Full Breakdown
Samsung Launches Slower, Higher-Priced 990 SSD Amid 2026 Component Surge
7/15/2026, 11:58:58 AM
Core Event
Samsung announced a new “990” solid-state drive that replaces the 2022 990 Pro line. The non-Pro model is priced at $270 for 1 TB and $530 for 2 TB, yet its sequential read/write speeds (7,250 MB/s / 6,450 MB/s) and random I/O rates (850 K / 1,200 K IOPS) are lower than those of the original 990 Pro.
Data & Statistics
- 2022 990 Pro (1 TB) – $179; sequential read 7,450 MB/s, write 6,900 MB/s; random read 1,400 K IOPS, write 1,550 K IOPS.
- 2022 990 Pro (2 TB) – $309; same performance specs.
- 2026 990 (1 TB) – $270; sequential read 7,250 MB/s, write 6,450 MB/s; random read 850 K IOPS, write 1,200 K IOPS.
- 2026 990 (2 TB) – $530; identical speed caps.
- 2026 990 Pro (1 TB) – $320 (up from $179).
- 2026 990 Pro (2 TB) – $640 (up from $309).
Official Statements & Responses
Samsung’s press release attributes the price increase to “soaring component costs of 2026,” positioning the new 990 SSD as a cost-adjusted offering for “heavy-duty use cases.” The company did not comment on the reduced performance relative to the earlier Pro model.
Criticism & Opposition
Commentators note that the price hikes coincide with expanding AI workloads that drive demand for both storage and RAM, suggesting the market may see “infuriatingly common” price escalations. The disparity—higher cost for slower performance—has been described as a “new normal” that forces consumers to seek creative alternatives.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Thanks to the soaring component costs of 2026, Samsung's 990 SSD will now run you $270 for 1TB and a staggering $530 for 2TB.” — Engadget, Technology News
- “And the real kicker: it's slower than the original 990 Pro model from 2022.” — Engadget, Technology News
- “Barring typos in the press announcement we received, that's slower performance for a 50 percent higher cost.” — Engadget, Technology News
- “Unfortunately, with no end in immediate sight for the AI industry's demands for both storage and RAM, price increases at this scale are likely to become infuriatingly common.” — Engadget, Technology News
- “Consumers are going to need to get creative to escape this new normal.” — Engadget, Technology News
