'For pros, there's none better': Samsung’s flagship 9100 Pro SSD is only $10 more than the 990 Pro for the ultimate workstation upgrade

There's no denying that the Samsung 990 Pro SSD is an incredible SSD - we called it "stellar" in our review when we took it out for a spin. But while the 990 Pro 2TB is still down to $390 (was $640) at Amazon, I recommend professionals running heavy workloads check out the 9100 Pro instead.

Right now, you can get the Samsung 9100 Pro 2TB, running at $400 from Amazon. This next-gen PCIe 5.0 internal SSD delivers twice the speeds of the 990 Pro, up to 14,700 MB/s for just $10 extra.

If you're upgrading the rest of your gear for performance, I've also found a Corsair Vengeance RGB CL30 Cherry Blossom DDR5 RAM kit deal right now, too.

Why we recommend it

When we reviewed the 9100 Pro, we called it "the best there is," delivering professional-specific performance in a way that other Pro drives from Samsung can't match. It earned 4.5 stars after testing, and a TechRadar Recommends badge.

While not everyone will get use from a PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD like this, ultimately we found that "for pros, there's none better than the 9100 Pro."

Capable of hitting read speeds of up to 14,700MB/s, the 9100 Pro is designed for use in workstations, or AI workloads where speed and performance matter more than, say, gaming or general computing.

The SSD uses a 5nm controller for improved power efficiency compared to older generations.

And, in keeping with the professional focus, it also includes hardware encryption for security-minded business users.

Price context & historical value

At $400, this seems to be the going rate for the Samsung 9100 Pro right now. With rising component costs, I can't see it dropping to its all-time low of $170 any time soon. That came in October 2025. For most of 2026, it's been priced anywhere between $300 and $500, but since at least July, $400 has been the going rate, down from a high of $680.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Samsung 9100 Pro if...

You're a professional business user or creator who demands fast PCIe 5.0 speeds and seamless multi-tasking during demanding and complex workloads.

❌ Skip the Samsung 9100 Pro if...

You just need a simple, speedy but brilliant SSD for general day-to-day tasks, which is where the Samsung 990 Pro shines, or your system lacks support for PCIe 5.0.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

Since it's designed for professional use, most general users will never take full advantage of the speeds delivered by the Samsung 9100 Pro. And to actually hit those ultra-fast 14,700 MB/s speeds, you'll need to make sure your motherboard supports PCIe 5.0. However, if your rig allows for a Gen 5 SSD, then it's still worth the extra $10 over the 990 Pro for future-proofing your set-up.

• See all internal SSDs at Amazon