The Lexar NM790 2TB SSD is a high-performance PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive designed for gamers, PC enthusiasts, professionals, and content creators looking to expand their storage without compromising on speed. With advertised sequential read speeds of up to 7,400MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,500MB/s, it offers specifications that put it firmly among the faster PCIe 4.0 SSDs available.
Featuring a compact M.2 2280 form factor, compatibility with PlayStation 5, and support for Host Memory Buffer (HMB) 3.0 technology, the NM790 aims to deliver a combination of speed, efficiency, and versatility. Its 2TB capacity also provides plenty of room for modern games, applications, creative projects, and large files.
However, with an increasing number of high-speed NVMe drives competing in the same market, the question is whether the Lexar NM790 offers enough to justify its position. Its impressive specifications make it an appealing option, although its DRAM-less design and asking price are worth considering before purchasing.
Design and Build Quality
The Lexar NM790 uses a standard M.2 2280 form factor, measuring 80mm in length and 22mm in width. This makes it compatible with a wide range of desktop motherboards, laptops, and supported gaming systems, including the PlayStation 5.
Its compact design is particularly useful for users looking to upgrade their existing storage without having to accommodate a larger drive or additional cables. Installation follows the standard M.2 process, making it a relatively straightforward upgrade for anyone familiar with installing internal SSDs.
Unlike some competing gaming SSDs, the standard NM790 2TB model does not include a pre-installed heatsink. This is an important consideration, particularly for PS5 owners, as Sony's recommended SSD expansion specifications require an appropriate cooling solution.
PC users should also consider their motherboard's existing M.2 cooling arrangements. Systems with integrated heatsinks may already provide sufficient cooling, while others could benefit from an additional thermal solution.
The overall design is functional rather than particularly distinctive, but that is not necessarily a disadvantage. The NM790 prioritises compactness and compatibility, which are arguably more important qualities for an internal storage drive.
Performance and Transfer Speeds
Performance is one of the Lexar NM790's strongest selling points. The drive uses a PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe 1.4 interface and advertises sequential read speeds of up to 7,400MB/s, alongside sequential write speeds of up to 6,500MB/s.
These figures put it in the upper performance category for PCIe 4.0 storage. For comparison, many earlier NVMe SSDs operate at considerably lower sequential speeds, making the NM790 an attractive upgrade for users moving away from SATA SSDs or older storage solutions.
For gaming, faster storage can help reduce loading times, improve asset streaming, and make large game installations and updates easier to manage. Modern PC games increasingly rely on fast storage to access high-resolution textures and other assets, making a capable NVMe drive a useful component in a contemporary gaming setup.
The benefits extend beyond gaming. Professionals working with large files, video editors handling high-resolution footage, and creators managing demanding applications can all benefit from the NM790's advertised transfer speeds.
It is important to note that the maximum advertised speeds represent sequential performance under suitable conditions. Actual results will vary depending on the host system, workload, available free space, drive temperature, and other hardware configurations. Smaller file transfers and sustained workloads will not necessarily reach the same figures.
Nevertheless, the specifications provide a strong foundation for a high-performance storage solution.
DRAM-Less Design and HMB 3.0 Technology
One of the more interesting aspects of the Lexar NM790 is its approach to memory management.
Unlike traditional SSDs equipped with dedicated DRAM cache, the NM790 uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) 3.0 technology. This allows the SSD to utilise a portion of the host system's memory for certain mapping and caching functions.
The advantage of this approach is improved power efficiency and reduced manufacturing complexity. Lexar claims that the NM790 can consume up to 40% less power than DRAM-cache-equipped PCIe Gen 4 SSDs.
For laptop users, lower power consumption can be particularly beneficial, potentially helping to reduce the impact of storage activity on battery life. It also makes the NM790 an interesting option for compact systems where power efficiency and thermal considerations are important.
HMB 3.0 is designed to help maintain responsive performance despite the absence of dedicated DRAM. For everyday computing, gaming, and typical file transfers, this approach can provide a capable experience.
However, DRAM-less SSDs can behave differently from drives with dedicated DRAM when handling demanding workloads. Heavy sustained writes, extensive random-access operations, and particularly intensive professional workloads may expose performance differences.
This does not make the NM790 unsuitable for demanding applications, but users who regularly work with large volumes of data or require consistently high sustained write performance may want to compare it with dedicated-DRAM alternatives.
For its intended audience, however, the combination of HMB 3.0, high sequential speeds, and improved power efficiency makes considerable sense.
2TB Storage Capacity for Gaming and Productivity
The 2TB capacity is another major advantage of the Lexar NM790.
Modern games can occupy substantial amounts of storage, particularly when users install multiple AAA releases alongside multiplayer titles, updates, and additional downloadable content. A 2TB SSD provides considerably more flexibility than a smaller 500GB or 1TB drive.
For PC gamers, this means having more room for an expanding game library without constantly uninstalling older titles to make space for new releases.
The same applies to PlayStation 5 users looking to expand their console storage. The NM790 is advertised as PS5-compatible, making it a potential option for players who want additional room for their installed games.
It is worth remembering that the standard NM790 model requires a suitable heatsink for PS5 installation. Buyers should ensure they have an appropriate cooling solution before fitting the drive.
Beyond gaming, 2TB offers useful flexibility for video projects, photographs, software libraries, and general file storage. Content creators and professionals who regularly move large files between applications should find the additional capacity particularly convenient.
Overall, 2TB represents a practical middle ground between affordability and available storage, especially for users who want a drive that can accommodate several years of gaming and productivity requirements.
PlayStation 5 and PC Compatibility
Lexar specifically markets the NM790 as compatible with the PlayStation 5, alongside desktop PCs and laptops.
Its PCIe Gen 4x4 interface and advertised read speeds exceed the PS5's minimum recommended sequential read speed of 5,500MB/s. This makes it a suitable candidate for expanding the console's internal storage, provided the installation requirements are met.
The drive's M.2 2280 dimensions also match the standard form factor supported by the PS5.
However, there is an important distinction between the standard NM790 and the NM790 with Heatsink. The model reviewed here is the standard version, so PS5 owners will need to provide a compatible heatsink separately.
For desktop PC users, compatibility will depend on having an available M.2 slot that supports the PCIe generation required to achieve the advertised performance. The SSD can also operate in compatible systems with older PCIe generations, although transfer speeds will be limited by the host interface.
Laptop compatibility is similarly dependent on the manufacturer's specifications, available M.2 slots, and supported drive dimensions.
This broad compatibility makes the NM790 a flexible option for users who want one high-speed SSD for different types of systems.
Reliability and Warranty
Storage reliability is an important consideration when purchasing an SSD, particularly for users storing valuable projects, personal files, and extensive game libraries.
The Lexar NM790 comes with a five-year limited manufacturer's warranty, providing a reasonable level of reassurance for long-term ownership.
The warranty is a positive addition, particularly for a drive intended to handle frequent gaming sessions, application installations, and file transfers.
However, buyers should remember that an SSD warranty does not replace the need for regular backups. Important files should always be stored separately, ideally across multiple storage locations.
The supplied product information does not specify the drive's endurance rating in terabytes written (TBW), so buyers who expect particularly heavy daily write workloads should check Lexar's full technical documentation before purchasing.
Price and Value for Money
At the listed Amazon UK price of £309.99, the Lexar NM790 2TB enters a competitive part of the PCIe Gen 4 SSD market.
Its headline specifications are impressive, and the combination of 7,400MB/s read speeds, 6,500MB/s write speeds, and 2TB of storage makes it a capable option for gaming and productivity.
However, the asking price is a potential drawback.
There are several competing 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSDs offering similar advertised performance, including options with dedicated DRAM cache or an included heatsink. The product listing also identifies Lexar's newer ARES 2TB SSD, which advertises the same maximum read and write speeds at a listed price of £299.99.
The Lexar NM790 therefore faces some competition from within the manufacturer's own product range, making it particularly important to compare prices before committing to a purchase.
For PS5 owners, the additional cost of a separate heatsink should also be factored into the overall budget.
At a discounted price, the NM790 becomes a more attractive proposition. Its performance specifications, power efficiency, and five-year limited warranty give it plenty to offer, but at £309.99, buyers should consider whether a newer model or a competing SSD provides better overall value.
Verdict
The Lexar NM790 2TB SSD is a strong PCIe Gen 4 storage solution that combines impressive advertised transfer speeds, a generous capacity, and an efficient DRAM-less design.
Its sequential read speeds of up to 7,400MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,500MB/s make it well suited to modern gaming PCs, while its 2TB capacity provides plenty of room for demanding games, applications, and professional files.
HMB 3.0 technology is another welcome feature, allowing the drive to maintain responsive performance without dedicated DRAM while offering the potential benefit of lower power consumption. This makes it particularly interesting for laptop users and those building more power-conscious systems.
PlayStation 5 compatibility also broadens its appeal, although the standard model's lack of an included heatsink means console owners will need to account for an additional purchase.
There are some limitations worth considering. The DRAM-less architecture may not be ideal for every sustained professional workload, and the £309.99 asking price makes it difficult to overlook competing drives with similar specifications. The newer Lexar ARES 2TB is also worth comparing before making a decision.
Ultimately, the Lexar NM790 2TB is a capable, fast, and versatile SSD that delivers the specifications needed for a modern gaming and productivity setup. It is an especially appealing choice when available at a competitive discount, although its full retail price makes shopping around worthwhile.
For gamers and PC users looking for a high-speed 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, the Lexar NM790 remains a strong option.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Impressive sequential read speeds of up to 7,400MB/s.
- Fast sequential write speeds of up to 6,500MB/s.
- Generous 2TB storage capacity.
- PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe 1.4 interface.
- HMB 3.0 technology helps maintain responsive performance.
- Lexar claims up to 40% lower power consumption compared with DRAM-cache-enabled PCIe Gen 4 SSDs.
- Compatible with supported PCs, laptops, and PlayStation 5 systems.
- Five-year limited manufacturer's warranty.
Cons
- No dedicated DRAM cache.
- Standard model does not include a heatsink.
- Sustained workloads may expose limitations compared with some DRAM-equipped alternatives.
- £309.99 asking price faces competition from similarly specified SSDs.
- Newer Lexar alternatives are available at a lower listed price.
Final Rating
Recommended for: PC gamers, PlayStation 5 owners with a separate heatsink, laptop users, and professionals looking for fast 2TB storage.
The Lexar NM790 2TB SSD delivers excellent headline performance and a useful combination of speed, capacity, and efficiency. Its value proposition is strongest when discounted, making it a worthwhile consideration for anyone upgrading to PCIe Gen 4 storage.
