Lexar NM790 vs Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD

Both are fast PCIe Gen4 drives, but they suit different buyers. The Lexar NM790 is a DRAM-less design that uses Host Memory Buffer and runs cooler and cheaper to build, and it comes in far more capacities up to 8 TB. The Samsung 990 is the safer pick for heavy sustained writes and data security, with AES 256-bit encryption and a 400 TBW endurance rating on the 1 TB model. Owners of both report near-advertised speeds; the Samsung has the longer track record on firmware and support.

• Choose the Lexar NM790 if you want a high-capacity drive for games, a PS5, or a laptop, and you value low power draw and a wide range of sizes.
• Choose the Samsung 990 if you need hardware encryption, a proven firmware history, and strong sustained write endurance for work data.