Lexar NM990 1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD Review (2026)
The Lexar NM990 1TB is a budget PCIe 5.0 NVMe drive built on Maxio's DRAM-less MAP1806A controller with Longsys TLC, offering 14,000 MB/s reads at an entry-level Gen5 price.
Controller & Memory
The Lexar NM990 is the brand's value PCIe 5.0 drive, built to bring Gen5 sequential read speeds down to a much lower price point than DRAM-equipped flagships. The 1 TB model reviewed here is the smaller of the NM990 capacities, which run from 1 TB to 4 TB, and it pairs Maxio's MAP1806A 8-channel controller with Longsys 3D TLC NAND. The defining design choice is that the NM990 is a DRAM-less drive: instead of a dedicated DRAM cache it uses HMB (Host Memory Buffer), borrowing a small slice of system memory to manage the flash translation layer, which keeps cost and power draw down at the expense of some sustained random performance.
The capacity-specific quirk on the 1 TB is its sequential write speed. Lexar rates every NM990 capacity at up to 14,000 MB/s sequential read, but the write rating scales with capacity: the 1 TB reaches 7,500 MB/s, the 2 TB 10,000 MB/s and the 4 TB 11,000 MB/s. That spread is typical for a DRAM-less Gen5 drive, where the smaller capacity has fewer NAND die in parallel and so writes more slowly. The 1 TB carries a 600 TBW endurance rating and a five-year warranty, so the underlying coverage is solid even at the entry size, and the headline 14,000 MB/s read figure means it still feels fast for game loads and large file reads.
As a budget Gen5 part the NM990 competes less with DRAM flagships like Lexar's own NM1090 Pro and more with other value PCIe 5.0 and high-end PCIe 4.0 drives, where it trades a DRAM cache and peak write speed for a low Gen5 sticker price. The drive ships in a standard M.2 2280 form factor with a heatsink included, which is a thoughtful touch for a Gen5 part given how hot the platform runs. For a buyer who wants PCIe 5.0 read bandwidth on a tight budget, the NM990 1 TB is a credible entry, with the clear caveat that its write speed is the lowest in the family.
Storage Comparisons:
NM990 Performance & Benchmarks
Lexar rates the NM990 1 TB at up to 14,000 MB/s sequential read but only 7,500 MB/s sequential write, the lowest write figure in the NM990 family. The read speed matches far more expensive Gen5 flagships, so for game loads, large file reads and DirectStorage-enabled asset streaming the drive feels genuinely fast; the write figure is the trade-off for the DRAM-less design and the small capacity's fewer NAND die. Every NM990 capacity shares the 14,000 MB/s read rating, while write scales up to 10,000 MB/s on the 2 TB and 11,000 MB/s on the 4 TB, so the 1 TB is the slowest writer of the range.
Lexar NM990 1 TB vs M.2 5.0 peers
Switch between sequential throughput and random IOPS to see how this drive stacks up against other M.2 5.0 SSDs in our database. The highlighted bar is the drive on this page — click any other bar to open that drive.
- Corsair MP700 Pro XT 1 TB: 14,900 MB/s read, 14,200 MB/s write
- Corsair MP700 Pro XT 2 TB: 14,900 MB/s read, 14,500 MB/s write
- Corsair MP700 Pro XT 4 TB: 14,900 MB/s read, 14,400 MB/s write
- Crucial T710 1 TB: 14,900 MB/s read, 13,800 MB/s write
- Lexar NM990 1 TB (this drive): 14,000 MB/s read, 7,500 MB/s write
Because the NM990 is DRAM-less and relies on HMB, sustained random performance under heavy mixed workloads is lower than on DRAM-equipped drives, though for everyday desktop use and gaming the difference is rarely noticeable. The drive does not publish prominent random IOPS figures, which itself signals the value positioning. The Maxio MAP1806A is an 8-channel PCIe 5.0 controller, so the sequential read throughput is real rather than aspirational, and the included heatsink helps it hold that read speed under load. For a budget Gen5 boot and game drive where reads dominate, the NM990 1 TB delivers strong value; buyers who write heavily should look at the larger capacities or a DRAM-equipped drive.
Lexar NM990 vs Competitors
See how the NM990 stacks up against other M.2 5.0 drives in our database:
Compare with rival drives:
Endurance, TBW & Warranty
Lexar backs the NM990 with a five-year limited warranty, and the 1 TB model carries a 600 TBW (terabytes written) endurance rating. That is solid coverage for a budget Gen5 drive: 600 TBW works out to roughly 329 GB of writes every single day for five years, which exceeds a typical 20 to 50 GB daily consumer workload, so for ordinary gaming and desktop use the NAND outlasts the warranty term. The five-year term is the binding limit, and it is generous for a value Gen5 drive where three-year cover is common. As an established brand Lexar offers a global support and RMA network, which is reassuring on a budget drive, so keep your proof of purchase. Note that the DRAM-less design and the 1 TB's lower write speed mean heavy-write workloads are not this drive's strength, but endurance itself is not a realistic concern within the five-year window.
Lexar NM990 1 TB Specifications
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity [?] | 1 TB |
| Interface [?] | M.2 5.0 |
| Controller [?] | MaxioTech MAP1806A 8 Channel |
| Memory type [?] | Longsys TLC |
| DRAM [?] | HMB (no DRAM) |
| Read speed (MB/s) [?] | 14000 |
| Write speed (MB/s) [?] | 7500 |
| Read IOPS [?] | n/a |
| Write IOPS [?] | n/a |
| Endurance (TBW) [?] | 600 |
| MTBF (million hours) [?] | 2000000 |
| Warranty (years) [?] | 5 |
Verdict: Is the NM990 Worth It in 2026?
The Lexar NM990 1 TB is a value PCIe 5.0 drive that delivers genuine 14,000 MB/s read bandwidth at a budget price, built on Maxio's DRAM-less MAP1806A controller with Longsys TLC and backed by a 600 TBW rating, a five-year warranty and an included heatsink. Its strengths are Gen5 read speed and price. Its weaknesses are the DRAM-less HMB design, the lowest write speed in the family at 7,500 MB/s, and the absence of prominent random IOPS figures. It suits a budget-conscious buyer who wants PCIe 5.0 read throughput for gaming and everyday use; skip it if you write heavily or need sustained random performance, in which case the larger NM990 capacities or a DRAM-equipped Gen5 drive like Lexar's own NM1090 Pro are better fits.
+ Pros
- Budget PCIe 5.0 with 14,000 MB/s reads
- Maxio MAP1806A 8-channel Gen5 controller
- Longsys 3D TLC NAND
- Heatsink included
- 5-year warranty
- Low cost entry into the Gen5 class
- Cons
- DRAM-less HMB design limits sustained random performance
- 7,500 MB/s write is the lowest in the NM990 family
- Random IOPS figures not prominently published
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 platform to justify the read speed
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