SSD family comparison · Updated July 27, 2026 · Prices verified July 27, 2026

Lexar NM790 vs Samsung 990 PRO

Lexar NM790 vs Samsung 990 PRO at every capacity: prices, $/TB, speeds, endurance. Which to buy in July 2026 — full family comparison.

Verdict: Lexar NM790 vs Samsung 990 PRO

Lexar NM790 and Samsung 990 PRO compete at every capacity where both are sold, so the real question isn't a single price tag — it's which family gives you more per terabyte at the capacity you actually need. The table below breaks that down.

Peak sequential read favors the Samsung 990 PRO at 7,450 MB/s against 7,400 MB/s. For gaming and general desktop use the difference is imperceptible; for large-file work it's measurable.

The Lexar NM790 family is the value pick — $127.50/TB at its cheapest configuration versus $194.00/TB for the Samsung 990 PRO. The Samsung 990 PRO has to win on features (cache, endurance, brand support) to justify its premium.

The cache design differs: Samsung 990 PRO carries on-board DRAM, Lexar NM790 borrows system RAM via HMB. This matters for database-style workloads and long video-editing sessions, not for everyday use.

Lexar NM790 vs Samsung 990 PRO: price by capacity

CapacityLexar NM790Samsung 990 PRO
1 TB$239 · $239.00/TB
2 TB$310 · $155.00/TB$388 · $194.00/TBFull comparison →
4 TB$510 · $127.50/TB$825 · $206.25/TBFull comparison →

Spec comparison (4 TB models)

Generation
Gen 4
Gen 4
Interface
PCIe 4.0 x4
PCIe 4.0 x4
Sequential read
7,400 MB/s
7,450 MB/s
Sequential write
6,500 MB/s
6,900 MB/s
Controller
MAP1602
Samsung Pascal
DRAM cache
No (HMB)
Yes
Warranty
5 years
5 years
PS5 compatible
Yes
Yes

Lexar NM790 vs Samsung 990 PRO — common questions

Which is cheaper per TB, Lexar NM790 or Samsung 990 PRO?

As of July 27, 2026, the Lexar NM790 family offers the better $/TB: its best configuration is $127.50/TB versus $194.00/TB for the Samsung 990 PRO. The exact winner varies by capacity — see the capacity table for per-size pricing.

Which capacity of the Lexar NM790 or Samsung 990 PRO should I buy?

2 TB is the sweet spot for most builds: better $/TB than 1 TB and better availability than 4 TB+ during the 2026 NAND shortage. Check the capacity table above — the per-TB winner can flip between capacities.

Are the Lexar NM790 and Samsung 990 PRO PS5 compatible?

Both families are PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 and work in the PS5 expansion slot. The PS5 caps sustained speeds at ~5,500 MB/s, so pick on price, not peak speed, and add a heatsink.