# Lexar NQ790 1TB: Budget PCIe 4.0 Speed, QLC Trade-offs (2026)

The Lexar NQ790 1TB is a QLC-based PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive that delivers genuinely fast burst speeds at a budget price, with the usual QLC caveats attached.

Quick answer: The Lexar NQ790 1TB makes sense for budget-focused buyers who want fast PCIe 4.0 burst speeds for gaming, a PS5 upgrade, or general desktop use, and don't regularly move huge continuous files. Buyers doing sustained heavy writes, like large video exports or bulk data transfers, should look at Lexar's own TLC-based NM790 instead, which holds its write speed longer once any SLC cache empties. The WD Black SN770 is another reasonable alternative if QLC specifically is a dealbreaker. Overall, the NQ790 1TB is a strong value pick for everyday PCIe 4.0 performance, as long as you understand the QLC trade-off going in.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Maxiotech MAP-1602A |
| Memory type | Intel 144L QLC |
| DRAM cache | No |
| Sequential read | 7000 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 6000 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 800000 |
| Random write IOPS | 600000 |
| Endurance | 600 TBW |
| MTBF | 2000000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

The 1 TB Lexar NQ790 is rated for up to 7,000 MB/s sequential reads and 6,000 MB/s sequential writes, with up to 800,000 IOPS on random reads and 600,000 IOPS on random writes. Independent testing of this drive has generally hit or exceeded those rated numbers in burst transfers, and everyday responsiveness, booting, launching apps, general file work, feels snappy.

The QLC NAND is the key trade-off: the NQ790 relies more heavily on its dynamic SLC cache to sustain peak write speed than a comparable TLC drive would, and once that cache is exhausted on a large continuous transfer, write speed drops more sharply than it would on the TLC-based NM790. For typical use, moving files a few gigabytes at a time, gaming, OS tasks, this rarely matters. It becomes relevant if you regularly copy hundreds of gigabytes in one continuous session, where the QLC drive's sustained write rate falls further behind its rated burst number than a TLC drive's would.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Lexar rates the 1 TB NQ790 at 600 TBW and backs it with a 5-year limited warranty. At a realistic 20-30 GB per day write workload, 600 TBW works out to roughly 55-80 years before the drive reaches its rated endurance limit, far beyond the warranty period and the practical lifespan of the rest of the PC around it. QLC NAND inherently has lower per-cell endurance than TLC, which is reflected in the NQ790's lower TBW rating relative to the TLC-based NM790 at the same capacity, though 600 TBW is still comfortably more than mainstream users will ever write. Warranty service runs through Lexar's regional RMA process, so keep your purchase receipt on hand.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 7,000 MB/s reads at a budget price
- 5-year manufacturer warranty
- 600 TBW endurance, ample for typical use
- PS5-compatible M.2 2280 form factor
- Dynamic SLC caching and HMB support
**Cons:**

- QLC NAND slows sharply after cache exhaustion
- Lower endurance than the TLC-based NM790
- No DRAM cache
- Not suited to sustained heavy write workloads


## Verdict

The Lexar NQ790 1TB makes sense for budget-focused buyers who want fast PCIe 4.0 burst speeds for gaming, a PS5 upgrade, or general desktop use, and don't regularly move huge continuous files. Buyers doing sustained heavy writes, like large video exports or bulk data transfers, should look at Lexar's own TLC-based NM790 instead, which holds its write speed longer once any SLC cache empties. The WD Black SN770 is another reasonable alternative if QLC specifically is a dealbreaker. Overall, the NQ790 1TB is a strong value pick for everyday PCIe 4.0 performance, as long as you understand the QLC trade-off going in.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Lexar NQ790 1TB good for gaming?

Yes. Its 7,000 MB/s read speed and 800,000 random-read IOPS give competitive load times for a budget PCIe 4.0 drive, and 1 TB fits a reasonable modern game library. Gaming workloads are read-heavy and burst-oriented rather than continuous sustained writes, which plays to the NQ790's strengths and avoids the QLC cache-exhaustion scenario that shows up on very large continuous file copies.

### Is the Lexar NQ790 1TB compatible with the PS5?

Yes. It meets Sony's published PS5 M.2 SSD requirements: PCIe 4.0 NVMe interface, sequential read speed above the 5,500 MB/s minimum (this drive is rated at 7,000 MB/s), and a form factor that fits within Sony's size limits. Lexar markets the NQ790 as PS5 gaming compatible, and its price makes it one of the more affordable ways to expand PS5 storage.

### Does the Lexar NQ790 have a DRAM cache?

No, the 1 TB NQ790 is a DRAM-less design. Instead of an onboard DRAM chip, the Maxio MAP1602 controller uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, borrowing a slice of the host system's RAM to store its mapping tables, combined with dynamic SLC caching to keep everyday performance responsive despite the lack of dedicated DRAM.

### What is the TBW endurance of the 1TB NQ790?

The 1 TB model is rated at 600 TBW; the 2 TB version is rated at 1,200 TBW and the 4 TB version at 2,400 TBW, scaling linearly with capacity. At a typical desktop or laptop workload of 20-30 GB written per day, 600 TBW would take roughly 55 to 80 years to reach, so endurance is not a practical concern for mainstream use despite QLC NAND's lower per-cell endurance than TLC.

### What does it mean that the NQ790 uses QLC NAND?

QLC (quad-level cell) NAND stores four bits per memory cell instead of three like TLC, which lowers cost per gigabyte but reduces both write endurance and sustained write speed once the drive's SLC cache is exhausted. In everyday use, most reads and short writes, the difference from TLC is barely noticeable, but during very large continuous file transfers a QLC drive like the NQ790 will slow down more than a comparable TLC drive such as Lexar's own NM790.

### How does the Lexar NQ790 compare to the Lexar NM790?

Both share a similar look and PCIe 4.0 platform, but the NM790 uses TLC NAND and the NQ790 uses QLC. That makes the NM790 faster on sustained writes and higher-endurance at the same capacity, at a higher price. The NQ790 matches or nearly matches the NM790 on rated burst speeds and is the better value pick for buyers who mostly do reads, gaming, and everyday file work rather than heavy sustained writing.

### Does the Lexar NQ790 need a heatsink?

Not strictly. The NQ790 ships without a heatsink and its DRAM-less design keeps power draw moderate, but QLC controllers can run warmer under sustained load than TLC counterparts. A motherboard M.2 heatsink or PS5 heat spreader is a sensible addition if your case has limited airflow or you do frequent large file transfers, even though it isn't required for typical desktop or laptop use.

---

Last updated: 2026-08-28. Source: https://ssdrive.net/lexar-nq790-1-tb