Samsung’s 2026 SSD Update Delivers Slower Performance at Higher Prices
The new non-Pro 990 model costs more than the original 990 Pro while offering inferior sequential and random read/write speeds, reflecting a shifting market dynamic.
Samsung has announced a new non-Pro 990 SSD model that presents a stark contrast to its predecessor, offering reduced performance at a significantly higher price point. The new drive, part of the company’s 2026 lineup, is priced at $270 for the 1TB capacity and $530 for the 2TB version. This represents a 50 per cent increase in cost compared to the launch pricing of the original 990 Pro, which was introduced in 2022 at $179 for 1TB and $309 for 2TB.
The performance specifications of the new 2026 model fall short of the original 990 Pro. The updated drive offers maximum sequential read and write speeds of 7,250 MB/s and 6,450 MB/s, respectively. In comparison, the 2022 model achieved speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s. Random read and write capabilities have also decreased, with the new model capping at 850K and 1,200K IOPS, whereas the original reached 1,400K and 1,550K IOPS.
Pricing pressures have also affected the existing Pro tier. The original 990 Pro 1TB model now costs $320, while the 2TB variant has more than doubled its initial price to $640. These adjustments come amid soaring component costs in 2026 and sustained demand from the artificial intelligence industry for storage and RAM, factors that are reshaping the economics of consumer hardware.
The shift in pricing and performance suggests a broader industry trend where price increases are becoming more frequent and substantial. With no immediate end in sight to the AI sector’s resource demands, consumers and institutions alike are facing a new normal of elevated costs for storage solutions. This environment requires buyers to adapt their purchasing strategies as hardware value propositions change.
Samsung’s announcement underscores the tension between technological advancement and market realities. While the company continues to expand its SSD portfolio, the trade-off between cost and performance in the new 990 model highlights the financial pressures currently impacting the technology sector. The move signals that high-performance storage may increasingly come at a premium, driven by industrial demand rather than consumer convenience.
