Samsung Gen 5.0 1 TB And 2 TB 9100 PRO SSDs Are Now Retailing For The Same Price As Gen 4.0 990 PRO SSD Variants

Samsung has adjusted the retail pricing for its Gen 5.0 9100 PRO SSDs, specifically the 1 TB and 2 TB models. According to reporting from Wccftech, these newer drives are now retailing for the same price as the Gen 4.0 990 PRO SSD variants. This price alignment occurs alongside a broader rollout of storage products from Samsung, including the launch of the 990 non-PRO NVMe SSD. The new 990 is a QLC DRAMless SSD that TechPowerUp reports is priced at $270 for the 1TB version and $530 for the 2TB version. Industry coverage highlights a mix of performance and value. Digital Foundry notes that the vanilla 990 follows the release of the 990 Pro, 990 Evo, and 990 Evo Plus models.

While Neowin reports that Samsung has provided explanations on why the non-PRO 990 is better than the 990 PRO, other outlets are more critical. Engadget claims that this slower version of the 990 Pro SSD costs significantly more than the original. PCMag describes the Samsung SSD 990 as having mojo but notes that its pricing remains perplexing, while Tom's Hardware observes that the 990 2TB SSD features new flash but maintains familiar speeds. Contextual factors affecting these releases include broader market pressures. PCWorld reports on testing and suggests that the 990 SSD might be held back by shortages related to AI. This happens as Samsung continues to diversify its lineup of both internal and external storage.

For example, PCMag mentions a 30% discount on the Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD, indicating a wider promotional push across different storage tiers to maintain market share amid fluctuating hardware availability and evolving generational standards. Future attention will likely focus on whether the pricing of the 9100 PRO remains stable compared to the Gen 4.0 990 PRO variants. Market observers will be monitoring if AI-related shortages, as mentioned by PCWorld, will further impact the availability or cost of these drives. Additionally, the reception of the DRAMless 990 QLC SSD will be a key point of interest, specifically regarding whether consumers find the $270 and $530 price points justifiable given the performance characteristics reported by reviewers at Tom's Hardware and Engadget.