Storage Systems Samsung 990 PRO vs 990 EVO: Which SSD Lasts Longer? Endurance & Reliability October 28, 20251 view0 By IG Share Share Deciding between the Samsung 990 PRO, 990 EVO, and 870 EVO? If you’re wondering which SSD really lasts longer, the answer isn’t in the official warranty. As of October 2025, exhaustive write endurance tests reveal a shocking gap between official Terabytes Written (TBW) ratings and real-world failure points. We analyze the petabyte-scale results, crucial firmware reliability, and modern drive architecture to give you the clear answer on durability. Samsung 990 PRO vs 990 EVO vs 870 EVO: SSD Endurance Test | Faceofit.com Faceofit.com Storage Reviews Guides Samsung 990 PRO vs. 990 EVO vs. 870 EVO: Which SSD Actually Lasts Longer? An expert analysis of write endurance and real-world reliability. Note: If you buy something from our links, we might earn a commission. See our disclosure statement. By Faceofit.com Staff · Last Updated: October 28, 2025 Executive Summary Determining which of these Samsung SSDs "lasts longer" is complex. It's not about the official warranty. It's a balance of three factors: the warrantied endurance (TBW), the physical endurance proven in stress tests, and real-world reliability. Warrantied Endurance (TBW): This is a marketing number. For all three 1TB models, it's an identical 600 TBW. This metric is useless for comparison. Physical Endurance (Stress Tests): Independent, write-to-failure tests show the Samsung 990 PRO is the physical endurance champion, surviving an incredible 28+ petabytes (28,000 TB) of writes. The 990 EVO also shows amazing longevity at 12+ petabytes. Real-World Reliability: This is the most important factor. A drive's multi-petabyte potential is irrelevant if a firmware bug bricks it. Both the 990 PRO and 870 EVO have a history of widespread, catastrophic firmware bugs that caused data loss. The 990 EVO has no such history of systemic defects. Conclusion: The 990 PRO (with modern firmware) will last the longest in a pure write-wear test. However, the 990 EVO is the most reliable recommendation. It offers "effectively infinite" endurance (12,000+ TB) for any normal user without the history of catastrophic bugs that plagued the 990 PRO and 870 EVO. Infographic: Warranty vs. Tested Reality Official Terabytes Written (TBW) ratings are tiny compared to what drives physically survive in stress tests. Note: Chart uses a logarithmic scale due to the extreme difference. 1 Petabyte (PB) = 1,000 Terabytes (TB). Data from independent Data Forensics tests. I. The Building Blocks of Endurance To understand why these drives perform so differently, we must look at their core components. At-a-Glance: Specification Comparison NVMe SATA DRAM Cache DRAM-less (HMB) Feature Samsung 990 PRO Samsung 990 EVO Samsung 870 EVO Interface PCIe 4.0 x4 PCIe 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 SATA 6 Gb/s NAND Flash V-NAND TLC V-NAND TLC V-NAND TLC Cache LPDDR4 DRAM HMB (DRAM-less) LPDDR4 DRAM TBW (1TB) 600 TB 600 TB 600 TB Warranty 5 Years 5 Years 5 Years A Quick Note: 870 EVO vs. 870 QVO The query mentions the 870 EVO, but some endurance tests (like the one linked) use the 870 QVO. These are not the same. TLC (Triple-Level Cell): Used in the 990 PRO, 990 EVO, and 870 EVO. Stores 3 bits per cell. It's durable and fast. QLC (Quad-Level Cell): Used in the 870 QVO. Stores 4 bits per cell. This is denser and cheaper, but also much slower and far less durable. The disappointing results from the 870 QVO in tests are expected. They do not reflect on the 870 EVO, which uses superior TLC flash. Infographic: The Cache Difference (DRAM vs. HMB) The 990 PRO's key advantage is its dedicated DRAM cache. The 990 EVO is "DRAM-less" and uses your computer's RAM (Host Memory Buffer, or HMB) instead. This has a direct impact on performance and long-term wear. 990 PRO / 870 EVO (DRAM Cache) Host (PC) Sends write command → On-Drive DRAM Instantly looks up map & writes data 990 EVO (DRAM-less HMB) Host (PC) Sends write command → Host RAM (HMB) Uses system RAM for map The DRAM-less design creates "write amplification" — a single write command from your PC can result in multiple background writes to the NAND flash to manage the map. This extra wear is why the 990 PRO has a higher physical endurance limit than the 990 EVO. A Deeper Dive: SLC Caching & Wear All three drives use a technology called "TurboWrite" or SLC Caching. This is a small, ultra-fast portion of the TLC flash that's treated as high-performance SLC (Single-Level Cell) flash. How SLC Caching Works Host (PC) Writes 50GB File → 1. SLC Cache (Fast) Data lands here instantly at max speed. ↓ Later, during idle time... 2. SLC Cache (Full) Cache must be emptied. → 3. Main TLC Storage (Slower) Data is re-written ("folded") into the slower, dense storage. The Impact on Endurance This "write-and-fold" process is a form of write amplification. That 50GB file from your PC? It was written *once* to the SLC cache, and then *again* to the main TLC storage. This (roughly) doubles the wear on the drive for that operation. This internal data management is a key reason why the 990 PRO (with its large DRAM map) is more efficient and durable than the 990 EVO (which juggles this process using HMB). II. Empirical Evidence: The Write-to-Failure Test Independent tests from Data Forensics Ltd. show the physical limits by writing data continuously until the drives fail. The results are staggering. Tested Physical Endurance (1TB Models) Data from ongoing Data Forensics tests. Both drives were still functional at these write totals. 1st Place: Samsung 990 PRO The "undisputed champion." It successfully wrote over 28 petabytes (28,000 TB) and was still functional. This is ~47 times its official 600 TB rating. Its DRAM-based architecture proves to be the most durable design for pure write wear. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg 2nd Place: Samsung 990 EVO A phenomenal contender, writing 12 petabytes (12,000 TB) and still running. This is 20 times its 600 TB rating. While less than the 990 PRO, this is still "effectively infinite" endurance for any normal user. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg What about the 870 EVO? No direct data is available for the 870 EVO in this test. However, its architecture (TLC Flash + DRAM Cache) is identical in principle to the 990 PRO. It is highly probable that its physical endurance is also in the multi-petabyte class, limited only by its slower SATA interface. What 12,000 TB of Endurance *Really* Looks Like The petabyte numbers from the stress test are abstract. Let's ground them. The 990 EVO's "lower" 12 PB (12,000 TB) result is still enough to last multiple lifetimes. The Casual User Workload: Web, Office, Photos This user writes maybe 10-20 GB per day on a heavy day. Let's be generous and say 25 GB/day. Total per year: ~9 TB Time to kill 990 EVO: ~1,333 Years The Gamer Workload: Installing 150GB games, Windows updates This user might write 100 GB per day on average over a year (installing/uninstalling). Total per year: ~36.5 TB Time to kill 990 EVO: ~328 Years The 8K Video Editor Workload: Constant 8K renders, cache files The only user who hammers a drive. Writes 1 TB (1,000 GB) every single workday. Total per year: ~260 TB Time to kill 990 EVO: ~46 Years The takeaway: For 99.9% of people, NAND wear is a solved problem. Reliability (firmware) is what matters. III. A Crisis of Confidence: Real-World Failures A drive's potential endurance is meaningless if it fails prematurely from a defect. Both the 990 PRO and 870 EVO have a history of widespread, catastrophic reliability issues. Samsung 990 PRO The Issue: "Rapid Health Drop" In late 2022, user reports flooded in of 990 PROs showing rapid health drops (e.g., 12% in a month) with minimal use. This was a critical firmware bug causing drives to fail. Status: Fixed (Firmware 1B2QJXD7) The fix stops further decay but does not restore health already lost on affected drives. Samsung 870 EVO The Issue: "Bad Sector Plague" Widespread reports surfaced of 870 EVO drives (especially 2021 batches) developing bad sectors, leading to read failures and total data loss. Status: Fixed (Firmware SVT02B6Q) The fix cannot repair physical bad sectors that have already developed. Samsung 990 EVO The Issue: None The 990 EVO has been notably absent from any widespread reliability crisis. It has no known systemic hardware or firmware defects. Status: Clean Bill of Health Appears to be the most stable and reliable of the three out of the box. Actionable Advice: Maximize Your SSD's Lifespan While physical wear is rarely an issue, smart habits can improve performance and guard against other failures. What You Should Do • Update Your Firmware Use Samsung Magician software. This is the #1 way to prevent bugs like the ones that hit the 990 PRO and 870 EVO. • Keep 10-15% Free Space This "over-provisioning" gives the drive breathing room for wear-leveling and garbage collection. Performance also drops when a drive is full. • Ensure TRIM is Enabled Modern OSes (Windows 10/11, macOS) do this automatically. TRIM tells the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use, which is critical for performance. What You Should Not Do • Never Defragment an SSD Defragging is for hard drives (HDDs). On an SSD, it does nothing for performance and just causes millions of tiny, useless writes, reducing its lifespan. • Don't Fill the Drive to 100% As mentioned, this strangles performance and can accelerate wear as the drive struggles to find free blocks. • Don't Use a Pre-TRIM OS Running an SSD on an ancient OS like Windows XP or Vista is a bad idea. These operating systems don't support TRIM, and the drive's performance will degrade rapidly. IV. The Verdict: Which SSD Lasts Longest? We have two different winners, depending on how you define "lasts longer." The Safest Bet Samsung 990 EVO This is our top recommendation for almost everyone. Delivers an "effectively infinite" 12+ PB of physical endurance. Has no history of widespread firmware bugs or reliability problems. It provides exceptional longevity *and* peace of mind. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg The Endurance Champion Samsung 990 PRO For the user who demands the absolute maximum *potential* endurance. The proven endurance champion at an unmatched 28+ PB of writes. The fastest, most durable architecture (TLC + DRAM). Caveat: You *must* buy new stock and immediately update the firmware to avoid its historical health-drop bug. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg To And the 870 EVO? The 870 EVO is a legacy option. It's only for systems limited to the 2.5" SATA interface. While its potential endurance is likely high, it carries the same historical risk of catastrophic bugs as the 990 PRO. Given the risk of receiving older, affected stock, it is the least-recommended drive of the three. Affiliate Disclosure: Faceofit.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Share What's your reaction? Excited 0 Happy 0 In Love 0 Not Sure 0 Silly 0
Samsung 990 PRO vs. 990 EVO vs. 870 EVO: Which SSD Actually Lasts Longer? An expert analysis of write endurance and real-world reliability. Note: If you buy something from our links, we might earn a commission. See our disclosure statement. By Faceofit.com Staff · Last Updated: October 28, 2025 Executive Summary Determining which of these Samsung SSDs "lasts longer" is complex. It's not about the official warranty. It's a balance of three factors: the warrantied endurance (TBW), the physical endurance proven in stress tests, and real-world reliability. Warrantied Endurance (TBW): This is a marketing number. For all three 1TB models, it's an identical 600 TBW. This metric is useless for comparison. Physical Endurance (Stress Tests): Independent, write-to-failure tests show the Samsung 990 PRO is the physical endurance champion, surviving an incredible 28+ petabytes (28,000 TB) of writes. The 990 EVO also shows amazing longevity at 12+ petabytes. Real-World Reliability: This is the most important factor. A drive's multi-petabyte potential is irrelevant if a firmware bug bricks it. Both the 990 PRO and 870 EVO have a history of widespread, catastrophic firmware bugs that caused data loss. The 990 EVO has no such history of systemic defects. Conclusion: The 990 PRO (with modern firmware) will last the longest in a pure write-wear test. However, the 990 EVO is the most reliable recommendation. It offers "effectively infinite" endurance (12,000+ TB) for any normal user without the history of catastrophic bugs that plagued the 990 PRO and 870 EVO. Infographic: Warranty vs. Tested Reality Official Terabytes Written (TBW) ratings are tiny compared to what drives physically survive in stress tests. Note: Chart uses a logarithmic scale due to the extreme difference. 1 Petabyte (PB) = 1,000 Terabytes (TB). Data from independent Data Forensics tests. I. The Building Blocks of Endurance To understand why these drives perform so differently, we must look at their core components. At-a-Glance: Specification Comparison NVMe SATA DRAM Cache DRAM-less (HMB) Feature Samsung 990 PRO Samsung 990 EVO Samsung 870 EVO Interface PCIe 4.0 x4 PCIe 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 SATA 6 Gb/s NAND Flash V-NAND TLC V-NAND TLC V-NAND TLC Cache LPDDR4 DRAM HMB (DRAM-less) LPDDR4 DRAM TBW (1TB) 600 TB 600 TB 600 TB Warranty 5 Years 5 Years 5 Years A Quick Note: 870 EVO vs. 870 QVO The query mentions the 870 EVO, but some endurance tests (like the one linked) use the 870 QVO. These are not the same. TLC (Triple-Level Cell): Used in the 990 PRO, 990 EVO, and 870 EVO. Stores 3 bits per cell. It's durable and fast. QLC (Quad-Level Cell): Used in the 870 QVO. Stores 4 bits per cell. This is denser and cheaper, but also much slower and far less durable. The disappointing results from the 870 QVO in tests are expected. They do not reflect on the 870 EVO, which uses superior TLC flash. Infographic: The Cache Difference (DRAM vs. HMB) The 990 PRO's key advantage is its dedicated DRAM cache. The 990 EVO is "DRAM-less" and uses your computer's RAM (Host Memory Buffer, or HMB) instead. This has a direct impact on performance and long-term wear. 990 PRO / 870 EVO (DRAM Cache) Host (PC) Sends write command → On-Drive DRAM Instantly looks up map & writes data 990 EVO (DRAM-less HMB) Host (PC) Sends write command → Host RAM (HMB) Uses system RAM for map The DRAM-less design creates "write amplification" — a single write command from your PC can result in multiple background writes to the NAND flash to manage the map. This extra wear is why the 990 PRO has a higher physical endurance limit than the 990 EVO. A Deeper Dive: SLC Caching & Wear All three drives use a technology called "TurboWrite" or SLC Caching. This is a small, ultra-fast portion of the TLC flash that's treated as high-performance SLC (Single-Level Cell) flash. How SLC Caching Works Host (PC) Writes 50GB File → 1. SLC Cache (Fast) Data lands here instantly at max speed. ↓ Later, during idle time... 2. SLC Cache (Full) Cache must be emptied. → 3. Main TLC Storage (Slower) Data is re-written ("folded") into the slower, dense storage. The Impact on Endurance This "write-and-fold" process is a form of write amplification. That 50GB file from your PC? It was written *once* to the SLC cache, and then *again* to the main TLC storage. This (roughly) doubles the wear on the drive for that operation. This internal data management is a key reason why the 990 PRO (with its large DRAM map) is more efficient and durable than the 990 EVO (which juggles this process using HMB). II. Empirical Evidence: The Write-to-Failure Test Independent tests from Data Forensics Ltd. show the physical limits by writing data continuously until the drives fail. The results are staggering. Tested Physical Endurance (1TB Models) Data from ongoing Data Forensics tests. Both drives were still functional at these write totals. 1st Place: Samsung 990 PRO The "undisputed champion." It successfully wrote over 28 petabytes (28,000 TB) and was still functional. This is ~47 times its official 600 TB rating. Its DRAM-based architecture proves to be the most durable design for pure write wear. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg 2nd Place: Samsung 990 EVO A phenomenal contender, writing 12 petabytes (12,000 TB) and still running. This is 20 times its 600 TB rating. While less than the 990 PRO, this is still "effectively infinite" endurance for any normal user. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg What about the 870 EVO? No direct data is available for the 870 EVO in this test. However, its architecture (TLC Flash + DRAM Cache) is identical in principle to the 990 PRO. It is highly probable that its physical endurance is also in the multi-petabyte class, limited only by its slower SATA interface. What 12,000 TB of Endurance *Really* Looks Like The petabyte numbers from the stress test are abstract. Let's ground them. The 990 EVO's "lower" 12 PB (12,000 TB) result is still enough to last multiple lifetimes. The Casual User Workload: Web, Office, Photos This user writes maybe 10-20 GB per day on a heavy day. Let's be generous and say 25 GB/day. Total per year: ~9 TB Time to kill 990 EVO: ~1,333 Years The Gamer Workload: Installing 150GB games, Windows updates This user might write 100 GB per day on average over a year (installing/uninstalling). Total per year: ~36.5 TB Time to kill 990 EVO: ~328 Years The 8K Video Editor Workload: Constant 8K renders, cache files The only user who hammers a drive. Writes 1 TB (1,000 GB) every single workday. Total per year: ~260 TB Time to kill 990 EVO: ~46 Years The takeaway: For 99.9% of people, NAND wear is a solved problem. Reliability (firmware) is what matters. III. A Crisis of Confidence: Real-World Failures A drive's potential endurance is meaningless if it fails prematurely from a defect. Both the 990 PRO and 870 EVO have a history of widespread, catastrophic reliability issues. Samsung 990 PRO The Issue: "Rapid Health Drop" In late 2022, user reports flooded in of 990 PROs showing rapid health drops (e.g., 12% in a month) with minimal use. This was a critical firmware bug causing drives to fail. Status: Fixed (Firmware 1B2QJXD7) The fix stops further decay but does not restore health already lost on affected drives. Samsung 870 EVO The Issue: "Bad Sector Plague" Widespread reports surfaced of 870 EVO drives (especially 2021 batches) developing bad sectors, leading to read failures and total data loss. Status: Fixed (Firmware SVT02B6Q) The fix cannot repair physical bad sectors that have already developed. Samsung 990 EVO The Issue: None The 990 EVO has been notably absent from any widespread reliability crisis. It has no known systemic hardware or firmware defects. Status: Clean Bill of Health Appears to be the most stable and reliable of the three out of the box. Actionable Advice: Maximize Your SSD's Lifespan While physical wear is rarely an issue, smart habits can improve performance and guard against other failures. What You Should Do • Update Your Firmware Use Samsung Magician software. This is the #1 way to prevent bugs like the ones that hit the 990 PRO and 870 EVO. • Keep 10-15% Free Space This "over-provisioning" gives the drive breathing room for wear-leveling and garbage collection. Performance also drops when a drive is full. • Ensure TRIM is Enabled Modern OSes (Windows 10/11, macOS) do this automatically. TRIM tells the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use, which is critical for performance. What You Should Not Do • Never Defragment an SSD Defragging is for hard drives (HDDs). On an SSD, it does nothing for performance and just causes millions of tiny, useless writes, reducing its lifespan. • Don't Fill the Drive to 100% As mentioned, this strangles performance and can accelerate wear as the drive struggles to find free blocks. • Don't Use a Pre-TRIM OS Running an SSD on an ancient OS like Windows XP or Vista is a bad idea. These operating systems don't support TRIM, and the drive's performance will degrade rapidly. IV. The Verdict: Which SSD Lasts Longest? We have two different winners, depending on how you define "lasts longer." The Safest Bet Samsung 990 EVO This is our top recommendation for almost everyone. Delivers an "effectively infinite" 12+ PB of physical endurance. Has no history of widespread firmware bugs or reliability problems. It provides exceptional longevity *and* peace of mind. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg The Endurance Champion Samsung 990 PRO For the user who demands the absolute maximum *potential* endurance. The proven endurance champion at an unmatched 28+ PB of writes. The fastest, most durable architecture (TLC + DRAM). Caveat: You *must* buy new stock and immediately update the firmware to avoid its historical health-drop bug. Check on Amazon Check on Newegg To And the 870 EVO? The 870 EVO is a legacy option. It's only for systems limited to the 2.5" SATA interface. While its potential endurance is likely high, it carries the same historical risk of catastrophic bugs as the 990 PRO. Given the risk of receiving older, affected stock, it is the least-recommended drive of the three.
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