# Lexar NM790 8TB Review — Maximum Capacity, Gen4 Maturity (2026)

The Lexar NM790 8TB maxes out what a single M.2 slot can hold, pairing 7,000 MB/s reads with 6,000 TBW of endurance on the DRAM-less NM790 platform.

Quick answer: Buy the Lexar NM790 8TB if the goal is one stick that ends capacity conversations — a maxed-out PS5, a home-media library, or an archive drive that never needs a follow-up purchase. Skip it if peak write speed leads the wishlist; the 4 TB model's 6,500 MB/s rating and lighter thermals make it the better pure-performance buy, and DRAM-equipped rivals like the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB hold steadier under brutal sustained loads. Within the NM790 range this is the capacity play, not the speed play — but with 6,000 TBW behind it, the endurance math favors it over every smaller sibling. For bulk PCIe 4.0 storage in 2026, it is the practical default.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 8 TB |
| Interface | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Maxiotech MAP1602A |
| Memory type | YMTC 232-L TLC |
| DRAM cache | No |
| Sequential read | 7000 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 6200 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 850000 |
| Random write IOPS | 900000 |
| Endurance | 6000 TBW |
| MTBF | 1500000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

Lexar rates the 8TB NM790 at 7,000 MB/s sequential reads and 6,200 MB/s writes, with random performance of up to 850K read and 900K write IOPS. Those numbers sit below the smaller capacities' ratings, but the context is generous: Sony's PS5 guidance recommends 5,500 MB/s, so the derated 8TB still clears the console's target with room to spare, and PCIe 4.0's real-world ceiling means the 200 MB/s give-back against the 4 TB model is rarely perceptible. DirectStorage titles, PS5 game loads, and multi-gigabyte archive transfers all run at the front of the PCIe 4.0 field.

The DRAM-less caveats carry over too. A dynamic SLC cache absorbs writes at rated speed, then throughput drops to native TLC rates once the cache fills — and at 8 TB, transfers are more likely to be large enough to reach that point, so sustained-copy behavior matters more here than on smaller capacities. Thermals follow the same logic: denser flash in one 2280 footprint wants airflow, and testing across the NM790 line has shown thermal throttling during extended SNIA stress writes without a heatsink. Tom's Hardware's review work on the series highlighted sustained performance and efficiency as strengths, and nothing in the 8TB's design suggests a departure from that character.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Lexar backs the NM790 8TB with a 5-year limited warranty rated to 6,000 TBW — double the 4 TB model and six times the 1 TB, preserving the series' roughly 600 TBW-per-terabyte scaling. At a demanding 40 GB written per day, exhaustion would take more than four centuries, so the rating is effectively theoretical for personal workloads. The MTBF is 1.5 million hours, a fleet-level figure rather than an individual promise. Firmware-level sudden power-loss protection, wear leveling, and bad-block management are built in, along with hardware AES-256 encryption. As with the rest of the range, warranty claims run through Lexar directly in most regions rather than through the retailer, so keeping proof of purchase matters.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 6,000 TBW endurance with a 5-year warranty
- 8 TB on a single M.2 2280 stick
- 7,000 MB/s reads clear the PS5 recommendation
- Rated up to 900K random-write IOPS
- AES-256 encryption with TCG Opal 2.0
- HMB 3.0 design draws less power than DRAM drives
**Cons:**

- Rated speeds dip to 7,000/6,200 MB/s
- No DRAM cache on the PCB
- No heatsink included on the base model
- SLC cache exhaustion slows very large transfers


## Verdict

Buy the Lexar NM790 8TB if the goal is one stick that ends capacity conversations — a maxed-out PS5, a home-media library, or an archive drive that never needs a follow-up purchase. Skip it if peak write speed leads the wishlist; the 4 TB model's 6,500 MB/s rating and lighter thermals make it the better pure-performance buy, and DRAM-equipped rivals like the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB hold steadier under brutal sustained loads. Within the NM790 range this is the capacity play, not the speed play — but with 6,000 TBW behind it, the endurance math favors it over every smaller sibling. For bulk PCIe 4.0 storage in 2026, it is the practical default.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Lexar NM790 8TB compatible with the PS5?

Yes, and it is a natural fit: the PS5 accepts M.2 drives up to 8 TB, so one NM790 8TB fills a console to its maximum supported capacity. Sony's criteria call for PCIe 4.0 with a 5,500 MB/s or faster recommended read speed — this drive's 7,000 MB/s clears that — plus a heatsink keeping total height within 11.25 mm. Lexar officially lists the range as PS5-compatible and sells a pre-cooled NM790 with Heatsink variant, which is the safest route for a clean console install.

### Is the Lexar NM790 8TB good for gaming?

For gaming, 8 TB is less about speed and more about never deleting anything. Dozens of AAA titles, each routinely passing 100 GB, coexist on one drive without the install-uninstall cycle smaller capacities force. The 7,000 MB/s read rating remains comfortably above Sony's 5,500 MB/s PS5 recommendation, and DRAM-less operation has no measurable effect on game loading, since reads are what HMB and SLC caching handle best. The honest trade-off is that smaller NM790 capacities are rated slightly faster, but no current game engine exploits the difference.

### Does the Lexar NM790 8TB have a DRAM cache?

No — there is no physical DRAM chip. The Maxio MAP1602 platform uses Host Memory Buffer 3.0 to borrow system memory for flash translation tables, while a dynamic SLC cache absorbs write bursts. For gaming, desktop use, and console duty, responsiveness is nearly indistinguishable from DRAM-equipped drives. Where DRAM shows its value is sustained heavy writing and random workloads: at 8 TB, large transfers are more likely to outgrow the SLC cache, which is exactly the scenario where DRAM-equipped 8 TB rivals like the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus hold their composure longer.

### What is the TBW endurance of the Lexar NM790 8TB?

The 8 TB model is rated at 6,000 TBW under a 5-year limited warranty, whichever limit arrives first. That maintains the series' roughly 600 TBW per terabyte scaling: 1,000 TBW at 1 TB, 1,500 TBW at 2 TB, 3,000 TBW at 4 TB, and 6,000 TBW here. Six petabytes of total writes would take more than four centuries to exhaust at a punishing 40 GB per day, so within a warranty period the endurance rating is effectively unlimited for personal workloads.

### How much slower is the NM790 8TB than the 4 TB model?

On paper, modestly: sequential reads drop from 7,400 to 7,000 MB/s, writes from 6,500 to 6,200 MB/s, and random reads from 900K to 850K IOPS. In practice the difference is hard to perceive — both capacities run at the front of the PCIe 4.0 field, both clear the PS5's 5,500 MB/s recommendation easily, and real-world loads rarely saturate a Gen4 link. The 8 TB gives back that speed in exchange for doubled capacity and doubled endurance, which is exactly the trade a bulk-storage buyer wants.

### Lexar NM790 8TB or Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB?

They occupy different tiers. The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB is a DRAM-equipped flagship built on Phison's E18 platform, aimed at enthusiasts who want maximum sustained performance and are willing to pay flagship pricing for it. The Lexar NM790 8TB is the mainstream, DRAM-less alternative: slower rated writes, no DRAM, but 6,000 TBW of endurance, HMB efficiency, and a far friendlier position in the price list. Choose the Sabrent for heavy sustained professional loads; choose the Lexar when capacity per dollar and warranty headroom drive the decision.

### Does the Lexar NM790 8TB need a heatsink?

For PS5 use, yes — Sony requires a heatsink on every internal upgrade, and the whole assembly must stay within 11.25 mm total height. On a desktop, a heatsink is strongly recommended: eight terabytes of flash concentrate heat in one 2280 footprint, and testing across the NM790 line has shown thermal throttling during extended sustained-write stress tests on bare drives. Since Lexar does not publish the 8 TB PCB layout, buyers with tight clearance should measure on arrival. The NM790 with Heatsink variant avoids the guesswork entirely.

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Last updated: 2026-09-05. Source: https://ssdrive.net/lexar-nm790-8-tb