Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB ($280) vs TeamGroup Z540 1TB ($189). $/TB analysis, performance, and use-case recommendations.
Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB and TeamGroup Z540 1TB are direct competitors — same generation, same capacity. Choose by controller behavior under sustained load, DRAM/HMB cache strategy, and $/TB economics.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB runs on Samsung's in-house Presto controller, designed specifically for the 9100 PRO series. The TeamGroup Z540 1TB pairs an original Phison E26 chip that defined the Gen 5 reference design.
The cost difference is hard to ignore: 32% per TB (TeamGroup Z540 1TB at $189.00/TB versus Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB at $280.00/TB). Unless you specifically need the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB's peak performance, the TeamGroup Z540 1TB delivers more storage for the money.
If this purchase is for a PS5 storage expansion, the comparison flattens — Sony's PCIe Gen 4 controller normalizes both Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB and TeamGroup Z540 1TB to roughly equal in-game load times. The cheaper drive is the smart pick. Heavy write workloads — video editing, RAW photo libraries, backup operations — favor the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB's 13,400 MB/s sustained write speed. Both drives use the 2280 form factor, which is too long for Steam Deck or ROG Ally — you'd need a 2230 variant if either manufacturer offers one, or a dedicated handheld-format drive instead.
The Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB is the right call if meaningfully faster reads (14,700 MB/s), and higher sustained writes (13,400 MB/s) matter to you. Samsung's PRO line has the longest track record for firmware reliability — over a decade of consumer SSDs with global RMA support.
The TeamGroup Z540 1TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($189 vs $280), and better $/TB economics ($189.00/TB) matter to you. Budget-tier drives like the TeamGroup Z540 1TB have closed the gap with premium NVMes — the MAP1602 controller is genuinely competitive for everyday workloads at half the price.