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Kingston KC3000 vs Samsung 990 PRO

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Product A: Kingston

KC3000

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Product B: Samsung

990 PRO

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Only differences

AKingston KC3000

BSamsung 990 PRO

General

5 of 9 differ

Series

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Model numbersiMaker identifiers for this exact model and its listed variants. Excludes sibling models and other generations.

SKC3000S/512G, SKC3000S/1024G, SKC3000D/2048G, SKC3000D/4096G3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Spec table part numbers SKC3000S/512G, SKC3000S/1024G, SKC3000D/2048G and SKC3000D/4096G. Geizhals agrees

MZ-V9P1T0BW, MZ-V9P1T0B/AM, MZ-V9P2T0BW, MZ-V9P2T0B/AM, MZ-V9P4T0BW, MZ-V9P4T0B/AM, MZ-V9P1T0CW, MZ-V9P1T0GW, MZ-V9P2T0CW, MZ-V9P2T0GW, MZ-V9P4T0CW, MZ-V9P4T0GW1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Product lineup table: MZ-V9P1T0BW and MZ-V9P1T0B/AM (1TB), MZ-V9P2T0BW and MZ-V9P2T0B/AM (2TB), MZ-V9P4T0BW and MZ-V9P4T0B/AM (4TB). The heatsink data sheet lists the CW and GW codes2Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_with_heatsink_datasheet_rev.3.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Heatsink model codes MZ-V9P1T0CW and MZ-V9P1T0GW, MZ-V9P2T0CW and MZ-V9P2T0GW, MZ-V9P4T0CW and MZ-V9P4T0GW, both listed under one box content for each capacity

GTIN / EAN

740617324402, 740617324433, 740617324242, 74061732429710Spec databasegeizhals.de/kingston-kc3000-v88169.htmlRead 15 October 2026Geizhals per-capacity pages (a2621455 to a2621458) carry EAN 0740617324402 (SKC3000S/512G), 0740617324433 (SKC3000S/1024G), 0740617324242 (SKC3000D/2048G) and 0740617324297 (SKC3000D/4096G). Stored as 12-digit UPCs. All pass the check digit. Geizhals notes the model shipped with Micron TLC 176 Layer NAND before 2023, and its NAND field says Kioxia BiCS5 112 layer, which conflicts with every launch review and is not used

8806094215021, 8806094215038, 880609494720520Retailer pagealternate.de/SAMSUNG/990-PRO-2-TB-SSD/html/product/1864243Read 14 October 20262TB, model MZ-V9P2T0BW, EAN 880609421503821Retailer pageoffice-partner.de/samsung-990-pro-1tb-25133710Read 14 October 20261TB, manufacturer number MZ-V9P1T0BW, EAN 8806094215021. The same EAN is on pcinternational.co.za22Retailer pageebay.de/p/24063072662Read 14 October 20264TB, model MZ-V9P4T0BW, EAN 8806094947205 on the eBay product page. No GTIN found for the heatsink models, since listings of MZ-V9P2T0CW show several different EANs

AnnouncediThe maker's first announcement of this model. This is separate from first retail availability.

25 October 20218Press articlesimms.co.uk/news/product-launch-kingston-kc3000-pcie-40-nvme-m2-ssdRead 15 October 2026Simms International, a Kingston distributor, published a product launch notice on 25 October 2021. Kingston's own release is dated 9 November 2021 per search listings, which could not be read

25 August 202210Press releasenews.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-unveils-high-performance-990-pro-ssd-optimized-for-gaming-and-creative-applicationsRead 14 October 2026Samsung global newsroom, Korea, August 25, 2022. Samsung Germany's release is dated 24.08.2022

Status

Available10Spec databasegeizhals.de/kingston-kc3000-v88169.htmlRead 15 October 2026Geizhals lists 52 offers for the 1TB with a price update dated 15 October 2026 and dealers with stock, so the drive is still sold

Available3Maker product pagesamsung.com/us/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-pcie-4-0-nvme-ssd-1tb-sku-mz-v9p2t0b-amRead 14 October 2026Samsung US page lists 1TB, 2TB and 4TB and a heatsink option. It shows current prices, which are not used

PredecessoriThe model this one directly replaced, in the same line, tier and size, as the maker or a trusted review names it.

Not available

Samsung 980 PRO23Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/42-percent-slashed-of-samsungs-990-pro-ssd-2tb-now-usd369-usd270-savings-brings-one-of-the-fastest-pcie-4-0-ssds-to-its-lowest-price-in-monthsRead 23 October 2026Tom's Hardware says the Samsung 990 Pro is the successor to the 980 Pro.24Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-review/all/1Read 23 October 2026KitGuru says the Samsung 990 Pro takes over from the previous high-end drive, the SSD 980 Pro.

SuccessoriThe model that directly replaced this one, in the same line, tier and size. A revision such as a Slim or OLED model does not count when a next generation exists.

Not available

Samsung 9100 PRO25Reviewtechradar.com/pro/finally-samsungs-first-pcie-5-0-ssd-that-you-can-actually-buy-is-here-after-a-nearly-two-year-wait-meet-the-9100-proRead 23 October 2026TechRadar calls the Samsung 9100 Pro the successor to the 990 Pro.

Launch price (US)iThe maker's US launch MSRP for the stated configuration, excluding tax. Current store prices and later discounts do not qualify.

Not available

$289.9913Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026US launch prices: 1TB $169.99, 2TB $289.99. The heatsink and RGB version adds $20: 1TB $189.99, 2TB $309.99. SamMobile reported the same US prices. Samsung's global press release named $179 and $309 for the bare drives15Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 20264TB launch pricing $344.99 bare and $354.99 with heatsink. StorageReview and PCWorld agree19Reviewstoragereview.com/review/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026StorageReview names an MSRP of $344.99 for the 4TB and $354.99 with heatsink

Launch price (EU)iThe maker's euro launch price for the stated configuration, including VAT as published. Current store prices and later discounts do not qualify.

€3769Press articlegeektopia.es/es/technology/2021/10/25/noticias/kingston-presenta-la-serie-kc3000-de-ssd-tipo-pcie-4-0.htmlRead 15 October 2026Geektopia, 25 October 2021, prints a PVPR row (recommended retail price) of 112.90 EUR, 184.90 EUR, 376 EUR and 1069 EUR for 512GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB. Spanish outlet, so assumed Spain and incl. VAT. A German price was not found. Stored as the 2TB value, 376

€324.912Press releasenews.samsung.com/de/ssd-990-pro-fur-gamer-und-kreative/1000Read 14 October 2026Samsung Germany, 24.08.2022, unverbindliche Preisempfehlung incl. VAT: 990 PRO 1TB 174.90 EUR, 2TB 324.90 EUR. No euro price found for 4TB or the heatsink versions

MarketsiISO country or region codes where this exact model or variant is sold. A source page's language does not establish availability.

Not available

Not available

ColoursiThe maker's own colour names

Not available

Black3Maker product pagesamsung.com/us/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-pcie-4-0-nvme-ssd-1tb-sku-mz-v9p2t0b-amRead 14 October 2026Colour: Black4Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-2tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p2t0bwRead 14 October 2026Colour: Black

Form factoriPhysical size of the drive. External is any drive in its own case that connects by cable. A drive sold in two M.2 lengths is two products. Xbox expansion card is a card for the storage expansion slot of an Xbox Series console.

M.2 22802Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Specifications table reads M.2 2280

M.2 22801Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

CapacityiNominal capacity before formatting, in decimal GB. A published 1 TB is 1000 GB. A published 1024GB stays 1024. The marketed capacity is stored, not a raw or usable figure from the same table, such as OWC's 2048 GB total and 1920 GB usable for a 2.0TB drive.

512, 1,024, 2,048, 4,096GB2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Capacities row reads 512GB, 1,024GB, 2,048GB, 4,096GB, copied from Kingston's table. Stored as published since the table says 1,024GB and not 1TB

1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

Interface

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InterfaceiFastest host connection the drive is rated for. The PCIe generation of an NVMe drive is its own field. A Thunderbolt drive that also works over USB uses its Thunderbolt version.

PCIe NVMe2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Specifications table reads PCIe 4.0 NVMe

PCIe NVMe1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 2.0. Footnote 2 says the drive is backward compatible with PCIe 3.0

PCIe generationiHighest PCIe generation the drive supports, e.g. 5 for PCIe 5.0. NVMe drives only. A drive rated for PCIe 4.0 x4 or 5.0 x2 is 5 with 2 lanes, and the source note names both modes.

43Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Spec table reads PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4

41Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

PCIe lanesiLanes the drive uses at its highest PCIe generation, usually 4. NVMe drives only.

43Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026x4

41Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

NVMe versioniVersion of the NVMe specification as published. A revision letter is left out, so 2.0d is stored as 2.0.

1.43Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026NVMe 1.4 for all four capacities

2.01Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

Detachable cableiExternal drives. No means the cable is fixed to the drive.

Not available

Not available

Hardware

3 of 7 differ

ControlleriController maker and model as named by the maker or a review. On an external drive, the controller of the SSD inside, not the USB or Thunderbolt bridge chip. The bridge chip goes in the source note.

Phison E182Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Phison E18. The text names the Phison PS5018-E18 on TSMC 12nm. Tom's Hardware spells it PS5018-E18, stored as Phison E18 as on the Corsair MP600 entries3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Phison PS5018-E18, 8-channel, 12nm. Table lists the same controller for all capacities

Samsung Pascal13Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026Specs table lists Samsung Pascal for all capacities, an 8 nm ARM-based controller. Maker says only Samsung in-house controller17Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-reviewRead 14 October 2026Names Samsung's Pascal controller, built on an 8 nm process

Flash typeiBits stored in each flash cell. TLC stores three and QLC stores four. A maker can use another flash type in some capacities, so it is per variant.

TLC2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Specifications table reads 3D TLC

TLC1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

Flash memoryiFlash maker and generation as named by the maker or a review.

Micron B47R TLC2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Text names Micron's B47R 3D TLC NAND. Tom's Hardware and Club386 name 176-layer TLC. Geizhals notes the drive shipped with Micron 176-layer TLC before 2023, so later units may differ3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Spec table and text: Micron 176L TLC, thirty-two 512Gb dies at 1,600 MT/s on the 2TB

Samsung V-NAND V7 TLC11Press releasenews.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-4tb-ssd-990-pro-series-brings-ultimate-performance-and-capacity-for-gamers-and-creatorsRead 14 October 2026Korea, September 7, 2023: the 4TB 990 PRO is built on eighth-generation V-NAND (V8) with 1Tb dies13Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 20261TB and 2TB at launch use Samsung's 176-layer V7 TLC, chip code K9DVGY8JRD-DCK0. Tom's Hardware's 9100 PRO review says the 236-layer V8 flash later made its way onto the smaller 990 PRO SKUs, so newer 1TB and 2TB units can differ15Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026Specs table reads 236-Layer (V8) V-NAND TLC for the 4TB, with the Samsung Pascal controller

Flash layersiStacked layers of the 3D flash, from the maker or a review.

1763Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026176L

17611Press releasenews.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-4tb-ssd-990-pro-series-brings-ultimate-performance-and-capacity-for-gamers-and-creatorsRead 14 October 2026Press release says V8. Tom's Hardware gives 236 layers for the 4TB13Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026176 layers for the 1TB and 2TB reviewed at launch15Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026236 layers for the 4TB17Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-reviewRead 14 October 2026Two packages of Samsung's 7th generation 176-layer TLC V-NAND, coded K9DVGY8JRD-DCK0, 512Gb dies, on the 2TB

DRAM cacheiDRAM is a memory chip on the drive. HMB is a drive without DRAM that borrows host memory. None has neither. HMB not stated is a drive without DRAM where no source says whether it borrows host memory. An external drive counts when a source names the cache of the drive inside.

DRAM3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Spec table DRAM: DDR4 for all capacities, a Kingston-branded DDR4 chip

DRAM1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026

DRAM cache sizeiSize of the DRAM on the drive. Any DRAM type counts, such as DDR4 or LPDDR4X. Host memory buffer (HMB) is not DRAM on the drive.

2GB6Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/kingston-kc3000-2tb-ssd-review/all/1Read 15 October 2026Text says one DDR4 cache IC on each side of the 2TB PCB. The size per capacity is taken from the Igor's Lab table7Reviewigorslab.de/en/kingston-kc3000-pcie-4-0-nvme-ssd-review-is-the-kc3000-really-better-than-the-nv3Read 15 October 2026Table of memory model by capacity: 512GB 512 MB DDR4, 1TB 1 GB, 2TB 2 GB, 4TB 4 GB. Review of 9 September 2025 tested a 2TB with Micron 176-layer TLC

2GB1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026DRAM Cache Memory row: 1GB, 2GB and 4GB LPDDR4 by capacity

Component sidesiWhether chips sit on one or both sides of the board. Thin laptops and some handhelds need single-sided drives. M.2 drives only. The M.2 module code states it: S is single-sided and D is double-sided, e.g. 2280-S3-M or 2280-D5-M.

Double-sided3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Text says the 512GB and 1TB are single-sided and the larger capacities have components on both sides of the PCB

Single-sided11Press releasenews.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-4tb-ssd-990-pro-series-brings-ultimate-performance-and-capacity-for-gamers-and-creatorsRead 14 October 2026The 4TB is a single-sided M.2 form factor. Available early October 2023, 1TB and 2TB already on sale15Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026The 4TB stays single-sided with two NAND packages17Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-reviewRead 14 October 2026Reviewer says the 2TB is built on a single-sided M.2 2280 format19Reviewstoragereview.com/review/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026Text on the 4TB reads: like the other capacities, the single-sided M.2 form factor

Performance

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Sequential read (claimed)iMaker's up-to sequential read speed for this capacity. Test conditions are in the source note.

7,000MB/s2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Sequential Read/Write row: 512GB 7,000/3,900 MB/s, 1,024GB 7,000/6,000, 2,048GB 7,000/7,000, 4,096GB 7,000/7,000. Kingston gives no test host

7,450MB/s1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 20267,450 MB/s on all capacities. IOmeter 1.1.0 on AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, ASRock X570 Taichi, DDR4-3600 2x16GB, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, PCIe 4.0 x4, secondary drive in a fan-cooled desktop

Sequential write (claimed)iMaker's up-to sequential write speed for this capacity. Makers usually measure it inside the fast write cache.

7,000MB/s2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Same row as read

6,900MB/s1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 20266,900 MB/s on all capacities, measured with Intelligent TurboWrite active, so inside the fast write cache

Random 4K read (claimed)iMaker's up-to random read speed with 4 KB blocks. Queue depth and threads are in the source note. The maker's headline claim. Makers test at different queue depths, so compare with care. The queue depth 1 measured fields compare better.

1,000,000IOPS2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Random 4K Read/Write row, up to: 512GB 450,000/900,000 IOPS, 1,024GB 900,000/1,000,000, 2,048GB and 4,096GB 1,000,000/1,000,000. Queue depth is not stated

1,400,000IOPS1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026QD32, 16 threads: 1,200K (1TB), 1,400K (2TB), 1,600K (4TB). The datasheet also lists QD1, 1 thread: 22K read and 80K write, which are not stored. The KitGuru review text names 1,550K for reads and 1,400K for writes, which swaps the two figures

Random 4K write (claimed)iMaker's up-to random write speed with 4 KB blocks. Queue depth and threads are in the source note. The maker's headline claim. Makers test at different queue depths, so compare with care. The queue depth 1 measured fields compare better.

1,000,000IOPS2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Same row as read

1,550,000IOPS1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026QD32, 16 threads: 1,550K on all capacities

Endurance and reliability

2 of 3 differ

Endurance (TBW)iTerabytes that can be written within the warranty, as the maker rates them.

1,600TB2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026TBW row: 512GB 400 TB, 1,024GB 800 TB, 2,048GB 1.6 PB, 4,096GB 3.2 PB, stored as 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 TB

1,200TB1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026600 TB (1TB), 1,200 TB (2TB), 2,400 TB (4TB). Warranty covers 5 years or the TBW, whichever comes first

MTBF or MTTF (claimed)iMean time between failures, or mean time to failure when the maker publishes MTTF. The source note says which. Some makers state it per capacity, so it is per variant.

1,800,000h2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026MTBF 1,800,000 hours for every capacity, published as MTBF

1,500,000h1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Published as MTBF, 1.5 million hours

Operating temperatureiMaker's operating range. The storage range is not stored.

Min0Max70°C2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Operating temperature 0C to 70C. The storage range of -40C to 85C is not stored

Min0Max70°C1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 20260 to 70 C, measured by S.M.A.R.T. temperature, proper airflow recommended. The non-operating range of -40 to 85 C is not stored

Power

6 of 6 differ

Power while reading (claimed)iMaker's average power during sequential reads, including a figure given at the full read speed. A single average or active figure with no read and write split, such as Corsair's, is stored in both read and write, and the source note says so. A maximum figure, such as Kingston's (MAX) Read, is a peak and is not stored.

Not available

6.1W1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Active average, IOmeter 1.1.0 on AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, ASRock X570 Taichi, Windows 10 Pro: 5.5 W (1TB), 6.1 W (2TB), 6.5 W (4TB). Rev 2.0 values, which replace the Rev 1.0 values of 5.4 W and 5.8 W for 1TB and 2TB

Power while writing (claimed)iMaker's average power during sequential writes. A single average or active figure with no read and write split is stored in both read and write, and the source note says so. A maximum figure, such as Kingston's (MAX) Write, is a peak and is not stored.

Not available

5.5W1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 20265.2 W (1TB), 5.5 W (2TB), 5.7 W (4TB). Rev 1.0 listed 5.0 W and 5.1 W

Max power consumption (claimed)iMaker's peak or maximum power figure. Not the average while reading or writing. Kingston publishes max read and max write power apart. Store the higher one and name both in the source note.

9.9W2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Power row per capacity: 512GB 5mW Idle / 0.34W Avg / 2.7W (MAX) Read / 4.1W (MAX) Write, 1,024GB 5mW / 0.33W / 2.8W / 6.3W, 2,048GB 5mW / 0.36W / 2.8W / 9.9W, 4,096GB 5mW / 0.36W / 2.7W / 10.2W. The higher max figure, the write one, is stored. Kingston publishes max read and max write power only, so the read and write fields are empty

8.5W4Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-2tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p2t0bwRead 14 October 2026Maximum power consumption (burst mode) 8.5 W for the 2TB. The page also lists average power at system level of 5.5 W, which is not stored. KitGuru quotes the same figures5Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-1tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p1t0bwRead 14 October 20261TB, maximum power (burst mode) 7.8 W. Average at system level 5.4 W is not stored6Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-4tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p4t0bwRead 14 October 20264TB, maximum power (burst mode) 8.6 W. Average at system level 6.5 W is not stored7Maker product pagesamsung.com/sg/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/nvme-pcie-gen-4-2tb-mz-v9p2t0cwRead 14 October 20262TB with heatsink, maximum power (burst mode) 8.5 W8Maker product pagesamsung.com/sg/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/nvme-pcie-gen-4-1tb-mz-v9p1t0cwRead 14 October 20261TB with heatsink, maximum power (burst mode) 7.8 W9Maker product pagesamsung.com/sg/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/nvme-pcie-gen-4-4tb-mz-v9p4t0cwRead 14 October 20264TB with heatsink, maximum power (burst mode) 8.6 W

Average power in light use (claimed)iMaker's average over a mixed client workload such as MobileMark. Not idle power and not read or write power.

360mW2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Avg figure per capacity, 0.34W is 340 mW, 0.33W is 330 mW and 0.36W is 360 mW. The workload is not named

Not available

Idle power (claimed)iMaker's idle power in the PS3 state with APST on, or the state the maker calls low-power idle. On a SATA drive, Slumber counts as low-power idle. A plain idle figure with no low-power state, often near 1 W, is active idle and is not stored. Samsung's Idle with DIPM on is a SATA link power state, so it counts as low-power idle.

5mW2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Kingston labels 5mW as Idle for every capacity. At 5 mW it can only be a low-power state, though the datasheet does not name the state. Some retailer copies print 50mW for the 512GB and 4TB

55mW1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Idle with APST on: 50 mW (1TB), 55 mW (2TB), 55 mW (4TB)

Sleep power (claimed)iMaker's power in the deepest sleep state, PS4 or L1.2. On a SATA drive this is DevSleep.

Not available

5mW1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026L1.2 mode: 5 mW (1TB and 2TB), 5.8 mW (4TB)

Measured

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Sequential read (measured)iCrystalDiskMark SEQ1M Q8T1 read result from a reviewer. Host and slot are in the source note. KitGuru's default profile counts as SEQ1M Q8T1.

7,362MB/s6Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/kingston-kc3000-2tb-ssd-review/all/1Read 15 October 20262TB. CrystalDiskMark 8 default profile, five runs, drive wiped with HDDerase v4: sequential read 7,362 MB/s

7,477MB/s18Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-review/4Read 14 October 20262TB, bare, CrystalDiskMark 8.0.4 default profile, 5 runs of 1 GiB, drive empty and wiped with HDDerase v4, SEQ1M Q8T1 read 7,477.27 MB/s, rounded to 7477. Test bench AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, 16GB DDR4-2400, MSI MPG X570 Gaming Edge WiFi, PCIe 4.0 x4

Sequential write (measured)iCrystalDiskMark SEQ1M Q8T1 write result from a reviewer. Host and slot are in the source note.

6,916MB/s6Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/kingston-kc3000-2tb-ssd-review/all/1Read 15 October 20262TB, same test: sequential write 6,916 MB/s

6,885MB/s18Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-review/4Read 14 October 2026SEQ1M Q8T1 write 6,885.12 MB/s, rounded to 6885, same run

Random 4K read at queue depth 1 (measured)iCrystalDiskMark RND4K Q1T1 read result from a reviewer. Small reads one at a time, close to everyday use. KitGuru's 4K QD1 1 Thread test counts as RND4K Q1T1. A CrystalDiskMark result printed in IOPS is stored as IOPS x 4096 / 1,000,000 MB/s, the way CrystalDiskMark converts.

83.49MB/s6Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/kingston-kc3000-2tb-ssd-review/all/1Read 15 October 20262TB. CrystalDiskMark 8 4K QD1 single thread: read 83.49 MB/s

81.28MB/s18Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-review/4Read 14 October 2026RND4K Q1T1 read 81.28 MB/s from the default profile screenshot, same value as the 4K QD1 Threads 1 chart

Random 4K write at queue depth 1 (measured)iCrystalDiskMark RND4K Q1T1 write result from a reviewer. A CrystalDiskMark result printed in IOPS is stored as IOPS x 4096 / 1,000,000 MB/s, the way CrystalDiskMark converts.

251.49MB/s6Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/kingston-kc3000-2tb-ssd-review/all/1Read 15 October 20262TB, same test: write 251.49 MB/s

229.19MB/s18Reviewkitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/samsung-990-pro-2tb-review/4Read 14 October 2026RND4K Q1T1 write 229.19 MB/s, same run

Write cache size (measured)iData written at full speed in one long sequential write on an empty drive before the speed drops.

730GB4Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-review/3Read 15 October 20262TB. 15-minute Iometer sequential write, 1MB QD32: 730GB written before the speed started to degrade, at a consistent 6.4 GB/s. Intel Rocket Lake bench, drive prefilled to 50 percent and tested as a secondary device, active cooling

240GB14Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-review/2Read 14 October 20262TB, bare. Iometer sustained sequential write for 15 minutes: up to 6.2 GB/s for 39 seconds, which the review reads as a pSLC cache of about 240 GB. Samsung rates the 2TB at 226 GB, 10 GB static and 216 GB dynamic

Write speed after the cache (measured)iWrite speed in the first state after the fast cache is full, when the drive writes straight to TLC or QLC. Tom's Hardware calls it TLC mode. The slower folding state and the lowest dip are not stored. Only from a long sequential write test.

1,600MB/s4Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-review/3Read 15 October 20262TB, same run. After the cache the drive wrote at roughly 1.6 GB/s until full, stored as 1600. Only one degradation stage

1,400MB/s14Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-review/2Read 14 October 20262TB. After the cache the drive holds around 1.4 GB/s in a direct-to-TLC mode, stored as 140016Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-review/2Read 14 October 20264TB, bare, read from chart. Review text: the drive did not fall to a folding state and held steady in TLC mode above 1.6 GB/s after about 75 seconds in pSLC mode. The steady state average after 15 minutes is 1,632 MB/s

3DMark Storage BenchmarkiOverall score measured by a reviewer. Host and slot are in the source note. From StorageReview only. Tom's Hardware scores the same drive about 30 percent higher, so other reviewers are not mixed in.

Not available

Not available

Highest temperature under load (measured)iHighest drive sensor reading in a sustained write test of 10 minutes or more, on the bare drive unless the row is a heatsink version. Short benchmark runs do not count. Heatsink, airflow and room temperature go in the source note.

Not available

72°C14Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-review/2Read 14 October 20262TB, no heatsink. Over 1.6 TB of writes the drive reached around 72 C. The review names the S.M.A.R.T. sensor and an IR gun for the idle readings and does not say which one gave the 72 C. Intel Core i9-12900K on Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, drive prefilled to 50 percent and tested as a secondary device

Idle power (measured)iReviewer's idle reading. Power-saving settings such as ASPM are in the source note. A value read from a chart image counts when the source note says "read from chart".

1,111mW4Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-review/3Read 15 October 20262TB. Quarch PPM idle power with ASPM/LPM disabled: 1,111 mW, read from chart. The text says it consumed over 1.1 watts at idle

839mW14Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-review/2Read 14 October 20262TB, read from chart. Quarch PPM idle power with ASPM and LPM disabled: 839 mW. In Full Power Mode the same drive reads 1,252 mW16Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-4tb-ssd-review/2Read 14 October 20264TB, read from chart. Quarch PPM idle power with ASPM and LPM disabled: 1,266 mW

Cooling and build

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HeatsinkiVersions sold. The base lists every version and each variant row lists its own. A water block or a cooler with a fan counts as a heatsink. A thermal pad or label alone is bare. A heatsink in the box that the buyer fits, as on the XPG MARS 980 BLADE, counts as with heatsink.

Without heatsink3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026The drive has a low-profile graphene aluminum heat spreader in the label and no heatsink. A label alone counts as bare. The review ran it without a heatsink

Without heatsink, With heatsink2Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_with_heatsink_datasheet_rev.3.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Bare drives are in the main data sheet. Heatsink versions are in this data sheet, Revision 3.0 (2023, 4TB capacity added, power values revised)

RGB lightingiAny version sold has lighting the user can set. A status LED alone does not count. Leave it out when no version has lighting. The Heatsink rows show which version has it.

Not available

Yes2Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_with_heatsink_datasheet_rev.3.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Footnote 8 says the LED display colour may look different from the colour setting. Samsung's press releases say the heatsink version has RGB lights controlled in Magician10Press releasenews.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-unveils-high-performance-990-pro-ssd-optimized-for-gaming-and-creative-applicationsRead 14 October 2026The 990 PRO with Heatsink version has RGB lights. A 4TB capacity was announced for 2023. The press release names MSRPs of $179 for the 1TB and $309 for the 2TB, which differ from the US launch prices reported by Tom's Hardware and stored here11Press releasenews.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-4tb-ssd-990-pro-series-brings-ultimate-performance-and-capacity-for-gamers-and-creatorsRead 14 October 2026Magician software supports RGB functionality for the 990 PRO with Heatsink, with colour and LED effect settings13Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-990-pro-ssd-reviewRead 14 October 2026Review says the heatsink version has RGB, controlled in Magician 7.2

Dust and water ratingiPublished IP rating of an external drive.

Not available

Not available

Drop test heightiMaker-published tested height. Surface and conditions are in the source note.

Not available

Not available

Security and software

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SecurityiFeatures the maker names for the drive. Encryption done by host software does not count. ATA Security passthrough counts as password protection.

Not available

AES 256-bit hardware encryption, TCG Opal 2.0, IEEE 1667 (eDrive)1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Data Security row reads AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption, TCG/Opal V2.0, Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667)

Software

Kingston SSD Manager3Reviewtomshardware.com/reviews/kingston-kc3000-m2-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Kingston SSD Manager for health and firmware, plus an Acronis True Image HD key. The drive has no AES-256 hardware encryption

Samsung Magician4Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-2tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p2t0bwRead 14 October 2026Software row, Magician software for SSD management

Compatibility

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PlatformsiPlatforms the maker names for this drive. A PS5 needs a heatsink on an internal drive. PC is for a maker that writes Client PCs or PC without naming an operating system. Handheld PCs go in Other with a source note.

PC (no OS named)8Press articlesimms.co.uk/news/product-launch-kingston-kc3000-pcie-40-nvme-m2-ssdRead 15 October 2026Notice says the drive is for desktop and laptop PCs, with no operating system named

PC (no OS named), PS51Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Usage Application reads Client PCs, PlayStation 5, and this is the bare drive. Client PCs is stored as PC. A PS5 needs a heatsink for an internal drive, so the maker's PS5 line for the bare drive is kept as published

Dimensions and weight

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DimensionsiLength is the long side. Height is the thickness, including a fitted heatsink. As the maker publishes it. A maximum counts. Length is the long side even when the maker lists the width first.

Length80Width22Height3.5mm(3.1 × 0.9 × 0.1 in)2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026512GB and 1,024GB 80mm x 22mm x 2.21mm. 2,048GB and 4,096GB 80mm x 22mm x 3.5mm

Length80Width22Height2.3mm(3.1 × 0.9 × 0.1 in)1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Bare drive, Max 80.0 x Max 22 x Max 2.3 mm on all capacities2Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_with_heatsink_datasheet_rev.3.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Heatsink models, Max 80.15 x Max 25 x Max 8.88 mm on all capacities. Rev 1.0 listed 80.0 x 24.3 x 8.2 mm, revised in Rev 2.0 (June 2023). Samsung regional pages still show the older size

WeightiDrive alone, with a heatsink when it is sold fitted. No cable and no packaging. As the maker publishes it. A maximum counts. Not a measured weight.

9.7g(0.3 oz)2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026512GB and 1,024GB 7 g. 2,048GB and 4,096GB 9.7 g

9g(0.3 oz)4Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-2tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p2t0bwRead 14 October 2026Specifications tab, 2TB, Max 9.0 g, published as a maximum5Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-1tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p1t0bwRead 14 October 20261TB, Max 9.0 g6Maker product pagesamsung.com/uk/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-4tb-nvme-pcie-gen-4-mz-v9p4t0bwRead 14 October 20264TB, max 9.0 g7Maker product pagesamsung.com/sg/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/nvme-pcie-gen-4-2tb-mz-v9p2t0cwRead 14 October 2026990 PRO with Heatsink 2TB, Max 28.0 g. The Singapore page still lists the older 80 x 24.3 x 8.2 mm size, which the data sheet replaced8Maker product pagesamsung.com/sg/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/nvme-pcie-gen-4-1tb-mz-v9p1t0cwRead 14 October 2026990 PRO with Heatsink 1TB, Max 28.0 g9Maker product pagesamsung.com/sg/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/nvme-pcie-gen-4-4tb-mz-v9p4t0cwRead 14 October 2026990 PRO with Heatsink 4TB, Max 28.0 g

In the box

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In the box

Not available

Samsung SSD 990 PRO 1TB, Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB, Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB, Samsung SSD 990 PRO with Heatsink 1TB, Samsung SSD 990 PRO with Heatsink 2TB, Samsung SSD 990 PRO with Heatsink 4TB, Warranty Statement1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Product lineup table, box contents are the drive and a warranty statement2Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_with_heatsink_datasheet_rev.3.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Product lineup table, box contents are the drive with heatsink and a warranty statement

Cables includediCables supplied with an external drive.

Not available

Not available

Links

Not compared

Product page

www.kingston.com/en/ssd/kc3000-nvme-m2-solid-state-drive1Maker product pagekingston.com/en/ssd/kc3000-nvme-m2-solid-state-driveRead 15 October 2026Kingston's product page for the drive. It returned HTTP 403 to automated requests and the datasheet URL pattern kingston.com/datasheets/SKC3000S_us.pdf returned 404, so neither was read. StorageReview and APH Networks print Kingston's spec list

www.samsung.com/us/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-pcie-4-0-nvme-ssd-1tb-sku-mz-v9p2t0b-am3Maker product pagesamsung.com/us/memory-storage/nvme-ssd/990-pro-pcie-4-0-nvme-ssd-1tb-sku-mz-v9p2t0b-amRead 14 October 2026

Spec sheet

Not available

download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdf1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 2026Samsung V-NAND SSD 990 PRO Data Sheet, Revision 2.0 (2023), covers 1TB, 2TB and 4TB. Rev 1.0 (October 2022) covered 1TB and 2TB only, with older power values

Manual

Not available

Not available

EPREL registration numberiId in the EU energy label database. Each size or model of a series has its own id, so it is per variant.

Not available

Not available

Warranty

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Manufacturer warranty (source market)iThe maker's warranty period for the exact SKU or configuration and market named in the source note. It applies only to that stated market, not every regional variant. Statutory consumer rights are excluded. The base term is stored. An extension that needs registration goes in the source note.

5years2Reviewstoragereview.com/review/kingston-kc3000-ssd-reviewRead 15 October 2026Limited 5-year warranty with free technical support

5years1Maker spec sheet (PDF)download.semiconductor.samsung.com/resources/data-sheet/samsung_nvme_ssd_990_pro_datasheet_rev.2.0.pdfRead 14 October 20265 years limited, or the TBW, whichever comes first

Both are also in the API. Back to all SSDs.