Samsung MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 3.84TB PM9A3 Enterprise NVMe U.2 SSD

Description

The Samsung MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 belongs to Samsung’s PM9A3 enterprise SSD family and provides 3,840GB (3.84TB) of storage in a compact 2.5-inch U.2 form factor.

The drive uses a PCI Express Gen4 x4 interface and supports the NVMe 1.4 protocol, providing high-bandwidth storage connectivity for compatible enterprise server and data-center platforms. Samsung’s documentation identifies this exact part number as the 3.84TB U.2 PM9A3 model.

Under PCIe Gen4 operation, Samsung specifies sequential performance of up to 6,900 MB/s read and 4,100 MB/s write for the 3.84TB capacity. Random 4KB performance is rated at up to 1,000K IOPS read and 180K IOPS write for this capacity.

The PM9A3 is designed for enterprise workloads requiring sustained performance, data integrity, power-loss protection, and high endurance. Samsung specifies 1 drive write per day (1 DWPD) for 5 years, with the 3.84TB model rated for 7,008TBW under the stated test methodology.

Key Specifications

Specification	Details
Manufacturer	Samsung
Part Number	MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07
Series	PM9A3
Product Type	Enterprise NVMe SSD
Capacity	3.84TB / 3,840GB
Interface	PCIe Gen4 x4
Protocol	NVMe 1.4
Form Factor	2.5-inch U.2
Physical Connector	U.2 / SFF-8639
NAND Technology	Samsung V-NAND
Sequential Read	Up to 6,900 MB/s
Sequential Write	Up to 4,100 MB/s
Random Read	Up to 1,000K IOPS
Random Write	Up to 180K IOPS
Endurance	1 DWPD
Rated Life	5 years
TBW	7,008TB
MTBF	2,000,000 hours
Power-Loss Protection	Yes
End-to-End Data Protection	Yes
Encryption	AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption
Security	TCG Opal
Operating Temperature	0°C to 70°C case temperature
Non-Operating Temperature	-40°C to 85°C
Operating Voltage	12V ±10%
Active Power	Up to 13.5W
Idle Power	Typical 3.5W
Dimensions	Approx. 100.2 × 69.85 × 7.0 mm
Weight	Up to 90g

Specifications are based primarily on Samsung’s PM9A3 U.2 datasheet.

3.84TB Enterprise Storage Capacity

The MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 provides 3,840GB (3.84TB) of user-addressable capacity according to Samsung’s product specification.

Samsung specifies a maximum LBA count of 7,501,476,528 sectors for the 3.84TB model. Actual usable capacity presented by an operating system may be lower because of formatting and system/storage management overhead.

This capacity is well suited for:

Enterprise databases
Virtual machines
Cloud infrastructure
Application servers
Data analytics
Storage servers
Content repositories
High-performance computing
Enterprise file services
Data-center workloads

PCIe Gen4 x4 Performance

The drive uses a PCI Express Gen4 x4 interface.

For the 3.84TB capacity, Samsung specifies:

Sequential Read: Up to 6,900 MB/s
Sequential Write: Up to 4,100 MB/s
4KB Random Read: Up to 1,000K IOPS
4KB Random Write: Up to 180K IOPS

These are maximum specified performance figures measured under Samsung’s test conditions. Actual performance can vary depending on the server, PCIe implementation, workload, queue depth, operating system, firmware, thermal conditions, and other system factors.

NVMe 1.4 Protocol

The PM9A3 supports NVM Express (NVMe) Specification 1.4.

NVMe is designed specifically for high-speed non-volatile storage over PCI Express, providing an efficient storage protocol for modern servers and data-center systems.

The combination of PCIe Gen4 x4 + NVMe 1.4 allows the SSD to provide significantly greater storage bandwidth than traditional SATA-based enterprise SSDs.

U.2 2.5-Inch Form Factor

The MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 uses a 2.5-inch U.2 form factor.

Samsung’s documentation specifies:

Form Factor: 2.5-inch U.2
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Width: 69.85 ± 0.25 mm
Length: 100.20 ± 0.25 mm
Thickness: 7.0 mm maximum specification range
Weight: Up to 90g

U.2 compatibility must be confirmed at the server or backplane level. A physical 2.5-inch bay alone does not guarantee NVMe/U.2 compatibility.

Enterprise V-NAND Storage

The PM9A3 uses Samsung’s V-NAND flash technology and is designed specifically for enterprise applications.

Samsung describes the PM9A3 as an enterprise PCIe NVMe SSD using advanced NAND flash and NAND-management technologies to provide high performance and extended endurance.

Enterprise Endurance

The 3.84TB MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 is rated for:

1 DWPD for 5 years

For the 3.84TB model, Samsung lists:

7,008TB TBW

under its specified 4KB random-write endurance methodology.

This endurance profile makes the drive suitable for enterprise environments where storage devices experience sustained read/write activity.

Suitable workloads include:

Databases
Virtualization
Enterprise applications
Online transaction processing
Storage servers
Cloud computing
Data analytics
Web infrastructure

Power-Loss Protection

The PM9A3 incorporates enhanced Power-Loss Data Protection.

Samsung states that the PLP solution is designed to help ensure that data issued by the host is written to the storage media in the event of sudden power loss or power failure.

This feature is particularly important in enterprise environments where data integrity and system availability are critical.

End-to-End Data Protection

The MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 supports end-to-end data protection.

This feature is designed to help protect data throughout the storage data path and improve reliability in enterprise storage applications.

Hardware-Based Encryption

Samsung specifies a hardware-based AES-XTS 256-bit encryption engine for the PM9A3.

The drive also supports TCG Opal, providing enterprise-oriented storage security capabilities.

These features can be useful for organizations requiring hardware-assisted data protection and storage security.

Reliability

The PM9A3 is designed for continuous enterprise operation.

Samsung specifies:

MTBF: 2,000,000 hours
Component design life: 5 years
Endurance: 1 DWPD
Uncorrectable Bit Error Rate: 1 sector per 10¹⁷ bits read
Power-Loss Protection: Yes
End-to-End Data Protection: Yes

Thermal & Environmental Specifications

The drive has a specified operating case temperature of:

0°C to 70°C

Non-operating temperature is specified as:

-40°C to 85°C

Samsung notes that sufficient airflow is recommended for proper operation during heavier workloads within the device’s operating temperature range.

Proper server airflow and cooling should therefore be maintained when deploying the drive in high-density storage environments.

Power Requirements

The PM9A3 operates from a 12V ±10% supply.

Samsung specifies:

Active Power: Up to 13.5W
Idle Power: Typical 3.5W

Actual power consumption can vary with workload, system configuration, thermal conditions, and power-management behavior.

Enterprise Server Applications

The MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 is designed for enterprise server and data-center applications.

Typical applications include:

Virtualization hosts
Enterprise databases
Cloud infrastructure
Application servers
High-performance storage
Data analytics
Content delivery
Enterprise file services
Storage appliances
Data-center infrastructure

The exact server must provide a compatible U.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 interface and backplane/cabling configuration.

Compatibility Considerations

Before installation, verify that the target server or storage platform supports:

U.2 NVMe SSDs
2.5-inch U.2 drives
PCIe Gen4 x4
NVMe protocol
The required U.2/SFF-8639 connector and cabling
The appropriate server backplane
BIOS/UEFI NVMe support
The required operating-system support

The drive should not be treated as a conventional SATA 2.5-inch SSD.

A standard 2.5-inch SATA drive bay may not support PCIe/NVMe U.2 drives unless the server specifically provides NVMe backplane connectivity.

PCIe Generation Compatibility

The MZQL23T8HCLS-00A07 is designed around PCIe Gen4 x4.

Samsung’s datasheet also provides performance figures when operating over PCIe Gen3 x4. However, the highest performance figures are achieved when the host platform supports the drive’s PCIe Gen4 x4 interface.

When installed in an older PCIe generation environment, performance may be limited by the host interface.