How to upgrade to a Samsung 990 EVO SSD without reinstalling Windows

Equipping your computer with a top-notch solid-state drive (SSD) can deliver unparalleled gaming speed and enhanced energy efficiency. The Samsung 990 EVO SSD is one such tool, launched in January 2024 as an upgrade to the 970 EVO Plus. In this detailed analysis, we'll delve into its specifications, pricing, and performance, guiding you on how to upgrade to the Samsung 990 EVO SSD. Let's get started!

990 EVO SSD: Specifications, Price, Speed, and Performance

Boasting remarkable innovation and practicality, this SSD excels in reliability, energy efficiency, and performance. Targeted at gamers, video editors, and other frequent PC users, the NVMe SSD is designed to enhance their computing experiences. Furthermore, it offers advanced security features and compatibility with the Samsung Magician software suite.

It's primarily designed to operate as a PCIe 4.0 SSD with four lanes of bandwidth. When used as a PCIe 5.0 drive, it only uses two lanes of bandwidth. But performance is the same in either PCIe generation.

？ Specification Sheet

The 990 EVO SSD comes with many unique features. Its main specifications are listed in the table below.

Price

The Samsung 990 EVO SSD was launched with a suggested retail price of $125 for the 1TB version and $210 for the 2TB. Many considered this starting price a bit high compared to other high-performance SSDs from Samsung. Currently, Samsung has discounted the 1TB 990 EVO SSD to $80 and the 2TB version to $150. This new pricing makes the 990 EVO SSD cheaper than the 990 Pro. Make sure to grab one for yourself today.

Speed and Performance ⚒️

Performance is one of the three key attributes that Samsung has developed with the 990 EVO SSD. It delivers up to a 43% performance boost over its predecessor, the 970 EVO Plus, with Sequential Read speeds of up to 5,000 megabytes per second and Sequential Write performance of up to 4,200 megabytes per second.

The 990 EVO delivers random read speeds of up to 680,000-800,000 IOPS (input/output operations per second) and random write speeds of 700,000-800,000 IOPS. The Samsung 990 EVO connects to host processor DRAM via HMB (Host Memory Buffer) technology for faster game loading.

Is the Samsung 990 EVO SSD good?

It's more power efficient and has better drive performance. It's 43% faster, with sequential read speeds of up to 5,000 MB per second. And it's 70% more power efficient than the 970 EVO Plus, meaning it has longer battery life and supports modern standby functionality.

This SSD is also quite versatile, employing Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology and leveraging support for a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface. The developers also claim it performs at PCIe 5.0 x2 speeds, which, considering these features, makes this SSD a solid choice.

How to upgrade to a Samsung 990 EVO SSD without losing data

Given the excellent performance of the Samsung 990 EVO SSD, it's wise to upgrade your old hard drive to it when you run out of storage space. While Samsung has the Samsung Data Migration Software to help you clone SSD to another SSD, it works only for Samsung drives. So you need a great cloning tool to upgrade to the new SSD effectively.

We highly recommend using the Disk Copy tool to upgrade to the 990 EVO SSD. This way, you won't lose any files during the process. It enables you to migrate your data and files securely and seamlessly from your old storage drive. The tool offers fast cloning speeds, making the entire process quicker. Additionally, it allows you to transfer data from one SSD to another without losing data or reinstalling the operating system.

With Smart Clone, you can clone only the used sectors from your previous HDD for a flexible cloning experience. The Disk Copy tool ensures a seamless transition to your Samsung 980 EVO SSD, copying all your files as is.

The main specifications for a hard-disk cloning utility are:

- Safely upgrade your old hard drive to a new SSD. - Transfer data from the old hard drive to a new PC. - Seamlessly clone your old hard drive to a new computer. - Replace a failed hard drive with a sector-by-sector clone. - Move the operating system to a new hard drive without reinstalling. - Conveniently transfer data between drives.

To upgrade flexibly to the 970 EVO SSD, download the “Disk Clone” tool. This seamless tool ensures a safe cloning process of your old HDD/SSD.

Advance notice:

• Sector-by-sector copy requires the target disk to be the same size or larger than the source disk. Uncheck this option if you're cloning a larger drive to a smaller one. • All data on the target disk will be erased. Proceed with caution.

Step 1: To start cloning the entire disk to another disk, select the disk in Disk Mode and click Next.

Step 2: Select another disk as the target disk.

Step 3: Check the partition layout of both disks. You can choose "Adapt to target disk", "Same as source disk", or "Edit partition layout" to manage the partition layout of the target disk.

• "Auto-adjust disk" will make some changes to the target disk layout for optimal performance.
• "Copy as is" will not change anything on the target disk, and its layout will be identical to the source disk.
• "Edit disk layout" allows you to manually adjust/move the partition layout of the target disk.

Check the “Optimize for SSD if target is SSD” option to get the best performance from your SSD.

A warning message appears, telling you that your data will be lost. Click OK to acknowledge the message, and then click Next.

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to actually carry out the task.

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Additional Tip: How to Boot from a Cloned Samsung EVO SSD After migrating your system to the new SSD, you might need to boot from the cloned Samsung EVO SSD. Here's how: 1. **Shut down your computer**: Make sure your PC is completely turned off, not just in sleep or hibernate mode. 2. **Disconnect the original SSD**: If the old Samsung EVO SSD is still connected to your computer, unplug it so that the system will attempt to boot from the new SSD during startup. 3. **Insert the cloned SSD**: Connect the cloned Samsung EVO SSD to your computer's SATA port or M.2 slot, depending on your device type. 4. **Power on your computer**: Press the power button to start your computer. 5. **Enter BIOS/UEFI settings**: During the boot process, quickly press the designated key on your keyboard (usually F2, F10, F12, or Delete, depending on your computer brand) to enter BIOS or UEFI settings. 6. **Select the boot device**: In the BIOS/UEFI settings, locate the "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" option and set the cloned Samsung EVO SSD as the first boot device. 7. **Save and exit**: Use the arrow keys to select "Save Changes" or "Exit and Save," then press Enter to confirm. Your computer will restart and attempt to boot from the new SSD. 8. **Verify the operating system**: If everything goes well, your computer should boot from the cloned SSD and load the operating system. Check if it runs normally and all programs and data are intact. 9. ** Safely remove the old hard drive**: Once you've confirmed that the new SSD is functioning correctly, you can safely remove the old Samsung EVO SSD or keep it as a backup storage device. Please note that different computer brands and models may have different BIOS/UEFI interfaces and key combinations. Refer to your computer's user manual or search for specific instructions online for your model.

After cloning your SSD 990 using a tool like Disk Copy, the next step is to boot from it. This isn't too difficult either. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Restart your computer.

Step 2. Depending on your computer model, press F2, F8, F11, or a similar key to enter the BIOS settings.

Step 3: Enter the Boot Settings menu, and choose either “Legacy” or “UEFI” as your boot mode.

Choose the "Legacy" or "UEFI" boot mode

Step 4: Next, select the cloned Samsung EVO SSD as the boot drive.

Select Samsung EVO SSD as the boot drive

Step 5: Save the changes and exit. You should now be able to boot your device from the cloned drive.

wrapping up

The Samsung 990 EVO SSD is an ideal choice for those seeking top-notch performance and power efficiency. This SSD boosts overall computer performance with sequential read speeds of up to 5,000MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 4,200MB/s. It is also compatible with both PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 interfaces.

CloneTool is the best cloning tool to help you upgrade to a Samsung 990 EVO SSD. It enables you to transfer data efficiently to your new SSD. You can use it to replace a failing HDD or migrate your entire operating system. Download this tool now to clone your HDD or SSD conveniently.

Frequently Asked Questions about Upgrading to the Samsung 990 EVO SSD

1. Is the 990 EVO good for gaming?

This SSD stands out because of its 5,000MB/s sequential read and 4,200MB/s sequential write speeds, along with support for both PCIe 4.0 and 5.0, making it a versatile option. This earns it a spot among the best gaming SSDs.

Does Samsung have a PCIe 5.0 SSD?

Yes, this drive is a PCIe 5.0 SSD. It also supports the PCIe 4.0 interface. Generally, it functions as a PCIe 4.0 SSD with a four-lane bandwidth. When operating as a PCIe 5.0 drive, it utilizes two lanes of bandwidth. The SSD delivers similar performance in both PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 interfaces.

Should you buy the Samsung 980 Pro?

Purchasing the 990 EVO is worth it. It offers better gaming performance and power efficiency. This SSD is 43% faster than its predecessor and has 70% better power efficiency. As such, we recommend getting this SSD.