The storage industry is witnessing a significant leap forward as manufacturers transition from PCIe 4.0 to the faster PCIe 5.0 standard. Samsung has positioned itself at the forefront of this evolution with its latest high-performance storage solution targeted at demanding users and professionals.
Samsung Introduces First PCIe 5.0 Pro Series SSDs
Samsung has officially launched its 9100 PRO series, marking the company's first entry into the PCIe 5.0 SSD market. The new drives represent a substantial performance upgrade over the previous generation, offering nearly double the sequential read and write speeds compared to their PCIe 4.0 predecessors. Available in multiple capacity options ranging from 1TB to a massive 8TB, the 9100 PRO series aims to satisfy the storage needs of content creators, AI developers, and gamers who require cutting-edge performance.
 |
|---|
| Samsung 9100 PRO SSD - The latest high-performance storage solution from Samsung for professionals and enthusiasts |
Unprecedented Speed and Performance
The 9100 PRO delivers impressive sequential read speeds of up to 14,800 MB/s and write speeds reaching 13,400 MB/s, significantly outpacing Samsung's previous flagship 990 PRO which topped out at 7,450 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s respectively. Beyond sequential performance, the new drives also excel in random operations, achieving up to 2,200K/2,600K IOPS for random read/write tasks—a substantial improvement over the 990 PRO's 1,400K/1,550K IOPS. These enhancements should translate to noticeable performance gains in real-world applications, particularly for users with motherboards supporting the PCIe 5.0 standard.
Advanced Technology Under the Hood
The performance leap comes courtesy of Samsung's eighth-generation V-NAND TLC technology (V8), which incorporates 1-terabit TLC technology capable of 2.4 Gbps I/O speeds—a 1.2x improvement over the previous generation. Complementing the advanced NAND is a Samsung-designed 5nm controller that not only boosts performance but also improves power efficiency by 49% compared to its predecessor, according to the company's claims.
Global Availability and Pricing
The 9100 PRO series is being released globally with confirmed availability in the United States and Malaysia. In the US market, pricing starts at USD $199 for the 1TB model, USD $299 for 2TB, and USD $549 for 4TB versions without heatsinks. Models equipped with heatsinks command a USD $20 premium. For Malaysian consumers, the drives will be available starting April 4, 2025, with prices set at MYR 679 for 1TB, MYR 1,068 for 2TB, and MYR 1,989 for 4TB for the standard versions. Heatsink-equipped variants in Malaysia will cost MYR 745, MYR 1,149, and MYR 2,009 respectively.
Staggered Release for High-Capacity Model
While the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models are immediately available for purchase from Samsung's official website in the US, the ultra-high-capacity 8TB version is scheduled for a later release. US customers will need to wait until the second half of 2025, while Malaysian buyers can expect availability starting in June 2025.
Target Market and Applications
Samsung is positioning the 9100 PRO series for high-performance computing environments, with Jim Kiczek, VP of Memory Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, highlighting the drives' suitability for AI-driven creators shaping the future to gamers pushing the limits. The combination of increased storage capacity, improved speeds, better power efficiency, and reliability makes these SSDs particularly attractive for professionals working with data-intensive applications where storage performance can be a bottleneck.
Thermal Management Options
Recognizing the heat generated by high-performance storage, Samsung offers the 9100 PRO with optional heatsinks for improved thermal management during extended operations. This option allows users to choose based on their specific case configuration and cooling requirements, ensuring optimal performance under various workloads.