Samsung’s First PCIe Gen 5 SSD: 9100 Pro Series
Introduction
The first PCIe Gen 5 SSDs from Seagate and Crucial have been available on the market for nearly two years, but Samsung has been absent from this category until now. This will change in March with the release of the Samsung 9100 Pro series, a consumer-ready PCIe Gen 5 SSD built with NVMe 2.0. It will initially be available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities in an M.2 form factor, with or without heatsinks. An 8TB configuration is planned for the second half of 2025.
Performance
By the numbers, the 9100 Pro’s theoretical maximum random read and write speeds – 2,200K and 2,600K input-output operations per second (IOPS) – are at least twice as fast as the last-gen Samsung 980 Pro, a PCIe Gen4 SSD. Our comparison of the 980 Pro with Seagate’s Firecuda 540 and Crucial’s T700 showed no noticeable benefits for PC gaming; however, the difference may be more evident for heavier computing workflows.
Large-Volume File Transfers
The gains might be more apparent if you’re talking about large-volume file transfers, which videographers or software engineers working with large datasets might appreciate. Samsung claims the 9100 Pro can reach sequential read and write speeds of up to 14.8GBps and 13.4GBps, respectively. This is roughly double the last-gen 980 Pro and about 2-3GBps per second faster than the earliest PCIe 5 SSDs can manage.
Conclusion
The Samsung 9100 Pro series offers improved performance and speed, making it a great option for those who require high-performance storage solutions. With its faster speeds and increased storage capacity, it is an excellent choice for professionals and individuals who work with large files and datasets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the available capacities of the Samsung 9100 Pro series?
A: The initial launch will feature 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities in an M.2 form factor, with or without heatsinks. An 8TB configuration is planned for the second half of 2025.
Q: What is the theoretical maximum random read and write speed of the 9100 Pro?
A: The theoretical maximum random read and write speeds are 2,200K and 2,600K input-output operations per second (IOPS), respectively.
Q: How does the 9100 Pro compare to the last-gen Samsung 980 Pro?
A: The 9100 Pro’s performance is at least twice as fast as the last-gen 980 Pro, a PCIe Gen4 SSD.
