Samsung 990 Pro 4TB Review: High-Performance Gen4 NVMe SSD for Gaming

Designed for heavy workloads and gaming, Samsung 990 Pro 4TB provides excellent speed, stability, and thermal management.

Hardware by Nakiro on Aug 30, 2025

About a year ago, Samsung launched their 980 Pro Gen4 NVMe SSD, but only in 1TB and 2TB capacities. Now, they have finally released a 4TB version as well, making it a great moment to revisit this lineup.

A lot has happened since the original launch, so it is worth looking into how the new capacity performs, the improvements over time, and whether it still stands as one of the best high-end SSD options available.

Samsung 990 Pro 4TB, review, High-Performance, Gen4 NVMe SSD for Gaming, NoobFeed

990 Pro 4TB Overview

Similar to the smaller capacities, Samsung offers a 4TB model with or without a heatsink. The non-heatsink version comes with a thin heat spreader, but pairing it with a proper heatsink is strongly recommended for fast drives like this.

What makes the 4TB version particularly interesting is that it is entirely single-sided. Most 4TB NVMe SSDs have components on both sides, while this one places everything on top. This is particularly important for laptops that cannot fit dual-sided drives, and also makes it easier to integrate with the motherboard or third-party heatsinks.

The drive still has everything expected from a high-end SSD: Gen4x4 NVMe interface, DRAM cache, SLC caching, a 5-year warranty, and full support for hardware encryption.

The 4TB model offers advantages, including a larger DRAM cache and a significantly larger SLC buffer, which can reach up to 442GB when sufficient free space is available.

Samsung continues to design and manufacture its own controller and NAND, confirming the use of TLC memory rather than QLC.

Performance in Light Use

We started testing with PCMark 10's quick benchmark, which replicates light day-to-day tasks such as working with documents, opening photos, and loading games. 1TB and 2TB 980 Pros were already among the fastest Gen4 drives, but the 4TB version performs slightly better than both. However, it remains behind Gen5 SSDs in this category.

Performance in Heavier Use

For heavier workloads, the full PCMark 10 suite gives a clearer picture. This benchmark simulates more constant and intensive system use, making it a suitable choice for those looking for a main drive or running heavy applications.

Here, the 4TB 990 Pro outperformed its smaller siblings and every other Gen4 drive tested so far. Gen5 drives still held the lead, but among Gen4 SSDs, the 4TB 990 Pro is the strongest.

Samsung 990 Pro 4TB, review, High-Performance, Gen4 NVMe SSD for Gaming, NoobFeed

Latency

Looking at latency, the 4TB version is faster than the smaller 980 Pros and most other Gen4 SSDs, though it still falls short of Gen5 models.

Performance Under Extreme Load

For extreme multi-hour workloads, the consistency test pushes drives to their limits. Many SSDs, including some Gen5 models, show performance drops under such stress. The 990 Pro handled it impressively, with the 4TB version performing even better than the previously tested 2TB model.

It finished just behind the Crucial T700 Gen5 SSD. While this scenario is niche, those who run extremely heavy workloads will appreciate both the endurance and larger capacity.

Gaming Performance

4TB model's ranking in 3DMark's storage benchmark, which takes into account gaming-related chores including loading, installing, recording, and relocating games, decreased marginally from what was anticipated. Results consistently ranked it lower than several less expensive competitors, such as the Transcend 250, even after retesting.

Although performance remains good, value-focused alternatives may be able to compete effectively in this market.

Sequential Performance

In sequential read and write tests, the 4TB 990 Pro once again proved to be the fastest Gen4 drive in write speeds. However, it bumps against the Gen4 interface's limits, meaning most top drives perform similarly here. Only Gen5 SSDs surpass the 7GB/s barrier in these tests.

Thermal Performance

Samsung states that the drive should operate between 0 °C and 70 °C, but under extreme conditions, it can operate outside this range without cooling.

Throttling was triggered during stress testing when the exterior temperature reached approximately 80°C, while interior sensors recorded temperatures of around 100°C. A heatsink is quite essential. It is sufficient if your motherboard already has one.

Otherwise, you can opt for Samsung's heatsink version or use a third-party option, which can be purchased for around $10.

Samsung 990 Pro 4TB, review, High-Performance, Gen4 NVMe SSD for Gaming, NoobFeed

Samsung Magician Software

Samsung's Magician software remains one of the best SSD utilities available. It allows you to check health, move data, control encryption, and simply install firmware updates. Samsung also regularly releases updates that make things more stable and faster over time.

Early Firmware Issues

For Samsung, things haven't always gone smoothly. Some consumers reported substantial declines in their health percentages after minimal use following the release of the 1TB and 2TB 990 Pros.

Samsung waited weeks to react, and although they offered a software update that stops the problem from happening again, they didn't do much to fix the drives that were already impacted.

Rebuilding trust might have been facilitated by a more thorough explanation and a more substantial gesture, like an extended warranty.

While failures are unlikely and the issue was most likely due to incorrect health reporting, Samsung's handling of the matter left room for improvement.

Pricing & Final Thoughts

Samsung SSDs often launch at high prices, but this 4TB model enters the US market at a price of around $309. That places it in the same range as WD's SN850X or Corsair's MP600 Pro, while being cheaper than Kingston's KC3000 and Fury Renegade.

There are cheaper 4TB QLC drives available for under $200, but they cannot match the performance and endurance of Samsung's TLC-based 990 Pro.

For those prioritizing heavy workloads, the only stronger option is the Crucial T700 Gen5 SSD, which costs more than double the price. Considering that most workloads do not yet benefit from Gen5 speeds, investing in one or even two Samsung 990 Pros makes far more sense.

If you need a high-capacity, high-performance drive for gaming, creative work, or workstation use, the Samsung 990 Pro 4TB is currently one of the best-balanced choices available.

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