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Silver 2.5 inch U.2 enterprise SSD with label

SAMSUNG

SAMSUNG MZ-QL296000 960GB enterprise SSD

SKU CH-WQBD-SPCTB MPN MZ-QL296000

A 960 GB enterprise U.2 drive delivering 6500 MB/s reads and 1 DWPD endurance for PCIe 4.0 servers

  • Total capacity960 GB
  • Sequential read speedUp to 6,500 MB/s
  • Sequential write speedUp to 1,500 MB/s
  • Interface typePCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4
  • Form factor2.5 in U.2
  • NAND flash typeV-NAND TLC

Capacity 960GB

  • Fast sequential reads up to 6500 MBps with PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4
  • Sustained write performance up to 1500 MBps for heavy workloads
  • High random read IOPS up to 580000 for responsive database access
  • Enterprise endurance rated at 1 DWPD and 1752 TBW
  • 256-bit AES encryption protects data at rest

960GB U.2 enterprise SSD

The Samsung PM9A3 is a 960GB enterprise solid-state drive in a 2.5-inch U.2 form factor. It uses V-NAND TLC memory with a Samsung Elpis controller and low-power SDRAM cache. Designed for servers and storage arrays that need consistent throughput and 1 DWPD endurance. New condition.

PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4 interface limits

The drive connects through a PCIe 4.0 x4 link using NVMe 1.4. Maximum sequential read reaches 6500 MBps while sequential write tops out at 1500 MBps. Random 4KB read performance is rated at 580,000 IOPS and random write at 70,000 IOPS. These figures are bound by the four-lane PCIe 4.0 interface.

1 DWPD endurance decides fit

The drive is warranted for 1 drive write per day, equating to 1,752 TBW over its lifetime. MTBF is rated at 2,000,000 hours. Active power draw is 9.5W for reads and 8.0W for writes with 3.5W idle. Buyers who need higher write endurance or multiple drive writes per day should look elsewhere.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in Server & Data Center SSDs, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $416.99
Cheaper than about 76% of the 1,039 comparable items (median $992.99).
Total capacity 960 GB
Lower than about 72% of the 522 comparable items (median 3.2 TB).
Sequential read speed Up to 6,500 MB/s
Typical for this category: the median of 311 items is 6,500 MB/s.
Price per TB $434.36 per TB
Cheaper than about 68% of the 522 comparable items (median $595.64 per TB).

New to this? Buying memory and SSDs with crypto — what to check, what it costs to pay, and what is never asked for.

Specifications

Product
Brand nameSAMSUNG
Model namePM9A3
Part numberMZ-QL296000
Total capacity960 GB
Performance
Sequential read speedUp to 6,500 MB/s
Sequential write speedUp to 1,500 MB/s
Random read (4K)Up to 580,000 IOPS
Random write (4K)Up to 70,000 IOPS
Storage
NAND flash typeV-NAND TLC
Controller chipSamsung Elpis Controller
Cache memorySamsung Low Power SDRAM
Write endurance1 DWPD
Ports & slots
Interface typePCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4
Power
Idle power draw3.5 W
Active power drawRead/Write: 9.5 W / 8.0 W
Size & build
Form factor2.5 in U.2
Overall height7 mm
Overall width69.85 mm
Product depth100.2 mm
Product weight90 g
Shipping weight0.18 kg
Package size178 × 127 × 15 mm
Environment & compliance
Operating temperature range0 °C to 70 °C
Max shock tolerance1,500G & 0.5 ms (Half sine)
More details
Mean time between failures2,000,000 h

Other versions of this model

2 more in the same range

Questions about this item

What capacity does the PM9A3 MZ-QL296000 provide?

The drive provides 960GB of usable storage in a single 2.5" U.2 form factor.

How does the 6500 MBps sequential read translate to real workloads?

Large-file reads such as backup streams or video ingest can approach 6500 MBps when the host PCIe 4.0 x4 link is saturated.

What does the PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4 interface cap in practice?

The x4 lane width limits peak throughput to the PCIe 4.0 x4 maximum, so sequential reads top out at 6500 MBps and writes at 1500 MBps.

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