I remember the exact moment I knew my old storage setup had to go. I was deep into editing a 4K video project with a tight deadline looming. The timeline scrubbed like it was wading through molasses, playback stuttered, and rendering a simple transition felt like an eternity. Every time that loading bar appeared, my creative flow evaporated, replaced by sheer frustration. It wasn’t just my workflow; my gaming experience was suffering, too. Loading screens in sprawling open-world games stretched on for minutes, pulling me right out of the immersion. That digital bottleneck, the agonizing wait for data to load, is a universal pain point for modern creators and gamers. It’s the invisible wall that stifles productivity and ruins entertainment. The promise of instant access and seamless performance feels just out of reach, a constant reminder that your hardware is struggling to keep up with your ambitions.
- [2TB] Exceptional performance up to 7400MB/s read, 6500MB/s write; 1500TBW
- 2x faster than PCIe Gen 3 SSDs
- Designed with a heatsink to keep your rig cool for better performance and power efficiency
What to Consider Before Buying an Internal Solid State Drive
An Internal Solid State Drive is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for breathing new life into a system, whether it’s a high-end gaming PC, a creative workstation, or a beloved PlayStation 5. Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) with their spinning platters and mechanical arms, an NVMe SSD uses flash memory to deliver data at blistering speeds. This translates directly to faster boot times, near-instant application launches, dramatically reduced game loading screens, and smoother overall system responsiveness. The main benefit is the radical reduction of waiting. It closes the gap between thought and action, allowing you to stay focused on your task or immersed in your game without interruption.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the exact frustrations I mentioned: gamers tired of long load times, video editors struggling with choppy 4K/8K footage, and power users who demand snappy performance from their operating system and applications. If your console’s internal storage is constantly full or your PC feels sluggish despite having a decent CPU and RAM, a high-speed NVMe drive is often the most impactful upgrade you can make. However, it might not be suitable for those who only use their computer for light web browsing and word processing, as they wouldn’t fully leverage the drive’s incredible speed. Likewise, users with older motherboards that lack an M.2 PCIe Gen4 slot would be better served by a SATA SSD or a more budget-friendly Gen3 NVMe drive, as they couldn’t utilize the full potential of a drive like this.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: The Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 uses the standard M.2 2280 form factor (22mm wide, 80mm long). This is the most common size and fits in the vast majority of modern desktop motherboards, laptops, and the PS5’s expansion slot. However, it’s crucial to confirm your device has an available M.2 slot and that there’s enough clearance, especially with the included heatsink, which adds a bit of height.
- Capacity/Performance: Capacity is straightforward—2TB offers a massive amount of space for an extensive game library and large project files. Performance is where it gets technical. Look for sequential read/write speeds (measured in MB/s) and the interface type. This drive uses the PCIe Gen4 interface, offering a significant leap over older Gen3 drives. This is the metric that dictates how quickly large files transfer and games load.
- Materials & Durability: SSDs are inherently more durable than HDDs because they have no moving parts. Key factors for an NVMe drive are thermal management and endurance. This model comes with an integrated heatsink to dissipate heat and prevent performance throttling under heavy load. Its durability is also measured in Total Bytes Written (TBW), with this drive rated for a very respectable 1500 TBW, ensuring a long lifespan even with heavy use.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: Installation is typically very simple, involving a single screw on the motherboard or in the PS5. Once installed, the drive is recognized by the system and requires a quick format. Unlike HDDs, SSDs don’t need defragmenting. Long-term care is minimal; just ensure your system has adequate airflow to help the heatsink do its job effectively.
Keeping these factors in mind, the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 stands out in several areas, particularly in its balance of high-end performance and value. You can explore its detailed specifications here.
While the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- MEET THE NEXT GEN: Consider this a cheat code; Our Samsung 990 PRO Gen4 SSD helps you reach near max performance with lightning-fast speeds; Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or a tech guru, you’ll...
- GROUNDBREAKING READ/WRITE SPEEDS: The 990 EVO Plus features the latest NAND memory, boosting sequential read/write speeds up to 7,250/6,300MB/s. Ideal for huge file transfers and finishing tasks...
- THE SSD ALL-STAR: The latest 870 EVO has indisputable performance, reliability and compatibility built upon Samsung's pioneering technology. S.M.A.R.T. Support: Yes
First Impressions: Sleek, Simple, and Ready for Speed
Unboxing the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 revealed a product that feels both premium and purposeful. The packaging is efficient and secure, protecting the drive without unnecessary waste. The first thing that struck me was the drive’s sleek, all-black design, dominated by the low-profile integrated heatsink. It’s a clean aesthetic that looks fantastic in any open-case PC build. Compared to drives without a heatsink, it feels more substantial and robust. The heatsink isn’t just for looks; it’s a thin but functional metal plate designed to spread and dissipate heat from the controller and NAND chips, which is critical for maintaining peak performance during intense, sustained operations. The drive itself is surprisingly small and light, a testament to the marvel of M.2 technology, especially when you think about it holding a massive 2TB of data. There are no moving parts, no cables to manage beyond plugging it into the M.2 slot—it’s the epitome of high-performance simplicity.
Advantages
- Blazing-fast PCIe Gen4 speeds that dramatically cut down loading times
- Excellent value proposition, offering near top-tier performance at a mid-range price
- Integrated heatsink ensures thermal stability and is fully PS5 compatible
- High endurance rating (1500 TBW) and a five-year warranty offer peace of mind
Limitations
- Real-world speeds, especially in the PS5 benchmark, may not reach the absolute maximum advertised numbers
- As a DRAM-less drive (using HMB), it may not sustain peak performance in the most extreme edge-case workloads compared to premium drives with a dedicated DRAM cache
A Deep Dive into the Lexar NM790’s Real-World Performance
Advertised speeds on a box are one thing, but real-world performance is where a drive proves its worth. After spending extensive time testing the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 in both a custom PC rig and a PlayStation 5, I can confidently say this drive punches well above its weight class. It consistently delivers a responsive, lightning-fast experience that transforms how you interact with your games and applications. It bridges the gap between high-end enthusiast performance and mainstream affordability in a way few other drives on the market can.
Installation and Compatibility: A Truly Plug-and-Play Upgrade
My first test was installing the drive into a PlayStation 5, a process that has become a rite of passage for many console owners. The experience was flawless. After removing the PS5’s faceplate and the expansion slot cover, the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 slotted in perfectly. The 2280 form factor with its integrated heatsink fits within Sony’s specifications without any clearance issues. I heeded the advice of other users and used the original screw already inside the PS5’s expansion bay rather than the one included with the drive, as it provided a more secure fit. The console recognized the drive immediately upon booting up, prompting me to format it. The entire hardware installation took, as one user accurately put it, “a couple minutes literally!” The subsequent formatting process was complete in seconds.
The experience was just as smooth in our PC test bench, which features an MSI X670E motherboard. The drive slid into the M.2 slot with zero force and was secured with the motherboard’s built-in M.2 clip. Windows Disk Management identified the new hardware instantly, and after a quick initialization and format, the full 2TB of glorious, high-speed storage was ready to go. For anyone hesitant about upgrading their own storage, this drive is a fantastic starting point. As one owner noted, “Easy to Install and Setup… Takes about 5 minutes to install and 2 minutes to setup in Windows with Medium Level Skill.” The simplicity of the M.2 standard combined with this drive’s perfect compatibility makes for a hassle-free and incredibly rewarding upgrade.
Unleashing Blazing Speed: Gaming and Creative Workloads
This is the main event. Lexar advertises staggering speeds of up to 7,400 MB/s read and 6,500 MB/s write. In our PC benchmarks using CrystalDiskMark, we saw numbers that came very close to these peaks, confirming the drive’s high-performance pedigree. But benchmarks only tell part of the story. In practical, everyday use, the speed is transformative. My Windows 11 OS, installed on the NM790, went from power button to a fully loaded desktop in under 10 seconds. One user perfectly captured this feeling: “my system starts up in less than 10 seconds and goes straight to the desktop, it is a flying beast.”
For gaming, the impact is profound. We transferred our entire Cyberpunk 2077 and Baldur’s Gate 3 installations to the Lexar drive. Loading screens that previously took upwards of a minute on a SATA SSD were reduced to mere seconds. Fast-traveling across vast open worlds became nearly instantaneous. This is exactly what PS5 users are experiencing as well. After installing the drive in the console, the PS5’s internal benchmark reported a read speed of around 6,500-6,900 MB/s. While this is slightly below the 7,400 MB/s peak, it’s well above Sony’s minimum requirement and, crucially, delivers a seamless experience. We moved several games from the internal console storage to the Lexar drive, a 400 GB transfer that, as one user reported, completed in about five minutes. Gameplay was flawless, with “no lag and games load up super fast.” Whether you’re a PC gamer or a PS5 enthusiast, this drive delivers the speed you need to stay in the game.
Intelligent Design: Thermal Efficiency and Endurance
Speed is useless if it can’t be sustained. High-performance NVMe drives generate a significant amount of heat, which can cause them to “throttle” or slow down to protect themselves. This is where the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2’s design choices really shine. The integrated heatsink, while slim, proved remarkably effective. During our stress tests, which involved transferring hundreds of gigabytes of 8K video files back and forth, the drive’s temperature remained well within safe operating limits, never showing signs of thermal throttling. One power user who tested two of these drives under heavy load noted that while temps hit 73°C during the operation, they quickly cooled down to 41°C within minutes of the task completing. This demonstrates that the heatsink is doing its job, efficiently wicking away heat during intense use and recovering quickly.
The drive’s efficiency is further enhanced by its DRAM-less architecture. Instead of a dedicated DRAM cache chip, it uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) 3.0 technology, which allows the drive to use a small portion of your system’s RAM as its cache. This, combined with a Dynamic SLC Cache, ensures snappy performance for most consumer workloads while consuming up to 40% less power than comparable drives with a DRAM cache. This makes it an exceptional choice not just for desktops and the PS5, but also for high-performance laptops where battery life and thermal output are critical concerns. Backed by a 1500 TBW rating and a five-year warranty, you can be confident this drive is built to last.
What Other Users Are Saying
The user feedback for the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 is overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing our own findings. A common thread is the sheer satisfaction with the value and ease of use, particularly among PS5 owners. One user summed it up perfectly: “The Lexar NM790 is a fantastic option to expand the internal storage, it was easy to install… and works perfectly with the console.” Another echoed this, calling it an “EXCELLENTE!! Calidas 10/10 | Muy buena velocidad y compatibilidad total con la PS5 Slim.” Many users who upgraded from older drives were blown away by the performance leap, with one stating, “after installing it my computer started working much faster.”
The most common piece of critical feedback isn’t a flaw but a clarification on performance expectations. Several technically-minded users noted that the drive doesn’t always hit the absolute maximum 7,400 MB/s speed in benchmarks, especially in the PS5’s internal test, which often reports speeds in the 6,500-6,983 MB/s range. As one user detailed, “no cumple con los 7400 de lectura que ofrecen, más bien está al rededor de 6500” (it doesn’t meet the 7400 read they offer, rather it’s around 6500). However, they, like nearly everyone else, conclude that this speed is still incredibly fast and more than sufficient for a flawless gaming experience, representing a minor discrepancy between marketing peaks and consistent real-world results.
How Does the Lexar NM790 Compare to the Alternatives?
The Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 carves out a fantastic niche in the market, but it’s important to understand where it sits relative to other options. Depending on your system, budget, and performance needs, a different drive might be a better fit.
1. Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD
- EXTREME GEN5 SPEEDS: Get sequential reads/writes of up to 14,500/12,700MB/s and random read/writes of up to 1,550K/1,800K IOPS for blazing performance
- ULTIMATE GAMING & CREATIVITY: Load AAA game titles up to 15% faster than Gen4 SSDs with Microsoft DirectStorage. Experience the future of gaming with up to faster texture renders and reduced load...
- EASY TO INSTALL: Ready for performance with your motherboard heatsink, the T705 installs easily in your M.2 slot. Its copper-clad label is designed to effectively transfer heat from the drive to the...
The Crucial T705 represents the absolute cutting edge of consumer storage technology. As a PCIe Gen5 drive, its sequential read speeds of up to 14,500 MB/s are nearly double that of the Lexar NM790. This is the drive for enthusiasts with the latest generation motherboards (like AMD’s AM5 or Intel’s Z790 series) who demand uncompromising, world-record-breaking speed for tasks like real-time 8K video editing or transferring colossal datasets. However, this bleeding-edge performance comes at a significant price premium and requires a compatible Gen5 system to even function at its advertised speeds. For most gamers and creators on Gen4 platforms, the Lexar offers a much more sensible and cost-effective performance uplift.
2. Patriot Memory P300 256GB NVMe SSD
- Phison E13T Series Controller;2280 M.2 PCIe Gen3 x 4, NVMe 1.3
- Built in end-to-end data path protection, SmartECC technology, and Thermal throttling technology
- Supports LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) to correct error during read to ensure data integrity and NANDXtend ECC technology to extend the lifespan of NAND Flash
The Patriot P300 sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s a PCIe Gen3 drive with a much smaller capacity, designed for budget-conscious builders or those looking to upgrade an older laptop or desktop from a spinning hard drive. Its speeds are respectable for a Gen3 drive but are a fraction of what the Lexar NM790 can achieve. The P300 is an excellent choice for a dedicated OS boot drive in a secondary machine or for breathing a little life into an older system on a very tight budget. It’s not a competitor for primary gaming or creative storage, but rather a cost-effective utility option.
3. KingSpec NX Series 512GB Gen3x4 NVMe M.2 SSD
- Blazing Read Speed: Utilized advanced M.2 NVMe Gen3x4 interface for an incredible 3500MB/s read speed
- Stable Performance: Undergoes rigorous testing and support S.M.A.R.T / TRIM / Wear Leveling / Over Provisioning, to ensure reliable performance, preventing data loss and providing a durable and stable...
- Large Capacity Storage: With a spacious up to 2TB storage capacity, it meets the demands of large files, gaming, and creative projects, offering abundant storage space
The KingSpec NX Series occupies a middle ground for users with PCIe Gen3 systems. It offers a larger capacity than the Patriot P300 and solid Gen3 performance with speeds up to 3,500 MB/s. This makes it a great value-focused upgrade for someone moving from a SATA SSD or HDD on a system that doesn’t support the Gen4 interface. You’ll get a significant boost in system responsiveness and loading times over older storage formats. However, for anyone with a Gen4-capable motherboard or a PS5, the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 is the far superior choice, as it fully leverages the faster interface for a monumental leap in performance.
Final Verdict: An Unbeatable Combination of Speed, Value, and Reliability
After rigorous testing and careful consideration, the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 has earned our strongest recommendation. It masterfully balances elite-level PCIe Gen4 performance with a price point that makes it accessible to a wide range of users. It is, without a doubt, one of the best value-for-money SSDs on the market today. Its effortless installation, PS5 compatibility, and efficient thermal design make it a versatile workhorse for any modern system. While it may not win every single synthetic benchmark against the most expensive flagship drives, its real-world performance in gaming, content creation, and general use is simply outstanding.
If you’re a gamer looking to obliterate loading screens on your PC or PS5, or a creator who needs fast, reliable storage for large projects without breaking the bank, this drive should be at the very top of your list. It’s the upgrade that delivers a tangibly faster and more enjoyable user experience from the moment you boot it up. If you’ve decided the Lexar 2TB NM790 SSD PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.
Last update on 2025-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API