Samsung PM9A3 vs Intel D7-P5520 — Enterprise NVMe Comparison
Samsung PM9A3 and Intel D7-P5520 are the two most-deployed enterprise NVMe SSDs in 2026 vSAN and Ceph clusters. Both U.2 form factor, both 1 DWPD endurance, both on the VMware vSAN HCL. Here's the detailed comparison.
Quick Verdict
Both excellent. Samsung PM9A3 has slightly better sequential write performance. Intel D7-P5520 has more mature enterprise firmware track record. Pricing is comparable refurbished.
Side-by-Side Spec Comparison
| Spec | Samsung PM9A3 NVMe | Intel D7-P5520 NVMe |
|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | 2.5" U.2 | 2.5" U.2 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe |
| Capacities | 1.92/3.84/7.68 TB | 1.92/3.84/7.68 TB |
| Endurance (DWPD) | 1 DWPD | 1 DWPD |
| Sequential Read | 7,000 MB/s | 7,000 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | 4,200 MB/s | 4,300 MB/s |
| Random Read IOPS (4K) | 1.1M | 1.05M |
| Random Write IOPS (4K) | 200K | 210K |
| Latency (read/write) | 75μs / 12μs | 85μs / 14μs |
| VMware vSAN HCL | Yes | Yes |
| Power (active) | 14W | 17W |
| Refurbished Price (3.84TB) | $350-450 | $380-500 |
Green-highlighted cells indicate the winner for that spec.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for VMware vSAN: PM9A3 or D7-P5520?
Both work identically in vSAN — same DWPD tier (capacity tier), same VMware HCL approval. Slight performance edge to PM9A3 on sustained reads. Pick by availability and pricing.
Are these drives interchangeable in a server?
Yes — both are standard U.2 form factor with NVMe protocol. Any NVMe-aware backplane (Dell R740xd, HPE DL380 Gen10, Lenovo SR650) accepts either drive interchangeably.
Do these need RAID controllers?
No — NVMe drives connect directly to PCIe lanes, no RAID controller needed. Use software RAID (ZFS, Storage Spaces, vSAN, Ceph) or accept single-drive risk per node with cluster-level redundancy.
Our Recommendation
Both are excellent enterprise NVMe choices. Pick by refurbished availability and pricing — they're functionally equivalent in production deployments.
Need help deciding?
Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with your specific requirements. Our team will match you to the right product based on your workload, budget, and existing infrastructure.