PM9A3
A high-performance PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD for enterprise and cloud servers. Delivers up to 6,900 MB/s sequential read and 1,100K random read IOPS. Available in U.2 up to 15.36TB with 1 DWPD endurance. Features AES 256-bit encryption, TCG Opal 2.0, and power-loss protection. Ideal for read-intensive workloads, CDN, and hyper-converged infrastructure.
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Key Features
Enterprise SSD for Business
Spectacular sequential read/write speeds of up to 6,900/4,100 MB/s – ideal for businesses working with large video and image files.Allow your business to run faster, more efficiently and at reduced costs with world-class dependability with our limited 5-year warranty or 1.0 DWPD.
Performance Leap
The PM9A3 leverages PCIe 4.0 to deliver sequential reads up to 6,900 MB/s and writes up to 4,100 MB/s, with random read performance reaching 1.1M IOPS. It offers over 2x faster random reads and 2.16x faster sequential reads compared to its predecessor (PM983), significantly accelerating data-intensive workloads.
Efficient & Flexible Architecture
Built with Samsung’s Elpis 8-channel controller and 6th-gen V‑NAND TLC, the PM9A3 achieves excellent power efficiency (283 MB/s per watt, nearly 50% higher than the prior generation). It supports U.2, M.2, and E1.S form factors to fit diverse server designs.
Enterprise-Grade Reliability & Security
Designed for 24/7 data center operation, the drive includes enhanced power‑loss protection (PLP), end‑to‑end data protection, AES‑256 hardware encryption (TCG Opal compliant), secure boot, and out‑of‑band (OOB) management. It carries a 5‑year/1 DWPD warranty and a 2‑million‑hour MTBF.
Clear Positioning
As a read‑intensive NVMe SSD, the PM9A3 is ideal for cloud services, CDN, and big data analytics. For write‑intensive or mixed workloads, Samsung offers higher‑endurance models like the PM1733/PM1735 series or high‑DWPD variants of the PM9A3 itself.
PM9A3 product details
Official product imagery — specifications, design and interfaces at a glance.
Product Information
A high-performance PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD for enterprise and cloud servers. Delivers up to 6,900 MB/s sequential read and 1,100K random read IOPS. Available in U.2 up to 15.36TB with 1 DWPD endurance. Features AES 256-bit encryption, TCG Opal 2.0, and power-loss protection. Ideal for read-intensive workloads, CDN, and hyper-converged infrastructure.
Use the media gallery, selected capacity and specification matrix to confirm fit before sending a quote or sample request.
Technical Specifications
| Form Factor | 2.5 inch U.2 |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 X4 |
| Protocol | NVMe 1.4 |
| NAND Flash | Samsung V-NAND TLC |
| Sequential Read | Up to 6500 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | Up to 1500 MB/s |
| Random Read (4KB) | Up to 580K IOPS |
| Random Write (4KB) | Up to 70K IOPS |
| Endurance (DWPD) | 1 DWPD |
| Total Bytes Written (TBW) | 1,752TB |
| MTBF | 2,000,000 hours |
| Idle Power | 3.5W |
| Read Power | 9.5W |
| Write Power | 8W |
| Power Loss Protection | Supported |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C |
| Warranty | 5-year limited |
User Guide / Documents
Manufacturer datasheets, manuals and compliance files are shared only when the approved file is available for the confirmed RFQ.
Warranty & Support
Warranty, firmware, batch documentation and RMA terms are confirmed in the written quotation or sales contract. ByteExo coordinates after-sales support through the listed manufacturer channel and the customer's confirmed order record.
Procurement FAQ
What form factors does the Samsung PM9A3 come in?
The PM9A3 is available in 2.5-inch U.2 (7mm, NVMe), M.2 (22110), and E1.S form factors. The U.2 version is most common for hot-swap server bays, while M.2 suits high-density servers and E1.S is designed for next-gen hyperscale data centers. Always confirm your server's backplane or slot before ordering.
What is the DWPD rating and what does it mean for my workload?
The PM9A3 is rated for 1 DWPD (Drive Write Per Day), meaning you can write the full capacity once every day over the 5-year warranty period. This makes it ideal for read-intensive workloads like boot, database indexing, and CDN. For heavy constant writes (e.g., high-frequency trading logs), consider higher-DWPD models like the PM1735 or the Solidigm D7-P5620 (3 DWPD).
Do these NVMe SSDs have power loss protection (PLP)?
Yes. All enterprise NVMe SSDs we carry — PM9A3, PM9D3a, D7-P5520, D7-P5620 — include capacitor-based hardware PLP. In the event of sudden power failure, the PLP circuit protects in-flight data and the NAND mapping table, preventing data corruption. This feature is absent in all consumer NVMe drives.
Are these drives compatible with Dell, HPE, Lenovo, and Supermicro servers?
Absolutely. All models are validated on major server platforms and listed on the VMware Compatibility Guide (VCG). They work with Dell PowerEdge, HPE ProLiant, Lenovo ThinkSystem, and Supermicro servers. If your deployment has specific firmware or platform compatibility requirements, please provide your exact server model so we can confirm compatibility before shipment.
What is the difference between the PM9A3 and a consumer SSD like the 990 PRO?
The PM9A3 is a data-center SSD built for 24/7 operation with consistent low-latency performance, power loss protection, end-to-end data protection, and a 5-year/1 DWPD warranty. The 990 PRO is a consumer drive optimized for burst performance in gaming and content creation — no PLP, no enterprise reliability features. Using a consumer drive in a production server environment leads to premature wear and data risk.
What capacities are available across the NVMe SSD lineup?
PM9A3: 960GB, 1.92TB, 3.84TB, 7.68TB. PM9D3a: 960GB, 1.92TB, 3.84TB, 7.68TB, 15.36TB. D7-P5520: 1.92TB, 3.84TB, 7.68TB, 15.36TB. D7-P5620: 1.6TB, 3.2TB, 6.4TB. Please specify model, capacity, and form factor (U.2) when requesting a quote.
Does the PM9A3 support TCG Opal encryption?
Yes. A self-encrypting drive (SED) version with TCG Opal 2.0 is available. If your deployment requires hardware-based encryption (e.g., finance or healthcare), please specify the SED model when ordering. We will provide the exact model number based on your security requirements.
What is the sequential read/write speed?
PM9A3: up to 6,900 MB/s sequential read / 4,100 MB/s write; 1,000K random read IOPS. PM9D3a: up to 7,000 MB/s read / 4,100 MB/s write; 2,500,000 hr MTBF. D7-P5520: up to 7,100 MB/s read / 4,200 MB/s write; 1,100K read IOPS. D7-P5620: 7,100/4,200 MB/s; 390K random write IOPS, 3 DWPD.
When should I choose D7-P5620 over D7-P5520?
Choose the D7-P5620 (3 DWPD) when your workload involves heavy sustained writes — high-frequency transaction logs, real-time analytics ingestion, or mixed read/write database environments. The D7-P5520 (1 DWPD) is sufficient for read-dominated workloads like boot, CDN caching, or AI inference.
What is the typical use case for these NVMe SSDs?
AI training and inference clusters, high-performance databases, cloud storage backends, virtualisation platforms, and any workload demanding consistent sub-millisecond latency with over 500K IOPS. These are the recommended drives for next-generation data center deployments.
Compare Models in This Series
4 models — comparing key specifications to help with model selection.
| Model | Interface | Form Factor | Seq Read | Seq Write | Capacities | DWPD | MTBF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM9A3 | PCIe 4.0 X4 | 2.5 inch U.2 | Up to 6500 MB/s | Up to 1500 MB/s | 960GB–15.36TB | 1 DWPD | 2,000,000 hours |
| PM9D3a | PCIe 4.0 X4 | 2.5 inch U.2 | Up to 6,400 MB/s | Up to 1,400 MB/s | 960GB–15.36TB | 1 drive writes per day over 5years | 2,500,000 hours |
| D7-P5520 | PCIe 4.0 X4 | 2.5 inch U.2 | Up to 5,300 MB/s | Up to 1,900 MB/s | 1.92TB–15.36TB | 1 DWPD | 2,000,000 hours |
| D7-P5620 | PCIe 4.0 X4 | 2.5 inch U.2 | Up to 5,300 MB/s | Up to 1,900 MB/s | 1.6TB–6.4TB | 3 DWPD | 2,000,000 hours |
Brand-original, incoming-inspected
Every unit is brand-original from the listed manufacturer and incoming-inspected before dispatch. RFQ documentation can include manufacturer datasheets and compliance files when available.
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