 990 PRO 2TB is for people who want a fast PCIe 4.0 M.2 drive for a workstation, development machine or homelab host. It suits those who value responsiveness and a five-year warranty and who will pay a premium for them. Buyers should plan for cooling, because owners report it runs warm under sustained load.

Typically about £329 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightLexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSDSamsung 990 PRO 2TB
Performance35%6/108/10
Endurance20%8/108/10
Warranty15%9/109/10
Efficiency and thermals15%5/105/10
Software15%5/106/10
Overall6.6/107.4/10

Specifications

SpecLexar EQ790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSDSamsung 990 PRO 2TB
InterfacePCIe Gen4x4PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 2.0
Sequential readUp to 7000 MB/s (1TB)7,450 MB/s
Sequential writeUp to 6000 MB/s (1TB, base page; the heatsink page and a press report give 5000 MB/s)6,900 MB/s
Endurance (2TB)600 TBW (1TB); 1200 TBW (2TB)1,200 TBW
Form factorM.2 2280, 80 x 22 x 2.45 mm (base model)M.2 (2280)
WarrantyFive-year limited warranty5 years limited

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
  • − Sequential write figure conflicts between sources

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 ›

Samsung 990 PRO 2TB

  • + Rated 7,450 MB/s sequential read and 1,550K random write IOPS
  • + 1,200 TBW endurance at 2TB
  • + Five-year limited warranty
  • − Runs warm under sustained load, per owner reports
  • − Heatsink version is a separate SKU that costs extra
  • − Owners report a price premium over competing drives

Skip it if:

  • Buyers choosing mainly on lowest price
  • Anyone with a poorly cooled slot who doesn't want to buy the heatsink version
  • Buyers who need published sustained-write or power-draw figures before committing
Read the full Samsung 990 PRO 2TB review ›

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