Computer hardware: Samsung 990 PRO 4TB vs. AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
Quick Verdict
The Samsung 990 PRO 4TB and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X cater to different needs within a computer system. The 990 PRO excels in storage performance, offering fast speeds and efficient heat management, making it ideal for tasks requiring rapid data access. The Ryzen 9 9950X, on the other hand, is a powerhouse CPU designed for computationally intensive tasks, providing high core counts and advanced features for optimal performance in demanding applications. Choosing between them depends on the primary use case: the 990 PRO for storage-bound tasks and the Ryzen 9 9950X for processing-heavy workloads.
- The Samsung 990 PRO 4TB is a high-performance PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD designed for demanding workloads, while the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a high-end desktop processor based on the Zen 5 architecture.
- The 990 PRO focuses on storage speed and efficiency, boasting fast transfer speeds and smart heat control, while the Ryzen 9 9950X emphasizes multi-core processing power and efficiency, with a focus on power consumption and thermal management.
- The 990 PRO is suitable for video editing and database operations, while the Ryzen 9 9950X is designed for heavy-duty rendering tasks and gaming.
Key features – Side-by-Side
| Attribute | Samsung 990 PRO 4TB | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X |
|---|
| Name | Samsung 990 PRO 4TB | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X |
| Price | Not available | $649 (MSRP) |
| Storage Capacity / Cores/Threads | 4TB | 16 cores / 32 threads |
| Interface Type / Base Clock | PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 2.0 | 4.3 GHz |
| Read Speed / Max Boost Clock | Up to 7,450 MB/s | Up to 5.7 GHz |
| Write Speed | Up to 6,900 MB/s | Not available |
| Random Read IOPS | Up to 1,600K IOPS | Not available |
| Random Write IOPS | Up to 1,550K IOPS | Not available |
| Endurance (TBW) | 2,400 TBW | Not available |
| Cache Memory / L1 Cache | 4GB LPDDR4 | 1280 KB |
| Form Factor / L2 Cache | M.2 2280. Single-sided design. | 16 MB |
| Power Consumption (Active) / L3 Cache | Average 6.5W, Maximum 8.6W (burst mode). Idle: Max. 55mW | 64 MB |
| Operating Temperature / TDP | 0 - 70 Samsung 990 PRO 4TB and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | — |
Overall Comparison
Samsung 990 PRO 4TB: Up to 7,450 MB/s read, 6,900 MB/s write speeds; AMD Ryzen 9 9950X: 16 cores/32 threads, up to 5.7 GHz boost clock, 170W TDP.
Pros and Cons
Samsung 990 PRO 4TB
Pros:
- Optimized for demanding workloads
- Fast transfer speeds
- High-performance bandwidth
- Power efficient
- Smart heat control
- Consistent performance across capacities
- Suitable for video editing and database operations
- Features a nickel-coated controller and Dynamic Thermal Guard technology to manage heat
- Designed to reduce mid-game stalls and accelerate loading of high-quality videos
Cons:
- Write speeds drop to 1600 MB/s once the pseudo-SLC cache (442 GB) is full
- Actual usable capacity may be less than the labeled capacity
- Could reach around 98°C under heavy workloads
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
Pros:
- System-wide power consumption is nearly halved when toggling to 65W Eco mode
- Manually limiting TDP allows use in small-form-factor chassis or incredibly quiet operation
- Consistently draws less power than the 7950X
Cons:
- Thermal throttling can occur with PBO enabled, even with a 360mm AIO cooler
- Higher idle and active idle power consumption due to central I/O die
- Expect around 20 W more idle power consumption than a similar Intel system
User Experiences and Feedback
Samsung 990 PRO 4TB
What Users Love- The 4TB drive's SLC cache is flushed fast enough to maintain strong write performance across the entire capacity.
- The in-house controller's smart heat control delivers power efficiency while maintaining performance.
- The 990 PRO uses less power with improved performance per watt over the 980 PRO.
- Samsung Magician software allows you to monitor drive health, protect data, and optimize performance.
Common Complaints- No major complaints reported.
Value Perception- No value feedback reported.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
Common Complaints- No major complaints reported.
Value Perception- No value feedback reported.
User Recommendations- A liquid cooler is recommended for optimal performance.
- The maximum temperature is 95°C, and the CPU will thermally throttle to prevent exceeding this temperature.
- Running heavy-duty rendering tasks is best in full-power mode.
- If you're running heavy-duty rendering tasks, best stick with full-power mode.