Samsung, a leading tech giant, has recently filed trademarks for two potential next-gen Gen5 SSDs, the 990 EVO Plus and the 9100 PRO. This move hints at the imminent launch of these highly anticipated storage solutions.

Over a year ago, the Gen5 SSDs made their debut, showcasing impressive speeds exceeding 14.5 GB/s. While many storage manufacturers have since released their own Gen5 products, Samsung has remained notably silent on this front.

The previous flagship drive from Samsung, the 990 PRO, boasted speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s on a Gen4 platform. Equipped with an RGB-LIT heatsink, the 990 PRO targeted high-performance users. However, details regarding Samsung’s Gen5 updates have been scarce.

Although Samsung has not officially disclosed any information, recent trademark filings for the 990 EVO Plus and 9100 PRO SSDs suggest that the company is gearing up for a significant product launch. The 990 EVO Plus is anticipated to offer a mainstream solution, possibly in a DRAM-less configuration, aligning with the cost-effective EVO series. On the other hand, the 9100 PRO, a new nomenclature, could signal the arrival of the long-awaited Gen5 solutions.

Known for its legendary Gen3 and Gen4 SSDs like the 970 PRO and 980 PRO, Samsung is expected to deliver exceptional performance with its Gen5 lineup. Leveraging its proprietary in-house Gen5 SSD controller, Samsung aims to stand out in a market dominated by Phison’s E26 controller, with emerging alternatives from InnoGrit and Maxio. Phison’s upcoming E31T controller, a cost-effective and DRAM-less option, is also set to feature in Gen5 drives.

By biding its time until the Gen5 SSD standard gains mainstream adoption, Samsung is poised to offer consumers a compelling storage solution once again. With the industry eagerly anticipating Samsung’s next move, the launch of the 990 EVO Plus and 9100 PRO SSDs could mark a significant milestone in the evolution of storage technology.