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Whether you're running out of storage, thinking of upgrading an ageing system, or building a new creative rig, fast NVMe SSDs remain one of the easiest ways to breathe new life into a desktop PC.
And right now, the 2TB Samsung 990 SSD is down to $370 (was $530) at Amazon - while the 1TB model also gets a discount to $230 on the same page.
It delivers sequential read speeds of up to 7,250 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,450 MB/s, alongside random performance of up to 850K read IOPS and 1,200K write IOPS for responsive everyday use.
Should you buy it?✅ Buy the Samsung 990 2TB SSD if...
You want a fast, spacious NVMe drive for creative work, or a new PC build. With sequential read/write speeds of up to 7,250/6,450 MB/s, a 2TB capacity, hardware encryption, and improved power efficiency, it's well suited to large libraries, high-resolution media, and demanding everyday workloads.
❌ Skip the Samsung 990 2TB SSD if...
Your PC doesn't support PCIe 4.0 speeds or you mainly browse the web, stream media, and work with documents. You'll pay a premium for performance that lighter workloads won't fully benefit from, and a cheaper PCIe 3.0 or entry-level NVMe SSD will still deliver a substantial upgrade over a hard drive or older SATA SSD.
Today's top SSD dealDelivering up to 7,250 MB/s read and 6,450 MB/s write speeds, the Samsung 990 combines 2TB of storage, hardware encryption, improved power efficiency, and SSD management software.View Deal
Why we recommend itSamsung's 990 SSD combines outstanding PCIe 4.0 performance with plenty of capacity for demanding workloads. Read speeds of up to 7,250 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,450 MB/s make everything from booting Windows to transferring large files noticeably faster.
The 2TB capacity is enough room for growing projects, while hardware encryption, improved power efficiency, and Samsung's SSD management software add extra long-term value.
Price Context & Historical ValueAt $369.99, down from its usual price of $529.99, the 2TB Samsung 990 SSD is a serious, solid purchase and one we'd definitely recommend. It's not only the cheapest it's been in 30 days on Amazon, it's as cheap as it's ever been there, so we'd definitely recommend you snap it up now, and save yourself $160, before the price rises again.
The Catch: What to know before you buyYou'll need a desktop with an available M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot to get the most from this drive. While it works in older systems, you won't see its full performance. It's also more expensive than mainstream NVMe SSDs, so lighter workloads are often better served by a cheaper alternative.
Also consider this Samsung SSD dealThe Samsung 990 Pro SSD is still one of the best around - especially at an unbeatable price like this. In our review, we hailed it as "an absolutely stellar M.2 SSD for both professional users and gamers." View Deal
- The ongoing RAM crisis is projected to continue through 2028
- Samsung says memory shortages are expected to worsen in 2027
- Deloitte reports the big three RAM manufacturers are anticipated to have a combined capital expenditure that will nearly quadruple between 2024 and 2027
The RAM crisis isn't letting up, with shortages continuing to impact PC hardware manufacturers. Unfortunately, it looks like it may become the new normal.
As reported by TweakTown, Samsung says it expects ongoing memory shortages to worsen in 2027 and continue through 2028. This will directly impact consumers with increasingly high retail prices for RAM kits, game consoles, and pre-built PCs.
Samsung's memory chip executive vice president, Jaejune Kim, said to investors in the latest earnings call: "We believe it will be unlikely to see any increase in incremental supply through 2028. The supply constraints are expected to become even more severe in 2027."
Essentially, that means the price increases we've seen for Sony's PS5, Microsoft's Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and, frankly, next-generation consoles will likely face the same consequences of the price hike trend.
The same can be said for Valve's Steam Machine, where Valve previously stated the retail price isn't what it wanted, with suggestions of an initial $750 target. However, the RAM crisis effectively forced Valve's hand, where it couldn't subsidize the Steam Machine the same way it did with the Steam Deck.
(Image credit: Unsplash / Liam Briese)Unfortunately, it's not just Samsung that forecasts the RAM crisis worsening. Gamesbeat highlights Deloitte's report, which anticipates an increase in the big three's (Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron) combined capital spending to nearly 340% from 2024 to 2027.
However, new supply from that increased spending isn't expected to arrive until 2029 or 2030, so the RAM crisis is seemingly only just getting started. It frankly means Samsung's estimation is rather optimistic, painting a smaller picture of just how bad the memory shortages are.
Manufacturers and consumers are perhaps now at a stage where the RAM crisis may be a new normal, completely shifting the PC hardware market into an unstable condition.
GPU prices have increased over the last few months, with Nvidia introducing older options via the RTX 3060, and AMD unveiling a new Radeon RX 9050 8GB GPU. Both cases are a strong indication that the market is in its worst state in decades, and there isn't much hope ahead as it stands.
The Geekom IT13 Max is an interesting machine, built in the style of the usual Mini PC, yet with a quality that is slightly more solid and industrial than I’d usually expect. The design also lacks anything inspirational; it’s purely functional even down to the metal pressed backplate.
The specifications are also interesting, with a high-powered Ultra 9 185H and Arc GPU and NPU all integrated, providing impressive computing power. However, it all feels slightly limited with just 24GB of RAM that's soldered and non upgradable, then there’s the storage at just 500GB meaning that if you’re looking to store files onboard then you’ll quickly run out of space. Exactly as I discovered with the 4K video edit test in Premiere Pro and the gaming test, where it was a strict one game installed at a time.
However, as I started to look deeper at the system, you see that there’s something else going on with the RS232 and RS485 headers that means this can be integrated with a larger industry systems, well beyond anything that I have access to.
This is a mini PC that has a market in industry or as a solid machine for office use; if you work in the creative industry or fancy a bit of gaming, then while it’s powerful enough to handle quite demanding tasks, it's not the best mini PC we've tested for that, and there are better options out there.
As a standalone mini PC, it’s understated and powerful, great as a solid machine for the office that will plough through Microsoft Office applications with ease, but in reality this is a machine with a focus as part of larger industry applications.
Geekom IT13 Max: Price and availability- How much does it cost? £749 / $749
- When is it out? Now
- Where can you get it? Directly from Geekom
The IT13 Max is available direct from Geekom US for $799 and Geekom UK for £749.
It's also on sale for the same price at both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
This buys you the 24GB RAM and 500GB SSD version that I have looked at in this review. There are, however, two present versions of this machine available. The other is what seems to be the lower-specified 16GB DDR5 with a 1TB SSD option; however, this machine offers two SO-DIMM slots accepting up to 96GB, which would be better suited for creatives, especially if used with an eGPU.
From now until August 15, TechRadar Pro readers can score an 8% discount when buying from either Geekom or Amazon when using the code TRT13MAX.
- Value: 4/5
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, 16 cores / 22 threads
Cache: 1.6MB L1, 18MB L2, 24MB L3
Graphics: Intel Arc (integrated).
NPU: Intel AI Boost
Memory: 24GB LPDDR5, 6,400 MTS
Storage: 500GB PCIe Gen4 SSD. Two slots: M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe Gen4 (to 4TB) and M.2 2242 SATA III (to 2TB), 6TB total
Display: 2 x USB4 40Gbps, 2 x HDMI 2.0, four 4K displays or 8K output
Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2 x 2.5GbE
Other: dTPM 2.0, Kensington lock, VESA mount, RS232/RS485 headers
OS: Windows 11
Dimensions: 132 x 132 x 50mm (Measured)
Weight: 840g (Weighed)
Lifting the machine from the packaging, the size and weight are in line with what I’ve come to expect from a standard Mini PC, coming in at 132 x 132 x 50mm and weighing in at 836g. One point about the build quality that instantly stands out is how solid this is, with its full metal build including the base plate, which is usually plastic.
The other point is that the design is about as understated as you can get; this is by no means a design piece, and it is clearly not trying to be. It feels industrial, solid and functional: something you would be happy to see bolted into a workshop or sitting as part of a production line, although that simplicity also helps it to blend into the scenery in most offices.
The port layout across the machine is also relatively well thought out, if a little dated in the approach with the four USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports across the front and the faster USB4 at the back. The front also sees a 3.5mm audio jack and the power button. On the back, alongside the two USB 4 are two HDMI 2.0, two 2.5GbE LAN RJ45, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, USB-A 2.0 and DC in. On the side is an SD 4.0 card reader.
One of the feature that will be of real interest to some users are the RS232/RS485 headers; these are really features that will only appeal to those looking for a machine to use in an industrial situation, and there’s no direct accessibility to them from the exterior of the machine.
Opening the machine up by removing the metal baseplate, secured in place with four crosshead screws, you can see the two connectors along the back plate of the machine. These two internal four-pin RS‑232 and RS‑485 headers are positioned beside the rear HDMI ports, although breakout cables are not supplied.
Checking the baseplate, however, there is an extra plate that would enable you to slip the cables neatly into it, and then you’d probably need to machine an opening for the cables to exit the system.
Have never used this type of connector; I was unable to test this with the top-level 3D printers, Laser engravers and CNC machines that I look at, obviously under the threshold or where this connector type comes into play.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)These are essentially industrial-grade connections, beyond what I can test here. Still, if your CNC equipment or production machinery uses serial control, this could be an interesting solution, and there is very little else at this price offering it.
These industrial options may well be the reasoning for much of the port choices and layout, which I did find frustrating with modern kit and connectors in my office and workshop.
The two USB4 connections are great to see even if they’re hidden round the back, but there is a row of USB-A ports across the front, and these days I don’t have a single machine, device or accessory running on this type of connector.
The display support also seems like a feature to hit a headline; four 4K monitors sounds impressive, but most businesses have two or, at the most, three screens that will suffice, and rarely if ever do I see four in play.
- Design: 4.5 / 5
The Ultra 9 185H CPU is a headline feature, and with its 16 cores, 18MB L2 and 24MB L3 cache in a hybrid layout, and 22 logical processors, with a 2.50GHz base that boosts it to 4.64GHz and a 45W TDP, it all looks very impressive on paper.
That CPU is partnered with the Intel Arc graphics and an NPU Intel AI Boost that has impressed in past reviews and now has a proven track record for on-device AI work that the likes of Windows 11 and the Adobe Suite increasingly pull on.
The CPU is at the heart of the machine and is joined by 24GB of LPDDR5 memory in the review sample that I have taken a look at. As this memory is soldered to the motherboard, there’s no upgrade route.
However, there is another version of the same machine available with removable RAM and this ships with just 16GB but is upgradable to 96GB.
It’s worth noting that the hardware for this machine will all utilise that 24gb of RAM, which for many high-intensity applications does instantly look like a limitation in the hardware configuration for some uses.
While the RAM may be limited, the internal storage does offer a little more flexibility despite only arriving with 500GB. There are two slots: an M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe Gen4 taking up to 4TB, and an M.2 2242 SATA III, so you do have the option of upgrading to a 6TB total.
Networking is well balanced considering the level of the hardware with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and two 2.5GbE ports.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)- Features: 4.5 / 5 (Will change once features are available)
Getting started with the Geekom IT13 Max required the usual run-through of the Windows 11 Pro set-up, which takes between 10 and 20 minutes depending on integrations and your internet connection. Aside from the normal, there’s nothing too tricky about the process, so setting up one or multiple machines in a workplace should be quite straightforward.
The one thing to note is that this does feel like a good, robust machine, so if you are attaching this to a rig, van or other piece of equipment, the design and quality here do show that this is an ideal solution as part of larger systems and not just as something to sit on a desktop.
Once everything had loaded, I was interested to see just how fast this Ultra 9 185H machine would be, having been impressed with similar mini PCs in the past. What was apparent almost immediately was that while that CPU power was there, when it came to applications that put demand on the system, it felt as though something was holding it back.
Checking the R23 multi-core score and the 14,934 showed that the CPU was in line with other machines, and even with the slightly elevated ambient temperatures, the machine's cooling was doing its job.
Checking through the rest of the machines' settings and again Geekbench score of 13,150 for the multi-core and 2,402 single-core, PCMark7,526 overall, and a Time Spy CPU score of 10,613 against 3,508 for graphics showed once again just how good this processor is even with the integrated graphics.
However, as I started to run through the real-world tests, the performance was mixed, with Microsoft Office applications running as well as with any machine; likewise, Photoshop and Lightroom Classic ran well, with some slowing down when rendering thumbnails in libraries and in Adobe Bridge but otherwise handling images and adjustments with ease.
Opening Premiere Pro started to show the limitations, and while lite edits were fine, as soon as higher-bitrate 4K footage was loaded, the machine started to slow down. Firstly, the storage was limited, so an external drive needed to be connected and then as the timeline filled, render speeds quickly extended and the smoothness of the application faltered.
Switching over to gaming and similar traits started to show as I loaded up Hogwarts Legacy, and while the initial gameplay was fine, the graphic quality needed to be lowered, and even then the smoothness of playback was affected.
As I checked through the tests, I noted that the scores for CrystalDiskMark highlighted a decent 5,466MB/s read, but only 3,289MB/s write. This was far less than I expected for a Gen4 drive and was most likely caused by the 500GB capacity getting close to capacity.
Through the test, I was also at that point of needing to uninstall applications before installing the next, which was frustrating, so a new SSD for me would be an instant upgrade.
This lack of capacity of the SSD would also help explain the Windows Experience Index of 8.2, which for an Ultra 9 machine is low.
Looking back at the real-world tests and for office work, including writing this review and other standard light to midweight tasks using Microsoft Office and the Adobe Creative Suite, the machine performed well. It was only when more was demanded from the machine, such as Premiere Pro 4K edits, that it started to struggle, although it could still manage light editing without too much issue.
When I switched to gaming, those struggles followed a similar pattern. Hogwarts Legacy is playable, but a little less smooth than I would have expected for a CPU of this power, and again the memory and storage were an issue.
Benchmark resultsCrystalDiskMark Read: 5,466.68 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 3,289.07 MB/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 13,150
Geekbench CPU Single: 2,402
Geekbench GPU: 39,255
PCMark Overall: 7,526
Cinebench 2026 Multi: 3,686
Cinebench 2026 Single: 426
Cinebench R23 Multi: 14,934
Cinebench R23Single: 1,666
Fire Strike Overall: 7,830
Fire Strike Graphics: 8,362
Fire Strike Physics: 28,618
Fire Strike Combined: 3,052
Time Spy Overall: 3,899
Time Spy Graphics: 3,508
Time Spy CPU: 10,613
Wildlife Overall: 23,648
Steel Nomad Overall: 696
Windows Experience Overall: 8.2
At present, it is hot generally inside and out, and the noise generated by the machine when working under load is worth highlighting. What I liked was that the fans respond quickly as the intensity of the workload increased; during testing, the ambient temperatures were higher than usual at around 25°C in the office and 20°C in the workshop.
Regarding that noise fan, I measured ambient noise of 32.4 dB; then, with normal running, browsing the internet and using Word, the noise sits at 46.8dB, rising to 59.5dB under load.
This increase in noise essentially meant that when editing in Premiere Pro, the fan noise becomes audible, while Lightroom, Photoshop and Office work stay relatively quiet. Then when it comes to gaming, the system pushes the fans to the max as soon as the graphics load increases.
As a final note, the dual 2.5GbE networking is great to see for creative users, although I do like to see 5GbE or 10-GbE to make the most of my network. Still, 2.5GbE enables surprising transfer speeds and is a good balance between speed and cost. Two ports mean one can run to the network while the other connects directly to a NAS; this helps to speed up backups and just about makes network editing possible.
- Performance: 4.5 / 5
The Geekom IT13 Max is an interesting machine; it is, as you’d expect from a Mini PC, compact, with plenty of connection options and perfectly suited to office work, browsing and light to medium creative tasks. It then takes the pace up a level with dual 2.5GbE networking, the ability to connect to four monitors and those two USB4 ports, but then it also has the build quality and slightly odd RAM and storage configurations.
The processor is powerful and AI-ready, which was shown in the benchmark tests; however, while 24Gb of soldered memory is fine for Office tasks and light multimedia editing, it struggles as soon as anything more graphically demanding is required. Then the 500GB drive means that you run out of space surprisingly quickly, and in the test I was only able to install one large game at any one time, although I do take into account that the storage is upgradable; still, these days 1TB is generally the minimal I would recommend.
Then there’s the build quality and those two RS232/RS485 headers which really highlight that while you can use this in the office and it will be a productive work machine, in reality its use is a little more niche and it would be better suited to demanding workflows and systems, which again explains the build and those two very focused internal connectors.
In this review I’ve looked at the fixed RAM model, and there is also the 16GB model with its SO-DIMM slots and 1TB drive which, if you do need a machine that’s robust and better for creative use, would seem like a far better buy, especially upgraded to 96GB if you need it.
Should I buy the Geekom IT13 Max?Value
The price is high but does give you an impressive processor; however, the memory and storage limit could mean limits and further expense.
3.5/5
Design
One of the most understated Mini PCs on the market with industrial style and plenty of connections for focused use.
4/5
Features
It’s great to see the dual USB4, Wi-Fi 7, dual 2.5GbE and the RS232/RS485 headers point to this machine being used in industrial locations.
4/5
Performance
The CPU delivers as expected, but the rest of the configuration limits what it can do without further spend.
3.5/5
Overall
A very capable machine, as long as you pick the right configuration for the work that you want to do.
4/5
Buy it if...You need a machine for a workshop or production line.
The metal base plate, solid construction and RS232/RS485 headers highlight that this is a machine designed for industrial deployment, and in that setting the memory and storage are well balanced rather than limiting.
You work from a NAS
Two 2.5GbE ports let you run one connection to the network and another straight to a NAS, speeding up backups and making mid-weight 4K network editing workable.
Don't buy it if...Your workload will grow.
The 24GB memory is soldered, so there is no upgrade path. The 16GB configuration takes up to 96GB and ships with a 1TB drive, which makes it the better buy.
You work somewhere quiet.
The fans reach 59.5dB under load against a 32.4dB ambient, and Premiere Pro or gaming will keep them there. For office and photo work, they stay quiet.
For more productivity machines, we've tested the best business computers.
As AI copilots, autonomous agents, and conversational companions continue their march into the mainstream, the teams tasked with evaluating them are no longer asking: Did the model produce the correct answer?
Increasingly, they are asking whether the system was engaging enough and created enough value for users to return tomorrow, next week or next month.
It is a shift that fundamentally changes what evaluation means.
In the age of AI, "good" is a moving target. What delights one user may frustrate another, and what offers value to one business could be deemed irrelevant by the next.
That’s why success can no longer be measured solely through generic, external benchmarks, telemetry dashboards, or "LLM-as-a-judge" scores.
Real-time signalsModels grow stronger today not by adhering to an external standard, but based on traces and real-time signals from inside the organization. Evaluation, in fact, is becoming a core part of how organizations build and protect their competitive advantage.
Companies are increasingly creating private evaluation systems in-house that measure progress against outcomes that matter to their business, using real workflows, institutional knowledge, and accumulated judgment as the standard.
The new goal is not simply to assess model performance, but to create a learning loop where human expertise continuously improves AI systems and AI systems amplify human expertise in return.
This feedback cycle turns organizational knowledge into a compounding asset. Every interaction generates new training signals, strengthens institutional memory and improves future performance.
In this new world, private evaluation is the mechanism through which firms build, retain and compound their unique intellectual capital.
Tools no longer fit for purposeIn agentic systems, the quality of the experience emerges over long sequences of interactions rather than individual outputs.
Many evaluation benchmarks still rely heavily on turn-level analysis, measuring isolated prompt-response pairs against predefined criteria. Those can identify a model's capabilities in theories – hallucinations, toxicity or syntax errors – but they can’t reliably determine whether a forgotten preference, a broken memory chain or a subtle degradation in user experience caused a user to disengage days or weeks later.
With the growing adoption of consumer AI, preference learning increasingly operates across the entire user journey instead of within isolated prompts. A dashboard can score an individual response, but it cannot fully understand why a user returned three days later, abandoned a workflow midway through a session or learned to fully trust one interaction versus another.
Those signals often live inside the product itself.
AI redefining evaluation: first-party takes the stageThis is why evaluation is moving from a support function on the sidelines to a core product capability.
Development teams are increasingly moving away from external dashboards and generalized scoring systems and building proprietary feedback loops directly into their products. These systems combine behavioral analytics, user retention data, preference learning, reinforcement signals and post-training pipelines tailored to their own applications.
Their reasoning is simple: staying close to the user is the only way to understand what "good" actually means.
The AI companies poised to win are those building closed-loop systems that connect user behavior, offline analysis, reward-model recalibration and online validation. The most advanced AI products already use live behavioral feedback to refine responses, personalize interactions and improve retention.
Static offline benchmarks are giving way to live preference learning. Isolated, single-turn tests are being replaced by trajectory-level behavioral analysis. Evaluation is moving from the support layer to the core operating system of AI products.
The fate of traditional eval vendorsSo where does this leave well-known platforms such as LangSmith, Arize, and Weights & Biases as AI providers absorb more of the stack?
Interestingly, the biggest threat these companies face may not come from Anthropic or OpenAI, but from their own customers.
These vendors are not necessarily being displaced from above. They are increasingly being bypassed and disregarded from below as AI companies realize that evaluation is inseparable from the product itself.
Generic third-party platforms can determine whether an answer resembles benchmark data. External observability vendors can process telemetry and surface analytics. But they are not truly connected to the context that increasingly defines product quality.
Every serious AI company is now discovering the same thing: evaluation is the product. And companies cannot outsource their product.
Defining success is the new critical moatThis shift is accelerating because the rest of the AI stack is becoming increasingly commoditized.
Access to high-performing foundation models is rapidly expanding. Startups and enterprises alike can access powerful APIs with relatively low barriers to entry. Prompt engineering is unlikely to remain a durable differentiator. Basic orchestration layers are becoming standardized. Even generic "LLM-as-a-judge" scoring systems are increasingly available as built-in platform features.
As those layers become commodities, a company's internal understanding of user success becomes a more important differentiator.
The signals that matter for a coding assistant differ from those that matter for a healthcare agent, a tutoring system or an AI companion. Even within the same category, companies may optimize for entirely different outcomes, including engagement, trust, efficiency, emotional resonance or long-term retention.
In a world where models, infrastructure and tooling are increasingly rented, defining success is something that can and must be owned. In fact, it may become the most important piece of intellectual property a company owns.
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