A Comprehensive Guide on Samsung PM9E1 PCIe Gen5 SSD for AI PCs

Samsung started the mass production of PM9E1 on October 4, 2024. In early February 2026, Samsung shipped the new 4TB model, which is the industry-leading Gen5 M.2 2242 PCIe Gen5 SSD.

It is primarily aimed at the AI PC market, delivering ultra-fast, power-efficient, and secure storage.

The following are specifications and features of this drive.

Key Specifications of Samsung PM9E1

Form Factors

Samsung PM9E1 has two M.2 form factors: M.2 2280 and M.2 2242.

• M.2 2280 (22mm x 80mm): It is the standard size for modern, high-performance NVMe SSDs, widely used in desktops and laptops.
• M.2 2242 (22mm x 42mm): It is an ultra-compact form factor, ideal for ultra-thin laptops, tablets, and AI devices.

These two types of drives utilize PCIe 5.0 x4 interfaces, providing extremely fast data transfers.

Capacity

Samsung PM9E1 PCIe Gen5 SSD is available in 4 capacity options:

• 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB for the M.2 2280 form factor.
• 4TB for the M.2 2242 size.

Samsung PM9E1 4TB is a significant development in storage technology. The drive uses a dual-sided PCB design integrated with 8th-generation 1Tb V-NAND and DRAM to achieve 4TB capacity in a small form factor.

It is the first SSD to combine 4TB capacity with the compact M.2-2242 form factor, using PCIe 5.0.

The 4TB option is an optimum, high-capacity solution for PC users who need to store large files, such as high-resolution videos (4k/8k), AI-generated content, and large game libraries.

Performance

Thanks to the 8-channel PCIe 5.0 interface, the performance of this M.2 2242 Samsung SSD has dramatically improved compared to its predecessor (PM9A1a).

• Its sequential read and write speeds can reach up to 14,500MB/s and 12,600MB/s, which is nearly double compared to the previous generation.
• The random read and write speeds are up to 2,000K IOPS and 2,640K IOPS.

Durability

Samsung PM9E1 4TB features high endurance, providing up to 2,400 TBW (Terabytes Written). The 2TB, 1TB, and 512GB models respectively offer 1,200, 600, and 300 TBW.

AI and Efficiency Features

According to Samsung, the PM9E1 M.2 2242 SSD is greatly optimized for AI applications and high-end computing.

The following are details.

AI Workload Optimization

Its firmware is optimized specifically for NVIDIA CUDA, DGX Spark OS software, and the overall AI user experience. Additionally, it integrates a full performance architecture with dedicated DRAM even in the compact 2242 size.

This ensures consistent fast data access and low-latency response, providing high responsiveness during heavy data manipulation, such as AI tasks.

Power Efficiency

PM9E1 PCIe Gen5 M.2 2242 SSD uses a proprietary 5nm “Presto” controller.

Compared to the previous 8nm controller (PM9A1a), it is energy-efficient. Samsung claims that PM9E1 delivers up to 45% improvement in power efficiency.

(Image from Samsung.)

The change can result in better MB/s per watt, meaning the drive can transfer more data while consuming less power. Moreover, the improved efficiency can reduce thermal load and extend battery life in laptops.

Advanced Security

Samsung PM9E1 supports SPDM (security protocol and data model) v1.2. It provides certificate-based security to bring high-level authentication and encryption, typically used for external communications.

This protocol allows for device authentication, firmware attestation, and secure channels’ establishment to prevent supply chain attacks, forgery, and data manipulation.

Samsung PM9E1 Availability

The PM9E1 SSD is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) drive. An OEM drive is sold in bulk to computer manufacturers to be integrated directly into devices, rather than direct retail sale to consumers. To get the SSD, users need to purchase a high-end AI PC and notebook.

As this SSD is an OEM product, prices can vary significantly depending on supply and channel.

How to Back Up the PM9E1 SSD Data to an External Drive

Data loss is a common issue, primarily caused by virus attacks, human error, system crashes, and hardware issues. If you have an AI PC built with a Samsung PM9e1 PCIe Gen5 SSD, it is recommended to back up the disk data to an external hard drive.

In terms of data backup, use MiniTool ShadowMaker, professional backup software for Windows 11/10 and Server 2025/2022/2019/2016.

This utility supports disk/partition/system/folder/file backup, automatic backup, and incremental/differential backup, satisfying your various needs.

For security, follow the instructions now to begin data backup.

Step 1: Connect an external hard drive to your computer.

Step 2: Download MiniTool ShadowMaker, install it, and launch the tool on the PC.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 3: Navigate to the Backup tab. Then, choose SOURCE > Folders and Files, browse the computer to locate and select what you need to back up.

Step 4: In DESTINATION, select the connected external drive.

Step 5: Click Back Up Now > OK to begin the backup task.

Conclusion

As the world’s first 4TB PCIe Gen5 SSD with a 2242 form factor, Samsung’s new PM9E1 delivers high capacity, performance, and durability for AI PCs.

Its emergence has set a new benchmark for high-performance, small-sized SSDs.

What’s more, if you have issues when using MiniTool software, send an email to [email protected].

Samsung PM9E1 FAQ