Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280

The 9100 PRO is the fastest SSD we've ever tested, and it's priced like it. Buy it if you need the absolute best, skip it if you just want fast enough.

What surprised us most isn't the sequential speed, it's the random performance. 2,200K random read IOPS and 2,600K random write IOPS put this drive at the absolute top of our database. Real-world owners are seeing around 13,000 MB/s reads and writes even when they can't hit the theoretical max, which is still bonkers. The 5nm controller keeps thermals in check too, with Samsung claiming up to 49% better power efficiency than the 990 PRO. We didn't expect a Gen5 drive this fast to stay this composed under load.

The Crucial T700 and Kingston FURY Renegade G5 are the closest Gen5 rivals, and both are excellent drives. The T700 trades blows on sequential reads but falls behind on random IOPS. The FURY Renegade G5 is cheaper in most markets but runs hotter and doesn't match Samsung's endurance rating. The WD Black SN850X is a Gen4 drive that's still a fantastic buy if you don't have a Gen5 slot, and it costs way less. Honestly, if you're not on Gen5, just get the SN850X and save your money.

Here's the thing: this drive costs between USD 849 and USD 1,400 depending on where you shop, and that spread is wild. Best Buy has the best US deal at the low end, but you're still paying a massive premium over Gen4 drives that feel fast enough for 95% of people. If you're building a workstation for AI or 8K video editing, fine, this is a tool that pays for itself. For everyone else, it's a luxury purchase and you should know that going in.

The Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB is the fastest consumer SSD we've tested, full stop. It's the drive you buy when you're done waiting on file transfers, game loads, or AI model shuffles. The headline numbers are absurd: 14,800 MB/s sequential reads and 13,400 MB/s writes. That's double the 990 PRO and it shows the moment you move anything larger than a meme folder.

If you're a gamer looking for faster load times, this isn't your drive. A WD Black SN850X or Samsung 990 PRO will load games within a second or two of this thing and cost way less. Same goes for anyone still on a Gen4 motherboard. Don't pay the Gen5 tax for performance you'll never see.

The Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB is the new king of consumer SSDs. It's stupidly fast, runs cooler than expected, and has the endurance to back up the price tag. But it's also expensive and most people simply don't need this much speed. If you're a professional who moves massive files daily or you're building a no-compromise rig, buy it without hesitation. If you're a gamer who just wants faster load times, a good Gen4 drive will make you just as happy for half the money.