Samsung PM9A3 960GB
960GB of enterprise NVMe — PCIe Gen4 x4, up to 6,500MB/s reads, 1 DWPD endurance, power-loss protection. The boot / read-cache tier of the PM9A3 family: cheap enough to deploy per-node, tough enough for 24x7 duty. SMART-verified and shipped from Hong Kong.
Fully Tested & Documented · Hong Kong Warehouse Stock · Worldwide Shipping 3–7 Days · 1-Year Warranty
Hardware Gallery
The PM9A3 960GB, Up Close
PM9A3 960GB — Label Verified
Actual unit photo: label reads PM9A3 2.5-inch 960GB SSD (PCIe Gen4), PN MZQL2960HCJR-00BAL, Samsung V-NAND TLC. Every drive we ship is photographed and SMART-logged before packing.
U.2 2.5-inch Form Factor
Standard 2.5-inch U.2 (SFF-8639) hot-swap form factor — drops into any Gen4 NVMe bay on Dell, HPE, Lenovo, or Supermicro platforms. 7mm and 15mm height variants exist in the channel; confirm clearance at inquiry.
6,500
MB/s sequential read
580K
IOPS random read (4KB)
1
DWPD, 5-year endurance class
2M
hours MTBF
Key Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | Samsung PM9A3 960GB (MZQL2960HCJR) |
| Form Factor | 2.5-inch U.2 (SFF-8639), 7mm/15mm variants |
| Interface | PCIe Gen4 x4, NVMe 1.4 |
| NAND / Controller | Samsung 128-layer V-NAND TLC / Elpis |
| Sequential R/W | Up to 6,500 / 1,500 MB/s |
| Random R/W (4KB) | Up to 580K / 70K IOPS |
| Endurance | 1 DWPD (approx. 1,752 TBW) |
| Security | AES 256-bit, TCG Opal, power-loss protection |
The 960GB is the entry capacity of the PM9A3 U.2 family — the right call for boot volumes, read cache, and log devices where endurance matters more than raw capacity. For general-purpose data volumes, step up to the PM9A3 1.92TB; the capacity-per-dollar sweet spot is the PM9A3 3.84TB. All capacities rotate through our enterprise storage range. More on the NVMe-vs-SATA trade-off in our NVMe vs SATA guide.
Transparent Pricing
2026 Reference Pricing by Configuration
Tracked Sep 1, 2026 — seven asking-price data points for new 960GB units across eBay, US resellers, and EU retail. Used-pull pricing is quoted on request. Volume orders quote below asking.
eBay / Reseller New
$291–$450
Three listings tracked Sep 1, 2026: $291.39 (newtownspares.com sale), $311.90 (eBay, San Jose seller, sold out after 14 units), $450 (eBay, 50 in stock, Shenzhen). Sub-$300 pricing is typically grey-channel new — verify warranty terms.
Western Retail New
$576–$925
Four retail data points: Gigaserwer.pl ≈$576, CompuRAM €758.80 incl. VAT (≈$820), Senetic UK £684.84 (≈$869), ServerSupply $925. The wide spread reflects 2026 NAND tightening — buy the channel, not the sticker.
Used Server Pulls
On Request
Graded pulls with full SMART readout (percentage life remaining, power-on hours, reallocated sectors). Priced from live channel stock — tell us quantity and target health floor.
Asking prices, not transaction prices — volume deals typically close 5–15% below asking. Small sample per tier (n<5): indicative only. Sources: ebay.com, newtownspares.com, gigaserwer.pl, compuram.biz, senetic.co.uk, serversupply.com. Collected Sep 1, 2026. Full dataset: Used Server Price Index.
Origin
Hong Kong Warehouse
Free port — full export documentation
Transit
3–7 Days Air Freight
Tracked, insured, worldwide
Warranty
1-Year Warranty
Diagnostic report in every box
Quality Process
What We Test Before a PM9A3 960GB Ships
SMART Health Readout
Percentage Used, power-on hours, reallocated sectors, and media errors pulled from every drive — we quote the health floor before you commit.
Full-Surface Write/Read Pass
Every LBA written and read back under NVMe stress — catches weak NAND blocks that SMART alone misses.
Firmware & Secure Erase
Firmware checked against Samsung's current release; drives sanitized to NIST 800-88 with certificate available on request.
Connector & Housing Inspection
SFF-8639 connector pins and housing inspected for wear — pulled drives with damaged connectors are rejected.
PN Verification
Label PN (MZQL2960HCJR) cross-checked against controller-reported model — relabeled drives are a known channel risk.
Report in the Box
Every unit ships with its per-machine diagnostic report and warranty. Full process: inspection guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Samsung PM9A3 960GB cost in 2026?
New units run $291–$450 through eBay/reseller channels and $576–$925 at Western retail (seven asking prices tracked Sep 1, 2026 — small samples, indicative only). The spread is unusually wide this year because of NAND supply tightening. Graded used pulls are quoted on request against live stock.
What is the difference between PM9A3 960GB and PM9A3 3.84TB?
Same Gen4 x4 platform and 1 DWPD endurance class, but the 3.84TB roughly doubles sequential write speed (3,700 vs 1,500 MB/s) and nearly doubles random read IOPS (1,000K vs 580K), because more NAND dies run in parallel. Per TB, the 3.84TB is also cheaper at retail. Buy the 960GB for boot/cache/logging roles where capacity is secondary; buy the 3.84TB when the drive is the data store.
Is the PM9A3 960GB backward compatible with PCIe Gen3 servers?
Yes — the U.2 NVMe interface negotiates down to Gen3 x4 (around 3,500MB/s ceiling) without any configuration. It works in Gen3 NVMe bays on Dell 14G/15G, HPE Gen10/Gen10 Plus, and most Supermicro platforms. You lose peak throughput but keep the endurance and power-loss protection.
What condition are HKCHL PM9A3 drives in?
Both new-sealed and graded used pulls are available. Every used drive ships with its SMART readout (life remaining, power-on hours), a full-surface write/read pass result, NIST 800-88 sanitization on request, and 1-year warranty. We quote the health floor before you pay.
Can you ship PM9A3 960GB to the US, Europe, or Asia?
Yes — worldwide shipping from our Hong Kong warehouse with full export documentation; express air-freight typically arrives in 3–7 days to major markets. For array builds we combine freight across capacities and SKUs to reduce per-unit cost.
Get a Current PM9A3 960GB Quote
Tell us quantity and condition preference (new-sealed or graded pull with SMART floor) — we confirm live stock and ship worldwide from Hong Kong, usually within one business day.
Request a Quote