Fast and reliable, but pretty hot!

Samsung has long been a major player in high-performance storage, and with the launch of the 9100 Pro series, it’s making a bold entry into the PCIe 5.0 SSD market. The Samsung 9100 PRO NVMe SSD is the company’s first enthusiast-level PCIe Gen5 drive, designed to deliver extremely fast speeds and improved efficiency. It comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, with an 8TB version expected soon, clearly aimed at power users who want both generous storage and the fastest speed. In this review, I’m testing the 4TB model to see how it performs in daily tasks as well as in benchmarks. Does it live up to Samsung’s performance promises? Let’s take a closer look at what the Samsung 9100 PRO SSD offers and who might benefit most from using it:

Samsung 9100 PRO: Who is it good for?

This SSD is an excellent choice for:

• Enthusiasts and professionals who want one of the fastest SSDs available
• Content creators who work with large video files or complex projects
• Gamers looking for quicker load times and maximum performance in new titles
• PC builders who want to make the most of their hardware

Pros and cons

There are many positives about the Samsung SSD 9100 PRO:

• Exceptional sequential performance, especially in large file reads and writes
• Offers a large storage capacity
• Well-built, with a compact design that should fit a wide range of devices
• Comes with a generous warranty period

However, there are some negatives to consider:

• Runs hotter than other PCIe Gen5 drives, even with the included heatsink
• High price compared to PCIe 4.0 SSDs, with modest gains in regular use

Verdict

The Samsung 9100 Pro is a high-performance PCIe Gen5 SSD that delivers excellent sequential speeds, fast real-world transfers, and great performance under demanding workloads. It outperforms PCIe 4.0 drives and holds its ground against the best Gen5 models. It’s a solid choice for professionals working with large media files or heavy data projects, and it performs well in gaming and benchmarks. However, it runs hotter than the competition, even with the heatsink, and it falls slightly behind in tasks which require random access to the data stored on it. If you have a PCIe 5.0-ready system and require excellent performance from it, the Samsung 9100 Pro is one of the best PCIe Gen5 SSDs you can get in 2025, but make sure your cooling setup can keep up with the heat it generates.

Unboxing the Samsung 9100 PRO

The Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB comes in a simple, compact box that highlights the drive and its key specs like capacity and PCIe 5.0 support. The packaging follows Samsung’s usual minimalist style, with just enough information to signal you’re getting a high-end product.

The packaging showcases the maximum speed you get from this SSD

Inside, the SSD is securely placed in a plastic tray. My review unit was the version with a heatsink, so the box included the M.2 drive together with its heat spreader (already mounted on the drive), a quick start guide, and a warranty leaflet.

There aren’t any extras bundled with the SSD

Unboxing the 9100 Pro is quick and straightforward. There are no extras or mounting screws bundled with it.

Design and hardware specifications

The Samsung 9100 PRO sticks to the familiar M.2 2280 format, which made the installation easy to perform inside my test system. It’s a single-sided drive, so everything is packed on one side of the PCB, leaving plenty of room for airflow and making it compatible with most desktop setups. My unit came with the optional low-profile heatsink, which has a clean aluminum design and fits comfortably without interfering with nearby components.

The SAMSUNG SSD 9100 PRO with heatsink

The design of this SSD is simple: just a black module with subtle branding, but the hardware inside is anything but ordinary. Samsung’s PCIe 5.0 controller, known as Presto, powers the drive. Built using a 5-nanometer manufacturing process, it’s both fast and efficient. The 4TB version includes 4GB of DRAM memory to help handle sustained transfers and heavier workloads.

You can see some specs and info about the SSD on its bottom side

For storage, Samsung uses V-NAND TLC chips, which are known for their durability and speed. The 4TB model is rated for 2400 terabytes written, which is more than enough for long-term use, even in demanding conditions. As for speed, the official specs show up to 14800 megabytes per second when reading data and 13400 megabytes per second while writing data, which puts this model ahead of anything using the older PCIe 4.0 technology.

Specifications for the Samsung 9100 PRO

The included heatsink and the efficient controller should keep temperatures in check. That said, this is a very fast SSD using the PCIe 5.0 technology, so proper airflow in your PC case is still essential. Without it, the drive might get noticeably hot during heavy use.

Samsung 9100 PRO requires good airflow

For more detailed information about the specifications and features of this SSD, visit the Samsung 9100 PRO product page.

Overall, the Samsung 9100 PRO has the specifications of a premium SSD, promising top-notch performance. It should be more than capable of handling even the most demanding tasks while still maintaining stable temperatures.

Using the Samsung 9100 PRO

I installed the Samsung 9100 PRO into a high-end desktop computer built to support PCIe 5.0 speeds:

The installation process was straightforward. After securing the 9100 Pro into the M.2 slot and booting up, the motherboard recognized the drive immediately.

Installing the SSD is easy

To test performance as a primary drive, I installed Windows 11 directly on the Samsung 9100 PRO. After formatting, it reported around 3.63 TB of usable space, which is normal for a 4TB SSD. Boot times were fast (as you’ll see in the next section of this review), but not drastically different from what I had with my previous PCIe 4.0 SSD.

You get about 3.63 TB of storage in Windows 11

In everyday use, the drive felt responsive, but not significantly different from a top-tier PCIe Gen4 model. Activities like browsing, working with documents, or loading games already happen quickly with any modern NVMe SSD. The Samsung 9100 Pro doesn’t change that experience much, which is expected when working within those limits.

Using a computer with a Samsung 9100 Pro SSD

The benefits become clear when moving large amounts of data or working in demanding applications. To push the drive, I copied the Cyberpunk 2077 game folder (61.5 GB of mixed files) from a Kingston KC3000 PCIe 4.0 SSD to the Samsung 9100 PRO. The transfer finished in just 20 seconds. This kind of speed makes a noticeable difference during heavier workloads. Whether handling large video projects, installing huge games, or dealing with bulk data, the 9100 Pro delivers top speed.

Copying Cyberpunk 2077 from a Gen4 SSD to the Gen5 Samsung 9100 PRO

Although I only used the Samsung 9100 Pro for a couple of days, it was rock solid throughout that time: no slowdowns, no hiccups, and no signs of instability. The performance was consistently high, and while everyday tasks may not feel much different compared to a PCIe Gen4 SSD, anyone working with large files or demanding workloads will appreciate the additional speed this drive provides.

Performance in benchmarks

Now that we’ve looked at the design, specifications, and everyday performance of the Samsung 9100 PRO SSD, it’s time to see how it performs in benchmarks. I’ll also compare it to a few other high-end drives I’ve tested: the Lexar Professional NM1090 2TB and Corsair MP700 PRO 2TB, both running on PCIe 5.0, as well as my daily driver, the Kingston KC3000 2TB on PCIe 4.0.

And to start things off, let me say that Samsung’s 9100 Pro 4TB SSD shows excellent performance in the CrystalDiskMark benchmark:

• For large file reading under heavy load (multiple threads), it was 19% faster than the Corsair MP700 PRO, 19% faster than the Lexar NM1090, and 99% faster than the Kingston KC3000.
• In single-threaded sequential reads (large files, one task at a time), it performed 6% better than the Corsair, 10% better than the Lexar, and a full 113% faster than the Kingston.
• In random read performance under multitasking conditions (many small files at once), the Samsung 9100 Pro lagged slightly. It was 24% slower than the Kingston, 8% behind the Corsair, and 8% behind the Lexar.
• In single-task random read tests (small files, one at a time), it scored almost identically to the others, within a 1% margin.

These results show that the Samsung 9100 Pro is an excellent choice for reading large files quickly, such as when opening large projects or streaming high-resolution video. However, it’s slightly less efficient when handling many small reads simultaneously, which matters more in light multitasking or general responsiveness when using an operating system such as Windows 11.

Data reading benchmark results in CrystalDiskMark

In the CrystalDiskMark write tests, the Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB showed a clear lead in sequential performance:

• In high-load sequential writing (large files, multiple threads), it was 12% faster than the Corsair MP700 PRO, 15% faster than the Lexar NM1090, and a massive 95% faster than the Kingston KC3000.
• In single-threaded sequential writing (large files, one task at a time), it maintained a 2% lead over the Lexar, matched the Corsair, and was 69% faster than the Kingston.
• However, in random write performance with multiple tasks (simulating multitasking with small files), it was 17% slower than the Kingston, though still 21% faster than the Lexar and 15% faster than the Corsair.
• In quick single-task random writes (like app installs or background tasks), it performed the weakest, coming in 34% slower than the Kingston, 30% behind the Corsair, and 26% behind the Lexar.

These results confirm that the Samsung 9100 Pro excels in handling large, continuous data transfers but is less optimized for small, scattered file writes common in light desktop applications usage.

Data writing benchmark results in CrystalDiskMark

The Samsung 9100 Pro scored 4412 points in the PCMark 10 Full System Drive Benchmark, showing a 41% improvement over the Kingston KC3000. It also outperformed the Corsair MP700 Pro by 4%, although the Lexar NM1090 remained ahead with a 6% lead. This suggests that while the 9100 Pro is excellent in multitasking, file handling, and everyday Windows performance, the Lexar edges it out in general responsiveness.

Benchmark results in PCMark 10 (Full System Drive)

In gaming workloads, the 3DMark Storage Benchmark shows that the Samsung 9100 Pro scored 4113 points, offering a 12% boost over the Kingston KC3000 and matching the Corsair MP700 Pro. However, it was 11% slower than the Lexar NM1090, which took the top spot. Even so, the 9100 Pro handles game loading, streaming textures, and large asset access very well, making it a solid choice for gamers.

Benchmark results in 3DMark (Storage)

For tasks like content creation and file transfers, the BlackMagic Disk Speed Test highlights the strengths of the Samsung 9100 Pro. Its read speeds were 72% faster than the one of the Kingston KC3000, and it was 29% ahead of both the Lexar NM1090 and the Corsair MP700 Pro. Write speeds told a similar story, with the 9100 Pro performing 71% better than the Kingston, 4% faster than the Corsair, and maintaining a clear lead over the Lexar.

Benchmark results in BlackMagic (Disk Speed Test)

In DiskBench, using a 40GB dummy file, the Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB delivered the fastest results among the drives tested. It completed the file moving task 35% quicker than the Kingston KC3000, slightly ahead of the Corsair MP700 Pro by about 2%, and just over 2.5% faster than the Lexar NM1090. This test result shows the kind of sustained performance you can expect when moving large video files, project archives, or backup data. While the margin over other Gen5 drives is relatively small, the 9100 Pro still takes the lead.

Benchmark results in DiskBench (40GB file)

When it comes to loading Windows, the BootRacer showed that the Samsung 9100 Pro can be 6% faster than the Kingston KC3000. In the meantime, it’s on par with the Corsair MP700 Pro, but the Lexar NM1090 is one second quicker.

Boot times measured by BootRacer

When testing thermals, the Samsung 9100 Pro, even with its own included heatsink, reached a peak temperature of 82°C, the highest among the drives included in my chart. This is 28% hotter than the Kingston KC3000, 21% above the Lexar NM1090, and 11% higher than the Corsair MP700 Pro. While this temperature remains within safe limits, it may throttle, especially under sustained workloads. Despite having a dedicated heatsink, the 9100 Pro clearly generates more heat than its competitors, so it benefits from strong case airflow to maintain top performance.

Maximum temperatures recorded under heavy use

The Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB SSD excels in sequential speed, large file handling, and demanding workloads, outperforming any PCIe 4.0 drive and staying competitive with top-tier Gen5 SSDs. It’s a strong choice for content creators, professionals, and power users. For casual users, the real-world gains may be less noticeable, and the higher thermal output means that proper cooling is essential for long-term performance.

Will you buy a Samsung 9100 PRO?

The Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB clearly targets users who need top-tier performance and have the hardware to match it. It’s fast, consistent, and well-suited for demanding workloads, but it does ask a bit more from your cooling setup. If you’re considering an upgrade or already running a PCIe Gen5-compatible system, this drive should definitely be on your radar. Let me know what you think in the comments. Are you planning to buy the Samsung 9100 Pro, or are you sticking with a PCIe Gen4 SSD for now?