Samsung 990 PRO vs Acer Predator GM7 vs Lexar EQ790 vs Crucial P510 vs Crucial P310: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 & Gen 5 NVMe SSDs Compared
NVMe SSDs5 products
Quick verdict
The Spec Sheet Says One Thing. Your Budget Says Another.
Samsung 990 PRO and Acer Predator GM7 are the speed kings in the Gen 4 space, trading blows at similar prices. Lexar EQ790 undercuts them both and still delivers Gen 4 performance. If you want tomorrow's tech today, Crucial P510 is the Gen 5 play at nearly the same price as the 990 PRO. Skip the Crucial P310 unless you desperately need 2TB; it's slower Gen 4 at a higher price point.
Read SpeedCrucial P510 Gen 5 demolishes the field with 11000 MB/s, while Samsung 990 PRO leads Gen 4 at 7450 MB/s; others cluster between 7000-7200 MB/s.
7450 MB/s
7200 MB/s
7000 MB/s
11000 MB/s (winner)
7100 MB/s
Write SpeedP510 Gen 5 crushes it at 9500 MB/s; Samsung 990 PRO leads Gen 4 rivals at 6900 MB/s; Lexar lags at 5000 MB/s.
6900 MB/s
6200 MB/s
5000 MB/s
9500 MB/s (winner)
6000 MB/s
PCIe Generation & InterfaceCrucial P510 is the only Gen 5 drive, offering future-proofing and backward compatibility; others are Gen 4.
PCIe 4.0 x4
PCIe 4.0 x4
PCIe 4.0 x4
PCIe 5.0 x4 (winner)
PCIe 4.0 x4
Thermal ManagementCrucial P510 is explicitly marketed as cooler and more power-efficient; Samsung 990 PRO has documented heat issues that buyers mention repeatedly.
Heat spreader (runs warm)
Graphene thermal pad
Not listed
Power-efficient, runs cool (winner)
Not listed
Price (GBP)Lexar EQ790 is the budget hero at 149.99 GBP; P310 is a different capacity (2TB) and not directly comparable; others cluster between 155-169 GBP.
169.99 (32% off)
155.99
149.99 (winner)
159.99 (16% off)
229.19 (2TB)
Form Factor & CompatibilityAll five drives use the standard M.2 2280 form factor and support PlayStation 5 expansion; no real separation here.
M.2 2280, PS5 ready
M.2 2280, PS5 ready
M.2 2280, PS5 ready
M.2 2280, PS5 ready
M.2 2280, PS5 ready
Warranty & Brand SupportSamsung, Lexar, and Crucial all offer industry-standard 5-year warranties; Acer includes branded management software; no clear winner.
5-year Samsung warranty
Biwin Intelligence software
5-year Lexar support
5-year Crucial warranty
5-year Crucial warranty
Product by product
Samsung 990 PRO 1TBOur pick
Demanding gamers and video editors
The Samsung 990 PRO delivers flagship Gen 4 performance with 7450 MB/s reads and 6900 MB/s writes, maxing out the PCIe 4.0 interface. Buyers report real-world speed gains and reliable performance, but thermal management is a legitimate concern without proper airflow.
What We Liked 👍
Fastest Gen 4 read/write speeds
Includes Samsung Magician software
32% discount makes it fair value
Strong customer ratings (4.8/5)
What Could Be Better 👎
Runs warm under heavy loads
No heatsink included
Throttles without good airflow
Acer Predator GM7 1TB
Budget-conscious gamers and PS5 owners
The Predator GM7 is a solid Gen 4 drive with 7200 MB/s reads and graphene thermal management that keeps temperatures in check. It undercuts the Samsung 990 PRO by 14 GBP and runs cooler, but gives up a touch of peak speed and doesn't include the software suite Samsung offers.
What We Liked 👍
Good thermal design (graphene pad)
7200 MB/s reads still very quick
Cheaper than Samsung 990 PRO
HMB and SLC cache support
What Could Be Better 👎
No management software included
Spec sheet fluff with Gen 5 talk
Less brand recognition than Samsung
Lexar EQ790 1TBBest value
Value seekers who want Gen 4 speed
The Lexar EQ790 is the budget champion at 149.99 GBP, delivering 7000 MB/s reads and 5000 MB/s writes with solid thermal performance. You lose some peak speed compared to Samsung and Acer, but for the money, the savings are hard to argue with if you don't need absolute maximum performance.
What We Liked 👍
Cheapest option in the lineup
7000 MB/s reads still competitive
5-year warranty included
HMB and SLC cache tech
What Could Be Better 👎
5000 MB/s write speed trails rivals
Lower customer ratings (4.6/5)
Thermal specs not fully listed
Crucial P510 1TB Gen 5
Future-proofing gamers with Gen 5 boards
The Crucial P510 is the only Gen 5 drive in this lineup, hitting 11000 MB/s reads and 9500 MB/s writes while running cool and sipping less power than Gen 4 rivals. It costs only 10 GBP more than the Samsung 990 PRO but needs a Gen 5-capable motherboard to unlock its full potential; on Gen 4 systems, you'll get Gen 4 speeds.
What We Liked 👍
Only Gen 5 PCIe option here
11000 MB/s reads (huge jump)
Runs cool and power-efficient
Backward compatible with Gen 4
What Could Be Better 👎
Needs Gen 5 board for full speed
Future-proofing tax is real
Overkill for most current setups
Crucial P310 2TB Gen 4
Users who need 2TB and want Gen 4
The Crucial P310 is a 2TB Gen 4 drive with 7100 MB/s reads, making it a different beast altogether due to capacity. It's not competing directly with the 1TB drives on price, but if you need double the storage in one M.2 slot, it's a solid performer with Crucial's reliability track record.
What We Liked 👍
Double the capacity (2TB)
7100 MB/s reads solid for Gen 4
5-year warranty
Good customer reviews (4.6/5)
What Could Be Better 👎
Much pricier than 1TB options
Different capacity makes it hard to compare
Gen 4 peak speeds unremarkable at this price
The Gen 4 Thunderdome: Samsung, Acer, and Lexar Walk Into a Bar
Three of these drives are locked in an eternal Gen 4 struggle. Samsung 990 PRO leads the raw speed chart at 7450 MB/s reads and 6900 MB/s writes, maxing out what PCIe 4.0 can actually do. Acer Predator GM7 is 250 MB/s slower on reads (7200 MB/s) but trades thermal management as a strength, keeping the drive cooler with its graphene thermal pad instead of the Samsung's heat spreader. Lexar EQ790 sits at the bottom of the speed pile (7000 MB/s reads) but pays for it with a 149.99 GBP price tag that makes the others look expensive.
In real-world gaming and video work, the speed differences between 7000 and 7450 MB/s are noticeable but not revolutionary. You'll feel it if you're shuffling massive video files or installing AAA games constantly, but for most people, all three will feel fast compared to older SATA drives. The real differentiator is thermals: Samsung 990 PRO's reputation for running hot is well-earned according to buyer feedback, while Acer actively cooled the problem and Lexar stayed quiet about it. Samsung throws in free Magician software for drive monitoring, which is a nice touch that neither Acer nor Lexar offers.
Crucial P510: The Gen 5 Plot Twist
Then Crucial P510 walks in with PCIe Gen 5 and absolutely humiliates the Gen 4 field on paper: 11000 MB/s reads, 9500 MB/s writes. That's 48% faster reads than Samsung 990 PRO and nearly double Lexar's throughput. But here's the thing: you need a Gen 5 motherboard to actually see those speeds. Pair it with a Gen 4 system (which is most people's reality in 2024) and it bottlenecks to Gen 4 speeds. It costs only 159.99 GBP, a mere 10 GBP more than the Samsung, so the Gen 5 option is tempting. Crucial also engineered it to run cool and efficient, using 25% less power than previous-gen drives. Future-proofing is compelling if you're building a new rig today, but if your board won't see Gen 5 speeds for another two years, you're paying a premium for bragging rights.
The Capacity Wildcard: Crucial P310 2TB
The Crucial P310 2TB is in a different weight class because, well, it's twice the capacity. At 229.19 GBP, it's pricier per terabyte than buying two 1TB drives, but if you need all your storage in a single M.2 slot (some laptops only have one), it's your only play here. Speed-wise at 7100 MB/s reads, it's middle-of-the-road Gen 4, nothing special. Skip this unless you absolutely need 2TB in one slot.
Pick Your Poison: Speed, Cool, or Cheap
Samsung 990 PRO is the outright performance king if you've got good case airflow and aren't scared of a bit of heat. At 169.99 GBP with a 32% discount, it's fair value for what is genuinely the fastest Gen 4 drive here. Acer Predator GM7 is the pragmatist's choice, trading 250 MB/s of read speed for better thermals at 155.99 GBP, and most people won't notice the difference in day-to-day use. Lexar EQ790 is the underdog at 149.99 GBP, and if you're not moving massive files constantly, you'll save 20 quid and live just fine. Crucial P510 is the future bet: Gen 5 speeds at nearly Samsung 990 PRO money, but you need the hardware to unlock it. If you've got a Gen 5 board ready to go, it's a no-brainer.
In short: Get Samsung 990 PRO if speed and thermal headroom matter more than cash. Get Acer Predator GM7 if you want a cooler, cheaper Gen 4 drive that still flies. Get Lexar EQ790 if your budget is under 150 GBP and you're OK with slightly lower peak speeds. Get Crucial P510 if you're building Gen 5 today and want to not have regrets tomorrow. Skip the P310 unless you genuinely need 2TB in one slot.
Our pickSamsung 990 PRO 1TB
Best valueLexar EQ790 1TB
Prices on amazon.co.uk as of September 17, 2026. Prices may change.
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