# Lexar NQ790 4TB: Maximum Capacity on a Budget (2026)

The Lexar NQ790 4TB tops out this budget QLC line with the most capacity and the highest endurance rating, at a price well below most TLC alternatives.

Quick answer: The Lexar NQ790 4TB makes sense for budget-focused buyers who want maximum PCIe 4.0 capacity for a large game library, bulk media archive, or Mini PC storage, 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 4TB is one of the more affordable ways to get 4 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage, as long as you understand the QLC trade-off going in.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 4 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 | 2400 TBW |
| MTBF | 2000000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

The 4 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, matching the 1 TB and 2 TB models exactly. Independent testing of this drive family has generally matched 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. At 4 TB the cache is the largest in the range, so this capacity can absorb bigger sustained transfers, large game libraries, bulk archives, before any slowdown becomes noticeable. For typical use, gaming, OS tasks, general file work, this rarely matters.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Lexar rates the 4 TB NQ790 at 2,400 TBW, the highest endurance figure in the range, and backs it with a 5-year limited warranty. At a realistic 20-30 GB per day write workload, 2,400 TBW works out to several centuries 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 2,400 TBW is still far 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:**

- 2,400 TBW endurance, the best in the range
- One of the more affordable 4TB PCIe 4.0 options
- 5-year manufacturer warranty
- 7,000 MB/s reads at a budget price
- PS5-compatible M.2 2280 form factor
**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 4TB makes sense for budget-focused buyers who want maximum PCIe 4.0 capacity for a large game library, bulk media archive, or Mini PC storage, 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 4TB is one of the more affordable ways to get 4 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage, as long as you understand the QLC trade-off going in.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Lexar NQ790 4TB 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 4 TB comfortably fits a very large modern game library without ever worrying about capacity. 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 mainly shows up on very large continuous file copies.

### Is the Lexar NQ790 4TB compatible with the PS5?

Yes, and it's a strong fit given the PS5's own 8 TB maximum expansion capacity. 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 4 TB gives room for a very large PS5 game library at a budget price.

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

No, the 4 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 4TB NQ790?

The 4 TB model is rated at 2,400 TBW, the highest figure in the range; the 1 TB version is rated at 600 TBW and the 2 TB version at 1,200 TBW, scaling linearly with capacity. At a typical desktop or laptop workload of 20-30 GB written per day, 2,400 TBW would take well over a century to reach, making endurance a non-issue 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, especially at this larger 4 TB capacity.

### 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, and this larger 4 TB capacity has more NAND to manage. 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.

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Last updated: 2026-08-28. Source: https://ssdrive.net/lexar-nq790-4-tb