PM9D3a
An enterprise-grade PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD designed for data center workloads. Delivers sequential read/write speeds up to 7,000/4,100 MB/s and random read/write up to 1,100K/200K IOPS. Available in U.2 form factor with capacities from 960GB to 15.36TB. Features advanced power-loss protection, end-to-end data protection, AES 256-bit encryption, and TCG Opal 2.0. Ideal for AI, machine learning, big data analytics, and high‑concurrency database applications.
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Key Features
Form Factors to Meet Any Data Center Requirement
The PM9D3a comes in a variety of form factors and capacity ranges. Included are E1.S (25/15/9.5mmT), E1.L (9.5mmT), E3.S (1T/2T), U.2/U.3 2.5” (15mmT), and M.2. This wide selection will provide the flexibility to meet storage specific needs in almost any data center without increasing the size of the data center. Within the M.2 form factor, capacities of 240GB, 480GB, 960GB, and 1.92TB are offered. For other form factors, capacities of 960GB, 1.92TB, 3.84TB, 7.68TB, 15.36TB, and 30.72TB are offered.
Enhanced Power and Cooling Efficiency
The PM9D3a offers a 45% more power-efficient solution and improved cooling efficiency by applying 2.5” 15mmT fins for better thermal characteristics, compared to the previous generation. Additionally, E1 drives come with a built-in heatsink and embedded thermal interface material. These improvements help data centers decrease management costs, maximize profits and mitigate environmental risks.
Low Failure Rates with High Reliability
The device includes error-correcting code (ECC) to provide the low failure rate and high reliability in the industry. It offers a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 2.5 million hours.
Built-In Cyber Security
Samsung PM9D3a SSD is validated against the TCG Storage Opal Family Test Cases. In addition, this Samsung SSD is undergoing FIPS 140-3 validation. Common Criteria certification is not commonly required of devices like SSDs at this time, but Samsung has extensive experience with CC and mobile devices; CC certification of SSDs is something that Samsung is monitoring, including The EU Cybersecurity Act (Article 49 Regulation EU 2019/881).
Telemetry Features for Data Center Management
Over a hundred data set analyses are provided in advance for data centers run by our clients to monitor and detect on-site risks and issues and handle them efficiently. This proactive approach to Telemetry allows measures to be implemented that ensure efficient server operation while optimizing operational expenses and TCO.
PM9D3a product details
Official product imagery — specifications, design and interfaces at a glance.
Product Information
An enterprise-grade PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD designed for data center workloads. Delivers sequential read/write speeds up to 7,000/4,100 MB/s and random read/write up to 1,100K/200K IOPS. Available in U.2 form factor with capacities from 960GB to 15.36TB. Features advanced power-loss protection, end-to-end data protection, AES 256-bit encryption, and TCG Opal 2.0. Ideal for AI, machine learning, big data analytics, and high‑concurrency database applications.
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 |
| NAND Flash | Samsung V-NAND TLC |
| Sequential Read | Up to 6,400 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | Up to 1,400 MB/s |
| Random Read (4KB) | Up to 950K IOPS |
| Random Write (4KB) | Up to 70K IOPS |
| Endurance (DWPD) | 1 drive writes per day over 5years |
| Total Bytes Written (TBW) | 1,752TB |
| MTBF | 2,500,000 hours |
| Idle Power | 3.1W |
| Read Power | 8W |
| Write Power | 7.3W |
| 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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