Best 2TB PCIe 3.0 Samsung DRAM SSDs
There are 4 2TB PCIe 3.0 Samsung DRAM SSDs compared here. The fastest is the Samsung 960 PRO M.2 at 3500 MB/s read at 2TB. Sequential reads across the group span 3200–3500 MB/s at 2TB.
Why this configuration
A 2TB PCIe 3.0 Samsung DRAM SSD is an affordable NVMe step up from SATA. Gen3 is roughly six times SATA's throughput yet often costs little more, making it the easy default for a first NVMe drive or a laptop that only supports Gen3. Samsung specifically tends to be chosen here for its firmware track record and warranty support.
2TB is the current default for people who'd rather not think about free space for a while.
Usually chosen for: budget builders, laptop upgraders and anyone leaving SATA behind.
Good fit: workstation and creative loads that hammer random I/O.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 2TB ratings where published (3 of 4 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 2TB run 2100–3300 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 2TB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Samsung 960 PRO M.2 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Top-tier | SAMSUNG POLARIS CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon | |
| 3 |  Samsung EVO PLUS 970 M.2 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER (5-Core | 3500 | 1200 | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 |  Samsung PM981 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | High-end | SAMSUNG PHOENIX CONTROLLER "S4LR02 | 3200* | — | Check price on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 2TB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
2TB is today's sweet spot for large game libraries and creative work.
PCIe 3.0 x4 reaches about 3,500 MB/s — plenty for everyday use and gaming, and cheaper than Gen4.
An onboard DRAM cache keeps the flash mapping table on the drive, holding random performance steady under sustained load.
Staying with Samsung means consistent firmware, tooling and warranty handling across the range.