Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 4TB, PCIe 5.0x4 M.2 2280, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 14,800MB/s, Best for AI Computing, Gaming, and Heavy Duty Workstations (MZ VAP4T0B/AM)

This drive is so, so fast. While I am not able to max out the advertised top speed of 14,800MB/s sequential read, I do get around 13,000MB/s read and write, which is still great! Windows 11 boots so quickly, and compiling software in Visual Studio on my new build takes under a minute where it used to take 4-5 minutes on my last build. This drive stays cool thanks to the Thermalright HR10 2280 PRO Black SSD Cooler I put on it, topping out at 45C under heavy load and 32C-ish under normal load. I got a great deal on the 4TB at the time and it was a great price for an excellent PCIe 5.0 drive. It's a super fast, great drive so far.Here are my latest components:ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E Gaming WiFi Intel® Z890 LGA 1851 ATX MotherboardIntel Core Ultra 7 Desktop Processor 265K - 20 cores (8 P-cores + 12 E-cores) up to 5.5 GHzCORSAIR VENGEANCE DDR5 RAM 64GB (2x32GB) 5600MHz CL40-40-40-77 1.25V Intel XMP Desktop Computer MemorySamsung SSD 9100 PRO 4TB, PCIe 5.0x4 M.2 2280, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 14,800MB/sThermalright HR10 2280 PRO Black SSD CoolerThermaltake CT120 EX ARGB Sync PC Cooling Fan (3-Fan Pack)Thermalright Assassin Spirit 120 Vision ARGB Black CPU Cooler with LCD screenThermalright Lga1851 BCF Black CPU Holder,CPU Anti Bending Fixed BracketHYTE Y70 Upgraded Modern Aesthetic Dual Chamber Panoramic Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Computer Gaming Case

This M2 SSD is awesome. It was a snap to install on the motherboard with no cables as with SATA SSD drives I had. My new motherboard has built-in heat sinks so I didn’t need to order the model that comes with one for slightly more money. Performance seems excellent, but I’m not a gamer. My new i9 build responds with quick program loading and rapid displays. I am very impressed with this drive.

The Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB is an absolute monster of an SSD. I upgraded from a Gen 4 drive, and the difference is immediately noticeable — boot times, game load times, file transfers, everything feels instant. The 14,800MB/s read speed isn’t just a number — this thing flies, especially when working with large files or AI workflows.Installation was easy on my Gen 5-compatible motherboard, and it runs cool with proper airflow. I primarily use it for gaming and creative workloads (video editing, AI models), and it hasn’t stuttered once. Samsung’s Magician software is a nice bonus for firmware updates and performance monitoring.If you’re running a high-end build and want to truly take advantage of PCIe 5.0 speeds, this drive is worth it. It’s future-proof, crazy fast, and from a brand known for reliability.

The Samsung 9100 PRO Gen5 SSD is a true powerhouse in storage technology. With blazing-fast read and write speeds, it dramatically reduces load times, accelerates file transfers, and enhances overall system responsiveness. Its PCIe Gen5 interface ensures future-proof performance for high-end gaming, content creation, and professional workloads. Built with Samsung’s legendary reliability and durability, this SSD handles heavy workloads effortlessly. If you demand top-tier speed, stability, and efficiency, the 9100 PRO Gen5 is unmatched.

Performance: Sequential vs. RandomThe sequential read/write performance is impressive. As you can see from the first benchmark, the drive consistently hit write speeds of around 1,782 MB/s and read speeds of 1,705 MB/s on my system. This is a significant upgrade from a traditional SATA drive and is more than enough for everyday tasks, large file transfers, and gaming. The performance graph shows a smooth, stable line, indicating that the drive can sustain these speeds without significant drops. The IOPS numbers were also very strong, hitting 1,437,702 on write and 1,344,7523 on read.However, the drive's behavior under random I/O is a different story. In the second benchmark, using a single thread, the performance was a bit more volatile. While the average write speed was a respectable 5,021 MB/s and read speed was 2,810 MB/s, the graph shows a lot more fluctuation. When I increased the number of threads to eight, the performance became even more erratic, with a lower average speed of 1,431 MB/s for reads and a similar 1,572 MB/s for writes. The access times also increased under heavier random loads, which suggests that the drive's controller might be struggling to manage a high number of simultaneous, random operations.Why the Difference?The discrepancy between the sequential and random performance likely has to do with how the drive's controller and cache are optimized. While it's great for sustained sequential transfers (like copying a large video file), it appears to be less efficient at handling many small, scattered operations at once, which is typical for a busy operating system or a database. The 9100 PRO's strengths are clearly in the sequential domain, where it can flex its Gen 5 muscles even on a Gen 4 interface.ConclusionThe Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB is a fantastic high-performance SSD, even when it's limited by a PCIe 4.0 interface. It delivers exceptionally fast sequential speeds that are perfect for users who frequently work with large files. However, if your primary use case involves a lot of high-intensity, random I/O (e.g., a heavily used workstation or server), you might notice some performance dips under a multi-threaded load.Overall, I would recommend this drive for gamers, content creators, and anyone looking for a high-capacity drive for fast file transfers. If you have a Gen 5 system, you'll be able to unlock its full potential, but even on Gen 4, it's a very capable and fast drive.