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A reported counterfeit 2TB Samsung 990 Pro looked genuine to Windows and CrystalDiskInfo, yet delivered roughly 20 MB/s read and 9–10 MB/s write. Samsung Magician later identified it as counterfeit. A genuine 990 Pro is rated for up to 7,450 MB/s sequential read and 6,900 MB/s sequential write under qualifying conditions.
The warning is not that every slow 990 Pro is fake. PCIe limitations, overheating, a faulty slot, background activity, low free space, or a failing drive can also reduce performance. But 20 MB/s-class results are far outside normal behavior and deserve immediate investigation.
What happened to the reported drive?
The case began with a buyer who reportedly purchased a purported 2TB Samsung 990 Pro for about $205 (roughly ₹19,000). The drive’s label and appearance did not immediately reveal a problem. Windows identified it as a Samsung 990 Pro, and CrystalDiskInfo displayed plausible Samsung model, firmware, and health information.
Large file transfers told a different story. Reported sequential results were approximately 20.34–22 MB/s read and 9.65–10 MB/s write. The drive also appeared to negotiate a PCIe 3.0 x4 connection. After Samsung Magician was installed, Samsung’s utility reportedly flagged the SSD as counterfeit. The account originated with a Reddit user and was reported by technology publications; it was not an independent forensic investigation of the seller’s entire inventory. Tom’s Hardware reported the case, while Club386 and VideoCardz published additional test details.
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How much slower was it than a genuine 990 Pro?
| Drive | Sequential read | Sequential write |
|---|---|---|
| Reported counterfeit | About 20 MB/s | About 10 MB/s |
| Genuine 990 Pro specification | Up to 7,450 MB/s | Up to 6,900 MB/s |
The Samsung figures are maximum specifications, not guaranteed results on every computer. They depend on the drive capacity, motherboard, PCIe generation, cooling, free space, queue depth, workload, and test method. Even with those qualifications, 20 MB/s is not a modest shortfall for a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. It is dramatically below the expected performance class.
Why Windows and CrystalDiskInfo can be fooled
Storage software usually reads identification data supplied by the drive’s controller and firmware. A counterfeit SSD can potentially report “Samsung,” “990 Pro,” a plausible firmware revision, capacity, and healthy SMART data without containing Samsung’s genuine controller, NAND, PCB, DRAM, or firmware.
That is why a correct model name is not authentication. CrystalDiskInfo can be useful for viewing health information and the negotiated PCIe link, but its display does not prove that the physical hardware matches the label.
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There is more than one counterfeit pattern
The 20 MB/s 2TB case is only one reported type. A later report described a separate 1TB clone that produced near-authentic CrystalDiskMark figures but performed much worse during a sustained real-world transfer. It reportedly used a Maxio MAP1602 controller instead of Samsung’s controller and lacked the genuine drive’s DRAM configuration.
In that comparison, a nearly 397.2GB file reportedly took 25 minutes and 20 seconds to transfer to the clone, versus 3 minutes and 33 seconds for the genuine drive. The clone reportedly achieved about 7,255/6,090 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark, showing why one benchmark cannot settle an authenticity question. TechSpot covered the later clone, with additional testing reported by Tom’s Hardware.
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How to check whether your 990 Pro is genuine
1. Document the drive before changing anything
Photograph the SSD, packaging, seals, labels, serial number, and seller information. Save the listing, invoice, order page, seller name, payment record, and original listing photos. Capture screenshots before formatting, firmware updates, or opening the drive.
2. Confirm the physical installation
- Make sure the SSD is in an M.2 slot that supports NVMe rather than M.2 SATA.
- Check whether the slot and processor support PCIe 4.0.
- Reseat the drive and check the motherboard manual for slot-sharing limitations.
- Do not benchmark through a USB enclosure, dock, adapter, RAID layer, or virtual machine.
- Install current motherboard chipset and storage drivers where appropriate.
A genuine 990 Pro can operate at PCIe 3.0 speeds in a PCIe 3.0 system or slot. Therefore, a PCIe 3.0 x4 link is a warning to investigate, not proof of counterfeiting. PCIe x1, x2, or SATA mode points first toward an installation or platform problem.
3. Check the negotiated PCIe link
CrystalDiskInfo or the motherboard firmware may show the current and maximum link modes. On a compatible PCIe 4.0 platform, PCIe 4.0 x4 is what you would normally expect. If the link is slower, resolve the motherboard, BIOS, slot, and adapter questions before judging the SSD.
4. Run a properly configured benchmark
Use CrystalDiskMark from its official project page. Select a sufficiently large test size, close disk-intensive applications, record the test profile, and repeat the test. Test sequential and random performance separately.
Do not treat a benchmark’s displayed model name as proof of authenticity. Also avoid tiny tests that fit entirely within a pseudo-SLC cache. A genuine drive can benchmark below its specification because of temperature, free-space, platform, or workload limits, but sustained results around 20 MB/s read and 10 MB/s write are exceptionally suspicious.
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5. Test a sustained real-world transfer
Copy a large, non-sensitive file—ideally tens or hundreds of gigabytes—from a known-fast source drive to the suspected SSD and back. Record the initial burst, the speed after the cache fills, the total time, and any disconnects or errors. Ensure the source drive is not the bottleneck.
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6. Use Samsung Magician
Download Samsung Magician from Samsung’s official site. Connect the SSD directly to the motherboard, then open the drive-information, diagnostic, or authenticity-related area in the current supported version. UI labels can change between releases.
Record the result, model, serial number, firmware, capacity, and any warning. Samsung Magician reportedly identified the 20 MB/s drive as counterfeit after generic tools accepted its identity. A first-party counterfeit or non-Samsung result is strong evidence of a problem.
However, Magician’s inability to detect a drive is not automatically proof of counterfeiting. USB enclosures, RAID controllers, unsupported operating systems, drivers, permissions, and other connection issues can prevent correct detection.
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7. Verify capacity only on an empty drive
Use a full write/read capacity checker such as H2testw or an equivalent trusted utility only when the drive contains no important data. These tools write across the target device and can destroy existing files.
A successful capacity test proves only that the drive can address the tested capacity. It does not prove that the SSD is a genuine Samsung 990 Pro. The reported later 1TB clone reportedly passed H2testw despite being counterfeit.
8. Inspect the hardware only as a last resort
Reference images can help compare the controller, NAND packages, DRAM, PCB color, component layout, label printing, and serial-number format. Genuine 990 Pro hardware is associated with a PCIe 4.0 NVMe design and Samsung-specific controller and NAND architecture, with DRAM-equipped configurations cited in coverage.
Visual inspection is not conclusive. Some counterfeit packaging and labels are difficult to distinguish from genuine products, while other reported examples had obvious differences such as a blue PCB. Opening the drive can damage the label, affect warranty eligibility, and complicate a return.
Could a genuine 990 Pro be this slow?
Yes, a genuine SSD can perform below expectations because of:
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- a PCIe 3.0 or lower connection;
- the wrong M.2 slot or an adapter limitation;
- thermal throttling;
- a nearly full drive;
- SLC-cache exhaustion during a long write;
- background updates, antivirus scanning, or indexing;
- an unusually slow source drive;
- power-management settings;
- outdated firmware, chipset drivers, or BIOS;
- drive degradation or failure.
But results near 20 MB/s read and 10 MB/s write are so far outside normal 990 Pro behavior that they should not be dismissed as ordinary variation—especially when combined with an implausibly low price, suspicious provenance, a hardware mismatch, or Samsung Magician’s warning.
What to do if the drive appears counterfeit
- Stop storing important data on it. Do not use it for backups, an operating-system installation, or irreplaceable files.
- Preserve evidence. Save screenshots from Windows, CrystalDiskInfo, CrystalDiskMark, the PCIe link display, and Samsung Magician.
- Keep the packaging and receipt. Photograph every label and seal.
- Request a refund. Ask for a refund for a materially misrepresented product rather than accepting an unverified replacement.
- Escalate promptly. If the seller does not resolve the issue, use the marketplace, card issuer, or payment provider’s dispute process.
- Report the listing. Include the test results and identify the listing as potentially counterfeit.
- Handle personal data carefully. Do not securely erase or destroy the device until return requirements and evidence preservation are settled. After that, erase it or physically destroy it as appropriate.
Do not resell the drive as a working Samsung 990 Pro.
How to reduce the risk when buying a replacement
Prefer Samsung’s direct or authorized channels and established retailers with clear return policies. Check who is actually selling the item, not just who fulfills it:
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- Sold by a third party and fulfilled by the platform: fulfillment does not necessarily establish the inventory’s provenance.
- Sold and shipped by an independent seller: investigate the seller’s identity, invoice, warranty, and return terms carefully.
A high rating or unusually low price is not proof of authenticity. Retain the invoice and test a new SSD immediately, before trusting it with important data. Samsung’s consumer-storage page is a safer starting point for identifying the product family and official support path.
Bottom line
A Samsung model name shown in Windows or CrystalDiskInfo is only a firmware-reported identity. The reported 2TB counterfeit passed those basic checks but ran at roughly 20 MB/s read and 10 MB/s write before Samsung Magician flagged it. Verify a suspicious drive through a direct connection, PCIe-link inspection, independent benchmarking, sustained file transfers, Samsung Magician, and—only on an empty drive—a full capacity test.
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