Samsung Electronics recently submitted trademark paperwork for two upcoming client SSD models, the SSD 990 EVO Plus and the SSD 9100 PRO. After reaching the end of the three-digit model number sequence with the 990 PRO, Samsung has decided to use the 9000 series for the next nine generations of its flagship M.2-2280 client SSDs. The series will kick off with the 9100 PRO, followed by the 9200 PRO, 9300 PRO, and so forth. While details about the 9100 PRO are currently scarce, it is expected to be Samsung's response to the latest Gen 5 drives that boast sequential read speeds exceeding 14 GB/s and sequential write speeds surpassing 12 GB/s.
The Samsung 990 EVO Plus is anticipated to be a distinct drive from the existing 990 EVO, aiming to compete with the budget-friendly Gen 5 SSDs utilizing the new Phison E31T DRAMless Gen 5 controller, offering around 11 GB/s of sequential transfer speeds. The current 990 EVO is unable to achieve this due to its controller's peculiar logic, which switches between Gen 4 x4 and Gen 5 x2 (reducing the lane count upon detecting Gen 5). With the 990 EVO Plus, Samsung is likely to eliminate this limitation, enabling Gen 5 x4 and placing its performance on par with E31T-powered drives.
