What is the Best Netgear NAS for a Plex Media Server?
Plex has fast become the most popular media server software for home users in 2021/2022. With a slick user interface, smart organization, relevant media images and descriptions sourced from many online sources applied automatically and clever show recommendations and watched records, it is easy to see why Plex challenges many of the online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Instant and Hulu. Another attractive feature of Plex is that the software is available free (or a more feature-rich paid version), whereas online streaming sources have monthly subscriptions, do not let you play your own content and change/rotate available media content on a monthly basis. With Plex, you play the media that you own and it is organized in an attractive and easy way. However in order to take advantage of Plex, you need a device for your media and the Plex media server to live, and this is where the money part comes. The best means with which to host a plex media server is a Network Attached Storage device (or NAS server). One of the biggest NAS server providers in the world right now is Netgear and they have a large range of NAS devices that support Plex in many, many ways (transcoding, smooth running, 4K, etc). However which Netgear NAS should you buy for your Plex media server, what is transcoding on a Netgear Plex media server like and what is the best Netgear NAS for a Plex Media Server (PMS)?
What is Software Transcoding on a Netgear Plex Media Server?
When media lives on your Netgear NAS, often the device a that you are playing back your plex media (Smart TV, iPhone, Laptop, iPod) onto cannot support the media file type, the resolution or audio codec. In this case, the Plex Media Server on your Netgear NAS will try to change the file to a more suitable version, on the fly, to ensure you can enjoy your media in the best way. This is known as transcoding and though the Plex application is actioning this with the software, the actual work is being done by the Netgear NAS CPU. Software transcoding takes a heavy toll on the CPU and you will need a relatively powerful processor in order to support this feature. Typically the CPU will need to be:
In Intel or AMD Based Based CPU that is 64bit (x86) in Architecture
Higher than 1.6Ghz in Frequency
More than 2 Cores
It is important to highlight that transcoding for Plex on a Netgear NAS only really needs more power in the case of converting/changing video files. Audio and Image files will not require much support from the NAS.
Choosing the Right Netgear NAS for a Plex Media Server
When it comes to choosing the right Netgear NAS for your Plex Media Server, below I have broken down the entire currently available NAS you can buy. I have broken them down into the following areas:
Model ID – This is the Name of the Netgear NAS Device
CPU – This is the central processor of the Netgear NAS server and this will be what decides the performance of your Plex Media Server
SD 480p / 576p –Most likely the lowest point at which you will need transcoding of a video media file, 480p was used for many early Plasma televisions, whereas 576p is considered Standard Definition in many countries worldwide
HD 720p – Otherwise known as ‘HD Ready’ or ‘Standard HD’, it is generally considered the lowest starting point for watching HD media and starts at 1280×720
HD 1080p – Widely regarded at ‘Full-HD’, it arrives at 1920×1080. Most media listed at high definition in 2021/2022 will be 1080P
4K SDR 2160p – 4K SDR is the entry point into 4K Media. An SDR 2160p supported TV has around 4,000 lines of resolution (the lines across the screen that form the rows of pixels) but is not capable of completely showing the depth and richness of colours spectrum and contrast of 4K HDR. It is by no means a compromise and still an excellent picture, but rather this is due to the physical differences in the construction of the screen and not just how the images are processed, just like the differences between and SD and HDTV.
4K UHD HDR 2160p – The current top end of 4K Media file formats in popular commercial media. A 4K HDR TV has the same 4000 lines of resolution as those that support 4K SDR 2160p, but is physically capable of rendering an image with increased contrast and richer colours\separation thanks to the physical build superiority.
Be sure to check the kind of media you own (or plan on streaming from your Netgear NAS), as well as the devices you will be playing back on for a better idea of what kind of plex media transcoding support you will need from your NAS server from Netgear. Be sure to check the supported file types (most common modern files types you find for 1080p and 4K are .MKV .MP4 .MOV and .AVI).Below is the entire current Netgear NASrange and how well they perform in the Plex Media Server Application with a single Stream.
Guide for the Chart Below
Software Transcode = Uses the NAS software and CPU Power to alter a file to a more suitable Plex Playback type
Hardware – Accelerated Transcoding – Uses Embedded Graphics that are Integrated into the CPU to Alter a file to a more suitable version for Plex Playback
RED BOX– Recommended Synology NAS for Plex Media Server. Could be based on Performance, Price or Value between both
Use the FREE ADVICE Button to contact me directly for a recommendation on the Best Plex NAS for your Setup/Budget. Please bear in mind that this is a one-man operation, so my reply might take a little bit of time, but it will be impartial, honest and have your best interests at heart.
Software Transcoding
Hardware – Accelerated Transcoding
Model
CPU Model
SD 480p / 576p
HD 720p
HD 1080p
4K SDR 2160p
SD 480p / 576p
HD 720p
HD 1080p
H.264 2160p
HEVC SDR 2160p
RN102
ARMv7 (Armada 370) 1.2GHz
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN104
ARMv7 (Armada 370) 1.2GHz
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN202
ARMv7 (Cortex A15) 1.2GHz
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN204
ARMv7 (Cortex A15) 1.2GHz
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN212
ARMv7 (Cortex A15) 1.4Ghz
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN214
ARMv7 (Cortex A15) 1.4Ghz
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN312
x86 (Atom D2701) 2.13GHz
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN314
x86 (Atom D2701) 2.13GHz
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN316
x86 (Atom D2701) 2.13GHz
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN428
x64 (Atom C3000) 2.4Ghz
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN516
x64 (Core i3-3220) 3.3GHz
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
RN526X
x64 (Xeon D-1508) 2.2Ghz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
RN626X
x64 (Xeon D-1521) 2.4Ghz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
RN2120
ARMv7 (Armada XP) 1.2GHz
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
RN3220
x64 (Core i3-3220 v2) 3.3GHz
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
RN3312
x64 (Xeon E3-1225 v5) 3.3Ghz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
Yes
Yes
Yes
H.264 Only
Decode Only
RN4220s
x64 (Xeon E3-1225 v2) 3.2GHz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
RN4220x
x64 (Xeon E3-1225 v2) 3.2GHz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
No
No
No
No
No
RN4312S
x64 (Xeon E3-1245 v5) 3.5Ghz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
Yes
Yes
Yes
H.264 Only
No
RN4312X
x64 (Xeon E3-1245 v5) 3.5Ghz
Yes
Yes
Yes
Some
Yes
Yes
Yes
H.264 Only
No
What is Accelerated Transcoding with Plex on my NAS?
Some Netgear NAS arrive with a CPU that has improved rendering or graphical embedding enabled. This means that is Plex can utilize this hardware for transcoding, it will require much, much less of the CPU processing power to transcode a video file. In order to take advantage of Plex hardware transcoding on your Netgear NAS, you will need to first check which NAS supports the transcoding to the extent you need by checking below. Next, you will need to upgrade your Plex Membership from the free version to the paid ‘Plex Pass’ subscription, as the option of Accelerated Transcoding with Netgear NAS hardware is not included in the plex free subscription. How to Enable Hardware Acceleration with Plex Media Server on a Netgear NAS
To use Hardware Transcoding on your Netgear NAS in a Plex Media Server, you need to enable it using the Plex Web access (head over to your Plex User interface on your browser.
Open the Plex Web app.
Navigate to Settings > Server > Transcoder to access the server settings.
Turn on Show Advanced in the upper-right corner to expose advanced settings.
Turn on Use hardware acceleration when available.
Click Save Changes at the bottom.
The changes should take place straight away and there is no need to reboot your Netgear NAS. Be sure to have updated to the latest version of the Plex Media Server application on your NAS and that Hardware Transcoding is listed as supported in the list above.
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The Highlights of CES 2022 for those interested in Data
The consumer electronics show (CES) was once again held in Las Vegas last week and though a number of the big names were still physically present at one of the biggest tech events on the calendar, CES 2022 was still a combination on-site and digital arrangement, with a number of regular yearly attending brands switching to e-stands or giving it a miss entirely. That said, there was still plenty of new and exciting tech to be shown off for 2022 and 2023 that covered practically every facet of home and business electronics. To go through them all here would take an article 20x longer than this one, plus do you really come to NASCompares for information on a new and exciting toothbrush? No! You came to learn about what you and your data will be able to do in 2022. So, these are my highlights of CES 2022 for those that are interested in NAS’, routers, switches and the big developments in PCIe 5 M.2 NVMe SSDs for later this year. As coverage and the wrap up of CES 2022 happens, I will update this page with anything else in the world of personal/business data that I think you should know. Let’s go through the best bits.
ADATA Elite SE920 USB4 External SSD
Originally uncovered at their annual even in the second half of 2021, ADATA followed it up with further information on the new ADATA Elite SE920 external SSD, a USB4 powered NVMe SSD in an enclosure that promises to provide up to 4,000MB/s read speeds. Thanks to a combination of the M.2 NVMe storage inside and the 40Gb/s performance bandwidth of USB4, this would be the fastest USB-bus powered single drive external enclosure in the world! Adata says its new SE920 SSD is the world’s fastest portable storage. The drive combines Intel Thunderbolt 3 and USB4 to push up to 4,000MB/s transfer speeds and features proprietary ‘Heat Conduction’ technology to keep temps in check. Like most of its other product announcements, Adata didn’t go into detailed specifics or pricing information of the drive. It also highlighted the 7,400MB/s transfer speeds of the upcoming Legend PCIe 4.0 SSD, which — on paper — makes it top-tier in terms of consumer-grade internal storage.
Highlights of the ADATA SE920 External SSD are:
40Gb/s External Solid State Drive
Built In Fan & Thermal Heat Dissipation Build
PCIe NVMe SSD inside and a PCI-Express to USB bridge
4x faster than the SanDisk Extreme or Samsung T7
USB Powered
Although USB4 is by no means mainstream yet, the SE920 is a great indication of where the humble USB is going and after the rather slow uptake of Thunderbolt 4, this is likely going to be a much more appealing choice of future upgrade. With maximum transfer speeds that are four times faster than regular USB 3.2 drives, ADATA’s SE920 USB4 SSD is a monster. With access to such incredible performance and ADATA’s proprietary heat conduction technology, the SE920 is ready for practically any workload, making this drive an excellent choice for workstation and prosumer workloads. USB4 is receiving rapid adoption on the latest PCs, with Intel supporting USB4 under their Thunderbolt 4 banner. Thunderbolt 4 is, effectively, Thunderbolt 3 with higher minimum speed requirements and full support for USB4. Over the next year, USB4 is expected to become more easily available on high-end motherboards and laptops.
QNAP HS-264 Silent NAS Drive
Although already rumoured and highlighted as a potential release over on the NASCompares YouTube Channel last year, the new QNAP HS-264 silent NAS has now been confirmed. Using the familiar architecture of the most recent TS-x64 hardware releases (the TBS-464 and TS-364), this new 2-Bay desktop NAS system is designed to be compact, fast and (most important of all) as quiet as possible. The HS-264 does not feature an internal fan, relying on the top of the chassis acting as a wide-spreading heat dissipation panel. The design of the HS-264 Silent NAS is using a modified version of the HS-251+ chassis and although it lacks a few of the flourishes of the HS-453DX (as well as 10Gbe), it is still a remarkably nice looking piece of kit.
QNAP has released entries into their Silent NAS series for a almost a decade now and each iteration has brought something new and fresh to the series. That said, the HS-264 is much more comparable to a mainstream NAS (featuring 2.5GbE, a Quad Core Intel Processor, 8GB DDR4 memory and NVMe SSD slots to combine with the 2 HDD bays), although the 10GbE of it’s predecessor is absent (almost certainly due to the system needing those CPU PCI resources elsewhere to keep it more balanced). Here are the key hardware specification highlights:
QNAP HS-264 Silent NAS – £TBC
2021 Gen Intel Celeron N5105 CPU
2.0-2.9GHz Quad Core Processor
Integrated Intel UHD Graphics
8 GB DDR4 (non-expandable)
2 x 3.5“ HDD Bays
2x 2.5GbE Network Ports
2x HDMI 2.0 for 60Hz 4K
2x USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb)
2x USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gb)
Fanless Design, 60W PSU
We are expecting the QNAP HS-264 Silent NAS to arrive in early spring.
A Wi-Fi 6E USB Dongle (RTL8832CU) & Wi-Fi 6E/BT Combo Solution (RTL8852CE)
Last year, we saw D-Link release it’s USB-to-WiFi6 adapter (we reviewed the D-Link DWA-X1850 here) and even now at the start of 2022, it is only one of two USB connected 802.11ax wireless adapters on the market. Now, a lot of this is thanks to component manufacturers working on controllers that bridge the hardware architecture of new wireless protocols with existing expansion ports and slots on modern computers. Although WiFi 6 upgrades via PCIe slots have been around for a few years, the convenience of USB upgrades to AX Wii cannot be understated. Therefore now that the world is moving towards WiFi 6E (comparable to WiFi 6, but with several upgrades in transmission and usage of the 6Ghz frequency band), with several hardware client manufacturers starting to spec out their new hardware with it, controller and general component brands such as Realtek are incredibly important.
At CES 2022, Realtek revealed several of their planned controllers that range from coverage of 10GbE, 5GbE and intelligent switch internal management. Of all of these, two particular planned releases stood out. Realtek are now working on releasing a planned architecture for USB-to-WiFi 6E adaters (as well as improved Bluetooth coverage) that bulld on the existing AX-over-USB, ensuring that access to WiFi 6e is going to be considerably easier from the start. Using its 160MHz bandwidth and the cleaner 6GHz band, RTL8832CU peak throughput is up to 1.8Gbps. A 2GB file transfer would be expected to complete in 15~20 seconds. With 6GHz support in Wi-Fi 6E, the RTL8852CE increases overall Wi-Fi performance to achieve the highest throughput for a better speed experience with lowest latency. The integrated BLE Audio, with support for multistream and broadcast audio, further reduces power consumption to bring a better overall listening experience to consumers.
The World’s Smallest 5Gb Ethernet Controller (RTL8157/RTL8126/RTL8251B)
Alongside the WiFi 6e to USB developments, Realtek will launch a 5GbE Single-Chip Ethernet Controller Series compatible with IEEE 802.3bz Multi-Gigabit functions at the end of 2022, supporting 5G/2.5G/1G/100M/10Mbps network bandwidths. The network environment permits easy upgrade to 5Gbps network bandwidth over existing network cabling (Cat 5e). Realtek 5Gb Ethernet products provide various interfaces for PCIe (RTL8126 Series), USB (RTL8157 Series), and PHY (RTL8251B Series) to meet a wide range of applications (e.g., PC, PON, Cable Modem, Wi-Fi 6 AP router, switch, CPE, built-in and external network card, PCIe/USB-to-Ethernet accessories, etc.). Realtek’s 5Gb Ethernet IC adopts the Quad Flat No-lead (QFN) Package, is lightweight, and is easy to handle. This form factor will be the smallest 5GbE solution in the world.
New Phison E26 PCIe Gen 5 x4 NVMe SSD Controller Revealed
Phhison had already been trailing this for the bulk of December, but at the CES 2022 event they revealed developments on three big projects that are nearing full integration/release in some of your future hardware. The big one of these three was, of course, the Phison E26 (PS5026-E26) SSD controller for PCIe 5.0 x4 media. Phison made an enoughmous impact with their E16 and E18 controllers in the PCIe 4.0 x4 generation of SSDs and the new E26 controller seemingly builds considerably on that, with indications of greater throughput of 13,000/12,000MB/s Seq Read/Write, 1.5/2.0Million 4K random Read/Write IOPS, up to 32TB supported and arriving with NVMe 2.0 compliance. Images of the E26 in situ were provided by Phison below:
Key specifications of the Phison E26 architecture were also provided:
Controller
Phison PS5026-E26
Interface
PCIe 5.0 x4, 32GT/s
NVMe Rev
NVMe 2.0
Processor
2x ARM Cortex-R5 & 3x Proprietary CoXProcessor
DRAM Support
DDR4/LPDDR4 (32bit)
Capacity
32TB
NAND Supoort
3D TLC, QLC
Flash Transfer Rate
2,400MT/s
Security
AES 256, SHA 512, RSA 4096
ECC Support
Yes, LDPC & RAID
Seq Performance
12GB/s Read, 11GB/s Write
4K IOPS Random
1.5M Read, 2.0M Write
Key highlights from Phison at CES 2022:
PS5026-E26 – Phison’s first PCIe Gen5 SSD architecture
The E26 SSD solution provides a best-in-class combination of performance and low power consumption using Phison’s unique architecture. The E26 is a configurable SSD platform designed for PCIe Gen5 that will cover the enterprise and consumer markets. The company’s first Gen5 controller will come in a variety of form factors and features that can scale to over 10 GB / s while meeting the power requirements for everyday computing. Phison will debut the E26 at CES 2022 for the first time.
PS5021-E21T – Phison’s New DRAM-Free PCIe Gen4 High-Performance Solution
The E21T showcase will showcase Phison’s new DRAM-free architecture as the future leader in next-generation mobile gaming. The E21T, the successor to the E19T, and the E21T BGA, the successor to the E13T, breakthrough performance barriers using Gen4 to set new standards for user experience.
PS5013-E13T – Phison BGA for Mobile Games
Xiaomi opted for the Phison E13T BGA SSD for its superior performance and efficiency for the Black Shark 4 gaming phone series. Xiaomi reckons the E13T BGA delivers a 69 percent increase in read and write performance, showing that NVMe is redefining mobile gaming. Phison will show the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 at CES 2022 in a first-person Zoom demo.
In testing, the Phison E26 and its PCIe Gen 5 m.2 NVMe architecture was shown off in CrystalDiskMark benchmarks below:
Phison controllers are used in the majority of PCIe 4 NVMe SSDs in the market right now and therefore we can comfortably assume that adoption of the Phison E26 when PCIe m.2 NVMe SSDs are further established in the second half of 2022 will be very high once again.
Netgear MS108EUP Multi-Gigabit Ethernet Plus Switch
Although Netgear revealed several new hardware solutions at CES 2022 (new WiFi 6E solutions for the most part), the Netgear MS108EUP really stood out for me, arriving with a rare combination of 2.5GbE, on 8-Ports and with PoE support. NETGEAR Plus Switches with PoE meet business networks growing needs by providing fundamental network features such as simplified VLANs, QoS set-up and IGMP Snooping that will help optimize the performance of business networks. Plus Switches are the perfect upgrade from the plug-and-play unmanaged switch, delivering essential networking features at a very affordable price. The new model MS108EUP supports 2.5 Gigabit speed connectivity and Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE) that can provide up to 60W/port. The new switch model can power devices such as VoIP phones, surveillance IP cameras, wireless access points and many other applications. This new Plus switch includes advance PoE control to help optimize the performance and troubleshooting of business networks. The new and improved business-friendly GUI allows easy management and simple configuration.
Multi-gigabit copper ports : 8 (1G/2.5G)
Number of PoE+ (802.3at) ports : 4
Number of PoE++ (802.3bt) ports : 4
Total PoE Power budget : 230 Watts
Uninterrupted PoE : Yes
Max MAC entries : 16K
Buffer size : 1.5MB
VLAN (Number Supported) : 64
EEE : Yes
DoS Prevention : Yes
Internal/External PSU : External
Max power (worst case, all ports used, line-rate traffic) : 230W
Fans : 0
The price tag for the Netgear MS108EUP at $400 does seem a pinch high, but this is one of the very few PoE+/PoE++ switches on the market that are 2.5GbE equipped.
Adata Nighthawk and Blackbird PCIe 5 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD
Alongside the other big SSD names, ADATA also took the opportunity a CES 2022 to reveal their two PCIe Gen 5 x4 SSDs, codenamed Nighthawk and Blackbird). Much like their current XPG GAMMIX series, these new ADATA SSDs step away from the use of the Phison controller and instead the new Adata Nighthawk will be using a new Silicon Motion SM2508 PCIe5 controller and the Adata Blackbird will be using Innogrit’s new PCIe controller, the IG5666. Adata already has a strong connection with Innogrit, so when they announced work on a PCIe 5.0 controller, it was heavily anticipated that ADATA would be one of the first adopters. Here are the full specifications of each SSD:
ADATA Nighthawk
ADATA Blackbird
Controller
Silicon Motion SM2508
InnoGrit IG5666
Interface
PCI Express 5.0 x4
PCI Express 5.0 x4
Sequential reading
upto 14 000 MB/s
upto 14 000 MB/s
Sequential write
upto 12 000 MB/s
upto 10 000 MB/s
4K random read
upto 1 800 000 IOPS
upto 2 000 000 IOPS
4K random write
upto 1 600 000 IOPS
upto 1 400 000 IOPS
Capacity
upto 8 TB
upto 8 TB
The two prototypes ADATA PCIe Gen5x 4 SSDs made an appearance at the ADATA CES booth. The ‘Project Nighthawk,’ and its Silicon Motion SM2508 controller is capable of delivering sequential read/write performance of up to 14/12GB/s, and ‘Project Blackbird’ and InnoGrit IG5666 controller is capable of delivering read/write performance of 14/10GB/s. Both SSDs sports capacities of up to 8TB at 2280 m.2 length.
Samsung PM1743 PCIe Gen5 SSD
Although by no means an industry secret that Samsung have had PCIe 5.0 SSDs in development, CES 2022 was able to provide more information on the new Samsung PM1743 enterprise SSD. Samsung themselves had this to say about their new PCIe 5.0 x4 SSD developments: “For over a decade, Samsung has been delivering SATA, SAS and PCIe-based SSDs that have been recognized for outstanding performance and reliability by leading enterprise server customers including corporations, governments and financial institutions. The introduction of a PCIe 5.0 SSD, along with PCIe 6.0-based product developments that are underway, will further solidify our technological leadership in the enterprise server market. Intel has been working with Samsung to test Samsung’s newest PCIe NVMe SSD, the PM1743. Together, we have jointly resolved complicated technical issues encountered with PCIe 5.0 during this initial evaluation period. The performance potential of Gen5 is truly impressive. In the near future, we strongly believe that PCIe Gen5 systems with high-speed NVMe SSDs will have the ability to transform applications such as AI/ML and high-performance databases,” said Jim Pappas, Director, Technology Initiatives, Intel Corporation. “Looking ahead, we are confident that Intel and Samsung’s continued commitment in industry leadership will provide these and other benefits to our mutual customers.”
PCIe 5.0 offers a bandwidth of 32 Giga transfers per second (GT/s), doubling that of PCIe 4.0. Leveraging a proprietary controller designed to support the latest PCIe standard, the PM1743 will deliver outstanding read and write speeds to accommodate the rapidly increasing performance requirements of data centers. Specifications for the PM1743 (in two forms) are below:
PM1743
(15.36TB)
PM1733
(15.36TB)
Form Factor
U.2 or E3.S
U.2
Interface
PCIe 5.0 x4, NVMe
PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe
Controller
Unnamed Samsung PCIe 5.0
Samsung S4LR014 PCIe 4.0
NAND Flash
Samsung 128L TLC (TBC)
Samsing 96L TLC
Sequential Read
13000 MB/s
7000 MB/s
Sequential Write
6600 MB/s
3500 MB/s
Random Read
IOPS
2500k
1500k
Random Write
IOPS
250k
135k
Active
30 W?
20 W
Idle
TBC
8.5 W
Write Endurance
TBC
28 PBW
1.0 DWPD for 5 Years
Experience up to 13,000 MB/s or double the read and write speed of the previous generation, PM1733. With a proprietary controller, the PCIe 5.0 PM1743 strengthens performance and reliability, providing enterprise users with expanded system capacity suitable for heavy workloads. The latest form factor EDSFF E3.S improves signal integrity and boosts performance while featuring category-leading capacity of 15.36TB within the category. A thin 7.5 mm enables higher storage density in enterprise servers while increasing performance and enhancing power efficiency. Additionally, the Samsung PM1743 supports both 2.5-inch and E3.S form factors.
The Samsung PM1743 that was demonstrated was still in its tech/prototype form, so it wasn’t much to look at – as well as being injected in the Intel-powered test machine via an adapter card. Luckily Ryan Shrout was able to demo some of the early performance and how it compares with the current PCIe 4 speed via Twitter below
Perks of the job! Was going to save this demo for #CES2022 but with that off the table, why not just share it with everyone right now?! Here’s a 12th Gen @intel Core i9-12900K system paired with a new @Samsung PM1743 PCIe 5.0 SSD getting over 13GB/s!! pic.twitter.com/oyL08KzDtV
We are still a fair way away from Samsung launching a commercial/prosumer SSD in simple m.2 form (perhaps a Samsung 990 Pro), but these are all solid and interesting developments to look forward to in 2022/2023.
The QNAP TS-464T4 Thunderbolt 4 NAS
If you are a thunderbolt user and have been looking at network-attached storage (NAS) in the last few years, then it would have been impossible to avoid QNAP. They have been one of the very few brands that have been able to merge the use of your own private server with the utility, speed and convenience of Thunderbolt. Well into its 4th (or maybe even 5th technically) generation of Thunderbolt NAS systems, they have now released at the CES 2022 event their new Thunderbolt 4 equipped 4-Bay NAS solution, the QNAP TS-464T4. Arriving in a similar form as the more affordable thunderbolt 3 NAS system from 2018, the TS-453BT3, this new system is utilizing a lot of the new build specifications of the slowly appearing TS-x64 series, but then ramps things up significantly with the inclusion of 3 types of connectivity (all higher than gigabit), as well as two media bay types, 10Gb USB and a sturdy and cost-effective Intel Celeron processor. The QNAP TS-464T4 certainly has a lot to live up to (following the high acclaim that the TS-453BT3 has achieved) but if they can get the price right on this NAS, then we could well be looking at one of the best entry points for users who want to jump on board the thunderbolt NAS scene that we have seen yet. Let’s discuss everything we know about this nifty little device.
As mentioned earlier, the hardware specifications of the QNAP TS-464T4 is not really going to be the beastly architecture of the TVS-472XT or TVS-1288X, as this NAS is designed to be used by smaller creative business users. The system features four hard drive media bays (SATA) that support RAID 0,1,5,6,10, as well as two additional m.2 NVMe SSD media bays that can be used for caching, direct storage or tiered storage in conjunction with the larger HDD bays. The system also arrives with two Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB-C) that will no doubt be backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3, this means that two users will be able to connect with the TS-464T4 directly over thunderbolt to access it’s storage, as well as the NAS remaining accessible by countless users via the network/internet. This is thanks to the system ALSO features 10GbE and 2.5GbE network ports. These appear to be native (i.e. not via a PCIe card as found on the TS-453BT3), so this means the TS-464T4 will almost certainly be as compact in it’s 4-Bay chassis as the TS-453BT3, TS-464 and TS-453D. Finally, the system also includes an HDMI 2.0 output for a 4K 60FPS monitor, as well as multiple USB ports that are no doubt going to include USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gb/s) as found in the rest of the TS-x64 series so far. This is all built on an architecture of the Intel Celeron currently found in the TS-x64 series, the Intel N5105 or N5095A, which is an embedded graphics enabled, x86, 64bit, quad-core chip. Given the memory/cache hungry nature of thunderbolt, the TS-464T4 will likely ship with at least 8GB of memory by default. So, in summary:
QNAP TS-464T4 4-Bay NAS – £TBC**
Intel Celeron N5105/N5095 CPU
2.0-2.9GHz Quad Core Processor
Integrated Intel UHD 600 Graphics
8GB DDR4 SODIMM (16GB Maximum, 2-Slots)*
4x SATA 3.5″ HDD Bays (20TB Current Max)
2x TB4 USB-C Ports
2 x M.2 NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3×1 / 3×2*)
10GbE Network Port
2.5GbE Network Port
HDMI 2.0 (60FPS 4K)
**Estimate £999
QNAP has been a little quieter on the eventual release price and planned launch date for the TS-464T4 NAS, however, we can make some educated guess! First and foremost, the pricetag will need to sit well with the hardware on offer and the rest of the thunderbolt portfolio. So, given the £900-1000 price tag of the TS-453BT3, we can comfortably assume that this will be a target figure for the TS-464T4. Regarding the release date, QNAP has been gradually releasing the TS-x64 series in the closing stages of 2021 (with the TS-364 and TBS-464 being released in Nov and Dec). With the reveal of the TS-464T4 and HS-264 at the CES 2022 event lining up neatly in Jan ’22, I think we are likely to see a release of the TS-464T4 in the first quarter of 2022
QNAP TS-H1290FX PCIe 4 U.2 Desktop Flash Server NAS
One of the most high-end QNAP desktop solutions that we have seen in years, at CES 2022 we finally go to see the BEAST that was the TS-h1290FX. a PCIe 4 equipped Flash Server that can utilize 12 U.2 SSDs in it’s default chassis (as well as more drives via expansions), featuring an 8/12 Core AMD EPYC processor, up to 1TB of DDR4 memory and even features 2x 25 Gigabit Ethernet ports. For those looking at flash storage and the removal of all internal or external bottleneck’s, this is a MONSTER release. The system even features multiple PCIe Gen 4 upgrade slots, which allows further enhanced network port upgrades and storage upgrade cards. Here is how the TS-h1290FX looks:
Supporting twelve U.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4/SATA SSD drives, the TS-h1290FX is QNAP’s first all-flash desktop NAS that is ideal for office environments. Equipped with an AMD EPYC 16 core 7302P/8 core 7232P processor and built-in 25GbE & 2.5GbE connectivity, the TS-h1290FX empowers data-intensive, low-latency applications and enables smooth file transfer, display, and real-time editing of 4K/8K media. High-performance and easily scalable, the TS-h1290FX streamlines backup, collaboration, and video editing/storage workflows. It supports installing an NVIDIA graphics card and Fibre Channel card and offers direct connectivity for up to twenty PCs/workstations when used with multiple QNAP PCIe quad-port network cards. The TS-h1290FX can also be paired with QDA-UMP4 U.2 NVMe to M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 adapter to boost IOPS performance when configuring SSD caching and expanded with QNAP TL-D800C &TR-004 enclosures.
QNAP TS-h1290FX Desktop Flash NAS – £TBC
NVMe Storage QuTS Hero ZFS Platform
AMD EPYC 7232P 8-core 3.1-3.2 GHz
AMD EPYC 7302P 16-core 3.0-3.3GHz
64/128/256GB RDIMM DDR4 ECC
(1TB Max over 16 Slots)
12 x 2.5-inch U.2 PCIe Gen 4×4 NVMe (24x ? TBC)
2 x 25GbE (SFP28 SmartNIC) Ports
2x 2.5Gbe Copper Ports
3x PCIe Gen4 x16 Slots
1x PCIe Gen4 x8 Slot
750W Internal PSU
5yr Warranty (TBC)
Details on release seem to indicate that the TS-h1290FX will be released by QNAP very soon.
QNAP KoiBox-100W All-in-one Video Conference Solution
Running the KoiMeeter video conferencing operating system, the KoiBox-100W is the ideal replacement for costly SIP-based conferencing systems and features value-added 4K wireless projection, four-way communication, and local storage features. Creating private meetings with the KoiBox-100W provides higher security and privacy compared with public cloud meetings, and the auto-answering function provides greater convenience in certain usage environments. Besides private meetings, the KoiBox-100W streamlines communication between different platforms by allowing joining Zoom®, Skype, Microsoft Teams®, Cisco Webex®, and Google Meet calls.
4K wireless projection
Present with a 4K high-resolution visual experience.
Four-way communications
Multi-point video conferencing with QNAP KoiBox-100W, KoiMeeter, the KoiMeeter mobile app, and compatible SIP systems.
Join cloud meetings
Use cloud-based meeting platforms almost every day? No problem! The KoiBox-100W supports well-known cloud meeting services.
Share mobile phone screens
Scan the QR code on the KoiBox-100W display to quickly share your mobile phone screen.
Local storage
Install a 2.5-inch SATA drive to store meeting videos, audio, and files.
The QNAP QSW-M2116P-2T2S is a L2 PoE Managed Switch with sixteen 30-watt 2.5GbE PoE+ ports, two 90-watt 10GbE PoE++ ports. Offering a total power budget of 280 watts and two 10GbE SFP+ ports, the QSW-M2116P-2T2S not only enables a high-speed and high-power PoE network infrastructure for Wi-Fi 6 Access Points and Routers, but also provides backbone network uplinking capabilities. The QSS, QNAP Switch System with user-friendly web interface, helps IT administrators efficiently control Layer 2 and PoE networks, including wireless APs, IP Cameras and Digital Signage, core Switches and Servers. The QSW-M2116P-2T2S offers SMBs a cost-optimized and centrally managed LAN deployment solution.
Compliant with the IEEE 802.3bt PoE++ and IEEE 802.3at PoE+ standards. Offers 2-port 90-watt and 16-port 30-watt PoE capabilities. Can supply a total power budget of 280 watts to meet the demands of high-powered devices (PDs).
Compatible with 10GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T technologies to support five speeds (10G / 5G / 2.5G / 1G / 100M), the QSW-M2116P-2T2S offers higher transmission speeds when used with existing cables.
Two 10GbE SFP+ ports can connect to the Internet, Routers, core switches, and NAS to fulfill the high bandwidth demands of backbone network or data centers.
Offers a user-friendly web interface to help IT administrators efficiently control Layer 2 and PoE networks. Additionally, the overview dashboard and graphical statistics analysis show IT administrators all switch information and powered devices at a glance, making central management of high-power devices intuitive and easy.
Provides comprehensive Layer 2 management features (such as VLAN, LACP, QoS IGMP Snooping, and Wake-on-LAN) for IT administrators to efficiently control network bandwidth and enhance security via the user-friendly switch management web interface.
Here are the full specifications of the QNAP QSW-M2116P-2T2S switch:
Model
QSW-M2116P-2T2S
Management Type
Web Managed
Number of Ports
20
10GbE SFP+
2
10GbE BASE-T (RJ45)
2
2.5GbE (RJ45)
16
Total PoE Ports
18
PoE PSE (802.3af, 15.4W)
Port 1-16
PoE+ PSE (802.3at, 30W)
Port 1-16
PoE++ PSE (802.3bt, 90W)
Port 19-20
PoE Power Output
Port 1-16 (30W), Port 19-20 (90W)
Total PoE Power Budget
280W
Power Supply Description
Internal Power Supply Unit
Max. Power Consumption
350W
Input Power Type
AC
Input Voltage Range
100-240VAC, 50/60 Hz
MAC Address Table
32K
Total Non-Blocking Throughput
80Gbps
Switching Capacity
160Gbps
Management Interface
Web
Console
RJ45
Much like the previously mentioned QNAP Flash server release, we think release of the QNAP QSW-M2116P-2T2S is going to be in the first quarter of 2022.
Netgear Nighthawk RAXE300 WiFi 6E Router
Although the RAXE300 is not the brand’s first WiFi 6e hardware release (eg. the RAXE500), it is the first real/formal entry into the 6Ghz band router scene in their Nighthawk series for gamers. It allows upto 7.8Gbps speeds across the total bandwidth and opens the door for gamers to experience WiFi 6E’s new 6GHz “express lane” with the NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE300 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router. With eight WiFi streams and unmatched performance, the RAXE300 boosts capacity and reduces interference for smoother 4k/8K video streaming and AR/VR gaming. Your most demanding tech gets wired connections with one 2.5G and five Gigabit Ethernet ports. Sending maximum Gigabit Internet speeds across your 2,500-square-foot home, this exceptional value keeps up with everything your family does.
• WiFi Technology : WiFi 6E (IEEE® 802.11ax) Tri-Band WiFi (AXE7800) 8-Stream
• 2.4GHz AX: 2×2 (Tx/Rx) 1024/256-QAM 20/40MHz, up to 600Mbps
• 5GHz AX: 4×4 (Tx/Rx) 1024/256-QAM 20/40/80/160MHz, up to 4.8Gbps
• New 6GHz AX: 2×2 (Tx/Rx) 1024/256-QAM 20/40/80/160MHz, up to 2.4GbpsBackwards
• with IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi
• Supports new WiFi 6E devices on 6GHz WiFi band
• WiFi Speed : AXE7800 (.6+4.8+2.4Gbps)
• WiFi Band : Tri-Band 6GHz + 5GHz +2.4GHz
• WiFi Range : 2,500 square feet
• Ethernet Ports : Five (5) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports + one (1) 2.5G/1Gbps Multi-Gig port
• 4x GbE (2x port aggregation LAN)
• 1x 1GbE Internet/LAN (configurable)
• 1x 2.5G/1Gbps Multi-Gig port (configurable)
• Multi-Gig: Ability to aggregate two Gigabit LAN ports (configurable) concurrently
• USB Ports : One (1) USB 3.0 port. Type-C for network storage
• Processor: Quad-core 1.7GHz processor
• Security: NETGEAR Armor—Advanced cyber threat protection for your home network and your connected devices††
• NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls—Easily manage your kids‘ time online across their connected devices∞
• Guest network access—Separate & secure
• Supports WPA3, the latest and cutting-edge WiFi security protocol
• VPN Support—Secure access to your home
• Automatic firmware update delivers latest security patches to the router
Nighthawk RAXE300 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router, powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, is built for performance at an ultimate level. The ultra-fast processor enables the router to seamlessly handle data intensive applications such as 4K/8K UHD video streaming, VR/ AR gaming, as well as provide a stronger, more reliable WiFi experience. This powerful processor is optimized for AX making intelligent spontaneous decisions to schedule data traffic to maximize WiFi Bandwidth utilization.
Archer AXE200 Omni – AXE11000 Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E Router
Called Archer AXE200 Omni, the company’s new Wi-Fi 6E router features four motorized antennas that independently move and rotate to automatically provide the strongest signal possible to your devices as they move around your home. The router serves as an alternative in needing to implement a mesh network at home – which oftentimes can burn a hole in your pocket if you live in a really big house and require multiple nodes. The most impressive feature of this new product is its four external antennas that mechanically rotate and independently adjust their angles. This automatically ensures that signals are being sent to where it’s needed the most in the house. The tri-band router has support for all the modern Wi-Fi bands from 6GHz all the way to 2.4GHz so your older devices will truly benefit from this router. To really enjoy top speeds you’d need to have devices that support Wi-Fi 6E as well, else this benefit will be moot. Powered by a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor, the Archer AXE200 Omni includes a 10G and 2.5G ethernet port which allows tethering gaming PCs and video game consoles to the internet. The Archer AXE200 Omni is definitely an innovative idea, which means it will cost more than a regular router. TP-Link hasn’t revealed the pricing of its new router yet.
Highlights of the Archer AXE200 Router:
Mechanically Rotating Antennas – Robotic antennas auto-adapt their orientation for the best signals.
AXE11000 Tri-Band – Delivers speeds up to 11 Gbps.
Next-Gen Processing – Armed with a 2.0 GHz Quad-Core CPU.
10G Port -1× 10G port offers ultra-reliable, high-speed data transmissions.
EasyMesh – Create a true seamless mesh network with EasyMesh.
HomeShield – Provides comprehensive network protection, robust parental controls, and real-time loT security.
This router is certainly something I plan on keeping my eye on in CES 2022, as although TP-Link are by no means the first to crack into the prosumer WiFi 6e market, the automatic antenna rotation and motion to improve your network coverage and performance is definitely something that is new for the home. No full confirmation about release dates, but I will keep my eyes open! Additionally, alongside the AXE200, TP-Link also unveiled showed off another Archer series router for WiFi 6e deployment, the Archer AXE300. Although it lacks the automatic/motor controller antenna movement, it features greater coverage and hits a whopping 16Gb/s total bandwidth, along with featuring two 10GbE ports.
Highlights of the Archer AXE300 Router:
AXE16000 Quad-Band – AXE16000 Quad-Band Wi-Fi delivers Wi-Fi speeds up to an unprecedented 16 Gbps.
Dual 10G Ports – A 10 Gbps WAN/LAN Port and a 10 Gbps SFP+/RJ45 Combo LAN Port not only provide ultra-high-speed internet access but also open up the possibility of faster NAS transmissions over the LAN.
Next-Gen Processing – Armed with a 2.0 GHz Quad-Core CPU.
Maximized Coverage – 8x antennas provide maximized Wi-Fi coverage.
Wi-Fi 6E Unleashed – The brand new 6 GHz band brings more bandwidth, faster speeds, and near-zero latency
HomeShield – Customize your home network with enhanced security and control.
I will add more interesting data related hardware releases that were unveiled at CES 2022 last week as they appear. Otherwise, you can watch the Data News of the Week special over on YouTube in which I discuss all these releases and more. You can skip ahead to chapters by using the links under the video.
Chapters in the Video (skip ahead to the product by clicking below):
01:55 – The Netgear Nighthawk AXE7800 WiFi 6E Router
02:55 – Archer AXE200 Omni Directional WiFi 6E Router
22:25 – The QNAP QSW-M2116P-2T2S 10GbE & 2.5GbE PoE++ Switch
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On a busy server, you want to avoid putting more load on the machine with applications that are not time-sensitive. cpulimit is a Linux tool that allows you to limit CPU resources for such programs. In this little tutorial, I explain how you can use cpulimit depending on the average load on your system using the uptime command.
Le processeur, ou CPU pour Central Processing Unit, est l’un des composants les plus importants d’un ordinateur. Il contient les circuits logiques permettant l’interprétation et l’exécution des instructions des programmes. On peut dire que c’est le cerveau d’un ordinateur. Il arrive parfois que le processeur s’emballe et pousse ses capacités de calcul dans ses retranchements jusqu’à saturation.
I think it would be fair to say that NVMe SSDs that take advantage of QLC NAND in order to provide a much lower price point get a bit of a bad RAP. The Addlink A92 SSD from Addlink is the 3rd and lowest priced entry into their PS5 A-Series of SSDs for expanding your console storage and a lot of that affordability stems from the use of more low priced NAND. For those that are not away, an SSD is made of several internal components – a controller (the brains of the outfit), the memory (keeps things moving) and the NAND (where the data actually lives). The NAND on an SSD can dictate many things, that include the total storage, speed and durability of the SSD as it is regularly written to. In the world of SSD, the least enduring and performing NAND you can use typically is QLC NAND (quad-layer cell) but what you lose, you then gain in being able to get a lot more storage space for your money. The A92 NVMe SSD for PS5 however is something a pinch different. Arriving with PCIe Gen 4 M.2 connectivity, a controller that is used by many of the big-name SSD brands, same DDR 4 memory as many and arriving with PS5 compatibility, this QLC SSD might actually be quite a sensible move for a considerably more closed system like the PS5 – given that most typically users are going to Read data from the SSD 95% over 5% Writing games when downloading etc. Even the on-paper benchmarks which appear lower than the PS5 recommended minimum benchmark are then countered by the PS5 itself clocking it OVER the recommended 5,500MB/s minimum needed for PS5 compatibility. So, today I want to fully review the Addlink A92 NVMe SSD for PC and PC gaming, benchmark it on PS5, performance test it on a PC and hopefully help you decide whether the Addlink A92 is an SSD worthy of your gaming system? Let’s begin.
Fairplay to Addlink – the A92 SSD DEFINITELY works on the PS5. From its confirmed benchmarks to like for like performance comparisons on PS5 (Full tests HERE), it cannot be said that this rather modest QLC M.2 NVMe SSD is not suitable for PS5. Arriving as easily one of the best value SSDs for the PS5 storage expansion upgrade, as well as being one of the highest performing QLC SSDs I have yet to feature on the channel in 2021, I have almost nothing but praise for it. My professional ‘hat’ will tell you that QLC NAND SSD is always to be avoided, as they lack the long term endurance and performance of their TLC alternatives in the market. However, it has to be acknowledged that their utility is much more closed gaming systems like the PS5, where the end user cannot push these SSDs in particularly hard or any unconventional ways. Therefore there is an argument that QLC NAND SSDs might have finally found their ideal use for most day-to-day users. Of course, the performance of the Addlink A92 in the PS5 seems great now, but we have no idea how much devs are going to push the PS5 hardware in years to come and if the A92 has the staying power in your system to still be a reliable storage upgrade to run your games in 2023-2024. That said, at this price tag, with it’s the inclusive heatsink and arriving at almost half the price of some other brands at the 4TB level, those looking for a much more affordable PS5 SSD upgrade have little to complain about here.
SPEED - 6/10
HARDWARE - 7/10
DURABILITY - 3/10
PRICE - 7/10
VALUE - 7/10
6.0
PROS
Genuinely Impressive Performance on a Phison E16 SSD in PS5 & PC
First Time QLC NAND SSDs might have found a home
Inclusive Heatsink and STILL lower in price than the Sabrent Rocket Q4 by around 10%
PS5 Benchmark rated at 5,600MB/s+
Lowest Prices 4TB 2280 PCIe4 SSD in the Market
CONS
QLC NAND SSD’s are always a bit of an industry negative and durability is very low
Low Sustained Write Performance
Addlink A92 SSD Review – Packaging
Shiny. Very, VERY Shiny! That is how I would begin in describing the packaging here. Arriving in somewhat holographic packaging, the retail box of the Addlink S95 pulls no punches here when it comes to aiming at the gamers, with most of the focus going to performance stats and highlighting their A Game gamer series (the A92, A92 and A92).
The rear of the box makes a point of not only highlighting that this SSD is PS5 compatible, but also it’s one of the first SSDs I have had in for review that actually features the official PS5 logo. Along with that, there is a little nod to the heatsink and rather unique (at least as far as other M.2 SSDs on the market) application of the heatsink, using a much more malleable substance (we will go into more detail later) they are keen to highlight that this does an improved job of maintaining the SSD temperature. This will be covered at the last 3rd of this review in the testing and benchmarking.
The contents of the box are a little small, but not in a bad way. A first-time setup guide and warranty information is included in a booklet (as well as the usual web/3D-Barcode links), as well as the SSD itself (with heating pre-applied).
The Heatsink on the Addlink A92 is an interesting mix of elements that include aesthetical design, air efficiency and professional application. Addlink have an impressive range of m.2 NVMe solutions in their catalogue, many using modified versions of this heatsink (depending on the product series), so the need to add the Add AGame logo and PCIe4.0 architecture makes sense.
Looking at the A92 heatsink directly, it is a sweet looking design. Comprised of 3 main elements, a pre-cute metal plate with air channel grooves, a secondary metal clip that surrounds it and finally the thermal silica gel pad that connected the Heatsink to the SSD.
Looking at the Addlink A92 at an angle shows that, despite the aggressive nature of the heatsink, it is actually not very tall. In fact, the Low-Profile designed heatsink is only has a 9.1 mm height, with the total Heatsink+silica+SSD coming to just under 11.25mm. With space being at a premium in the PS5 M.2 SSD slot (and users wanting a little space around/above their SSD+HS to promote any airflow, this is particularly impressive.
Likewise, the heatsink is fractionally raised from the SSD a degree higher than most SSD+HS combos on the Adddlink A92, as the silica gel between them is particularly thick and envelopes the chips underneath a tad (on purpose). This means that is a surrounding around that can capture passing airflow around the SSD, that is not obstructed by a surrounding casing.
Removing the Addlink A92 Heatsink was NOT easy. I cannot stress enough how well attached this heatsink was! I nearly snapped the SSD in two trying to remove it. The SSD uses an adhesive coated silica gel that covered the entirety of the M.2 NVMe SSD, but also slightly envelopes each chip on the drive. It doesn’t smother them (so no touching the PCB) but it does surround the edges of each component to cover a greater physical density, whilst still remaining tidy.
A closer look a the heatsink base shows you just how well it surrounds each chip (with clear indications of where each was placed from imprints). Additionally, you can see that the consistency of the silica gel pad is not the same as the reusable pads in other heatsinks, with this substance having more in common with thermal paste found on CPUs. The slightly porous nature of it definitely seemed to ensure that the components were adequately covered and it does leave you with a distinct feeling of quality and professional application.
Taking the time to clean a little of the silica gel away, you can see that the A92’s controller is much lower on the board than many other SSDs (where it will more often be located directly beneath the m.2 key connector.
As mentioned, the Addlink A92 NVMe SSD fits very neatly into the PS5 SSD upgrade slot, with a clear few millimetres between the heatsink and the m.2 slot cover. Although it is worth highlighting that this heatsink was originally designed for a gaming desktop PC installation (like 99% of other M.2 SD heatsinks), so I will hold full judgement on how efficient the A92 heatsink is for PS5 heat dissipation for another article/video soon.
So that is the physical design of the Addlink A92 SSD. But what about the hardware components themselves? Does the Addlink A92 cut the mustard in terms of current generation hardware and protocols? Let’s find out.
Addlink A92 SSD Review – PS5 Benchmark
Upon installing the Addlink A92 SSD into the PS5, the system gave an impressive benchmark of 5620MB/s. It should be noted that the PS5 has a very unique benchmarking system internally for its own software needs and although Sony recommends that you only use SSDs with a reported 5,500MB/s+ performance (sequential Read) minimum, we have seen SSDs with a lower reported PC benchmark of this be rated at 5,500MB/s+ om the PS5 benchmark. So, there is definitely wiggle room there.
To put the Addlink A92 SSD PS5 Performance Benchmark into a little perspective, here is how it compares against the Sabrent Rocket Q4, as these SSDs that are both PS5 supported and VERY similar architecture:
Addlink A92 PS5 Benchmark – 5620MB/s
Sabrent Rocket Q4 PS5 Benchmark – 5621MB/s
With very little difference between the top three others in this tier, it is a solid benchmark. Additionally, the Addlink A92 takes care of overprovisioning at the NAND/Controller level (with four 96L QLC NAND modules of 512GB), so that means that this 2TB SSD is genuinely available as 2TB on the Playstation 5 Storage manager (not 1,920GB as seen previously):
The first thing to look at is the architecture of this SSD. Later we will compare it against a very similar built SSD, the sabrnet Rockeet QLC, but for now, here is how the SSD SSD is built:
I know a lot of the above will seem needlessly technical, so below we can bring the most important considerations into sharper focus.
Hardware Focus of the Addlink A92 SSD Series
The first big, BIG thing to remember here is the controller, that Phison E16. An SSD is much like a microcosm version of a whole computer. The Controller is equivalent to the CPU, and Phison are one of the bigger 3rd party SSD controller manufacturers in the world! I say 3rd party, because some long-running storage brands like Samsung and WD have most of their development and hardware engineering ‘in-house’ and use their own branded controllers. Whereas some brands source some/all components for their SSDs from 3rd parties – which is not necessarily a bad thing for both them and the industry (there are pros and cons on either side). Phison has been at the cutting edge of this subject for years now and the newer E18 was first revealed last year in 2020, but due to the pandemic making storage trends unpredictable and semi-conductor shortages, most SSDs that utilized the Phison E18 eventually arrived in 2021. Before that though was the Phison E16, the brands first PCIe 4.0 controller for NVMe SSD and it was widely featured by SSD brands at launch. This controller is one of the biggest reasons that the Addlink A92 can actually back up its promises about the 5,00MB/s+ Sequential Read (sequential data = big chunks of data). However, that is not the only reason.
The NAND on the Addlink A92 is where the data lives! SSDs (as you no doubt know) do not use moving parts as found in traditional hard drives and instead uses cells that are charged and data is read/written to them in this process. The quality of the NAND and the layers used will make a big difference to the durability and performance. The Addlink A92 and it’s Phison 16 arrive with 96 layer 3D QLC NAND onboard but it’s pairing with QLC NAND (not the more common but arguably more expensive TLC NAND) but does feature it at 96L, which is on par with more current-gen PCIe 4 M.2 SSDs in the market.
Much like the Controller on the Addlink A92 being the ‘CPU’, it also has an area of memory. The Addlink A92 SSD uses DDR4 memory on board and this in conjunction with the SSD provides a massive body of data handling resources for getting your data moving through the SSD and out of the m.2 NVMe PCIe 4 interface. The amount of memory scales in conjunction with the 1TB or 2TB SSD you use, with 2GB of DDR4 at the on the 2TB tier, 1GB DDR4 on the 1TB, etc.
Finally, there is the M.2 NVMe connection. Not all m.2 SSDs are created equal and although M.2 SATA and M.2 NVMe look similar, they provide massively different performance and connectivity. However, the Addlink A92 takes it one step further, by using a newer generation of PCIe Connectivity. In short, M.2 NVMe SSDs are connected to the host PC/Console system via PCIe protocol (think of those slots that you almost always use for your graphics cards, but a much, MUCH smaller connector). These allow much larger bandwidth (ie maximum speed) for the connected storage media, Much like regular PCIe slots, they have different versions (i.E PCIe Gen 1, 2, 3, 4, etc) and also a multiplying factor (x1, x2, x4, etc). Up until around 18 months ago, the best M.2 NVMes were M.2 PCIe Gen 3×4 (so a maximum 4,000MB/s possible). However, never generation SSD like the Addlink A92 use PCIe Gen 4×4 (a potential 8,000MB/s possible) and it is only now that SSD controllers and NAND production has reached a point where it can catch up and fully saturate (i.e fill) this connection.
Overall, you really cannot fault the hardware inside/onboard the Addlink A92 (apparent from querying that NAND), as it is still (at release) higher performing in sequential Read and Write than many other M.2 NVMe SSDs in the market at both QLC use AND those at PCIe Gen 3. Before we go into the full testing, however, it is worth taking a moment to look closely at the reported performance benchmarks of the Addlink A92, as although the performance seems stellar, there are areas such as IOPS and endurance when compared with its main rivals that are worth taking into consideration.
Addlink A92 SSD Review – Official Stats First
Before we conduct our own testing on this SSD, Let’s take a closer look at the reported specifications and benchmarks first. The Addlink A92 SSD arrives in multiple capacities (below), although rather odd that there is no 8TB version, given the space increases that QLC SSDs allow and some brands able to squeeze 8TB on a 2280 SSD at QLC level. The Prices currently are a little inconsistent (with each higher capacity tier actually having a higher price per GB – quite unusual) likely due to the hardware shortages, the Pandemic, Chia has affected SSD availability in the last 12 months and most recently the announcement that PS5 supports this SSD and it has increased the majority of PS5 supported SSDs price point in most regions. Below is a breakdown of how each Addlink A92 SSD compares against its closest competitor, the Sabrent Rocket Q4:
There are clear throughput improvements as you rise through the capacity tiers (not unusual), as does the rated 4K IOPS. Though one area worth focusing on a little is that TBW (terabytes Written) and DWPD (Drive writes per day), as the expected massive drop in durability (chiefly focused on daily/annual write activity) is massive compared with other higher tier SSDs in the market, allow on par with the Sabrent Rocket Q4. s mentioned, although the durability of an SSD is incredibly important, the PS5 (and indeed PC gaming outside of streaming and recording/capture) is an INCREDIBLY heavy READ activity, so although durability is important still, the drop to 0.1 Drive Write per day (when compared against the 0.4 and 0.9 DWPD of the A95 and A90) is not as make-or-break as it might have been elsewhere.
As you might expect from the use of the Phison E16 controller and 96 layer NAND, the reported IOPS on each capacity is actually pretty similar to the 96L Sabrent Rocket Q4. This is still very impressive anyway (if compared against older-gen SSDs and not prosumer class drives). As aside from the NAND on the A92, the rest of the architecture of the drive is actually very similar indeed to the Firecuda 520, Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0 and Silcon Power US70 – with write performance vs those TLC NAND SSDs almost half in some places (getting considerably worse at the lower capacities). Below is the read and write of the Addlink A92 vs the Sabrent Rocket Q4, along with reported IOPS:
So incredibly similar! There are a few slithers of difference here, but given the 10% or so price decrease in the Addlink A92 (as well as the fact it includes a premium heatsink), it does make that drive look the better choice of the two. That said, both SSDs (on paper at this stage!) are fantastic examples of where consumer and prosumer SSDs are evolving towards. Let’s get the Addlink A92 on the test machine!
Testing the Addlink A92 m.2 PCIE4 NVMe SSD
The Addlink A92 was selected for this test and it was tested using multiple benchmark tools, from a cold boot, in the 2nd storage slot (i.e not the OS drive). Each test was conducted three times (full details of this are shown in the YouTube Review of the Addlink A92 over on NASCompares):
Test Machine:
Windows 10 Pro Desktop System
Intel i5 11400 Rocket Lake – 6-Core 2.6/4.4Ghz
16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory
Intel B560M mATX Motherboard
OS Storage, Seagate Firecuda 120 SSD
Test SSD connected to Secondary PCIe Gen 4 M.2 Slot
Using CrystalDisk, we got a good measure of the drive and verified that this PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD was indeed using the 4×4 lane. Additionally, the temp averaged out around 41C between each test being conducted.
CRYSTAL DISK BENCHAMRK
The first tests were conducted using the ATTO disk benchmark software. The first was a 256MB test file size and below is a breakdown of the transfer rates and IOPS. The 2nd Test was a 1GB test file and finally, the last test was with a 4GB test file. The system was given 1-minute cool downtime between tests, no screen recording software was used (remove overhead) and a heatsink was used throughout (no reboots)
ATTO Disk Benchmark Test #1
256MB File PEAK Read Throughput = 5.24GB/s
256MB File PEAK Write Throughput = 3.49GB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Test #2
1GB File PEAK Read Throughput = 5.23GB/s
1GB File PEAK Write Throughput = 3.53GB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Test #3
4GB File PEAK Read Throughput = 5.23GB/s
4GB File PEAK Write Throughput = 3.53GB/s
Next, although the ATTO tests were quite good, but not what I would have hoped from this SSD, so I moved on to the Crystal Disk Mark testing to see how well it would handle our lasts barrage of tests. The first test was the 1GB file testing, which measured both sequential and random, as well as the read and write IOPS. Test were conducted on a 1GB, 4GB and 16GB Test File. I also included a mixed 70/30 read and write task to give a little bit more of a realistic balanced workload. These tests were conducted with 1-minute cooling break in between
CRYSTALDISK MARK 1GB TEST
CRYSTALDISK MARK 4GB TEST
CRYSTALDISK MARK 16GB TEST
Next, I switched to AS SSD benchmark. A much more thorough test through, I used 1GB, 3GB and 5GB test files. Each test includes throughput benchmarks and IOPS that are respective to the larger file sizes (important, if you are reading this and trying to compare against the reported 4K IOPS from the manufacturer).
AS SSD Benchmark Test #1
AS SSD Benchmark Test #2
AS SSD Benchmark Test #3
Ordinarily, I would introduce tests like BlackMagic and AJA into the mix here, but even a short burst of testing on an NVMe like this would over saturate the cache memory on board. Nevertheless, in the short term we still could ascertain the reported performance on 1GB, 4GB and 16GB file testing was:
1GB AJA File Test Results (Peak) = 4231MB/s Read & 3958MB/s Write
4GB AJA File Test Results (Peak) = 4307MB/s Read & 3935MB/s Write
16GB AJA File Test Results (Peak) = 4350MB/s Read & 3938MB/s Write
Overall, the Addlink A92 was certainly able to provide some solid performance, as well as potentially exceed the test figures here on a more powerful machine. Given the reported Read and Write statistics that the brand has stated publically, I think there is enough evidence here to back up those claims. IOPs were a little lower than I expected, but again, we were testing very large file types, so this would have to be taken in context. Below is the full temperature reading throughout the entire tests, with the SSD and its unique heatsink maintaining a solid temperature of between 40-50 degrees throughout – very impressive for a QLC NAND SSD, though still higher than the A90 and A95 that were tested before it.
Addlink A92 SSD Review – Conclusion
Fairplay to Addlink – the A92 SSD DEFINITELY works on the PS5. From its confirmed benchmarks to like for like performance comparisons on PS5 (Full tests HERE), it cannot be said that this rather modest QLC M.2 NVMe SSD is not suitable for PS5. Arriving as easily one of the best value SSDs for the PS5 storage expansion upgrade, as well as being one of the highest performing QLC SSDs I have yet to feature on the channel in 2021, I have almost nothing but praise for it. My professional ‘hat’ will tell you that QLC NAND SSD is always to be avoided, as they lack the long term endurance and performance of their TLC alternatives in the market. However, it has to be acknowledged that their utility is much more closed gaming systems like the PS5, where the end-user cannot push these SSDs in particularly hard or any unconventional ways. Therefore there is an argument that QLC NAND SSDs might have finally found their ideal use for most day-to-day users. Of course, the performance of the Addlink A92 in the PS5 seems great now, but we have no idea how much devs are going to push the PS5 hardware in years to come and if the A92 has the staying power in your system to still be a reliable storage upgrade to run your games in 2023-2024. That said, at this price tag, with it’s the inclusive heatsink and arriving at almost half the price of some other brands at the 4TB level, those looking for a much more affordable PS5 SSD upgrade have little to complain about here.
PROs of the Addlink A92
CONs of the Addlink A92
Genuinely Impressive Performance on a Phison E16 SSD in PS5 & PC
First Time QLC NAND SSDs might have found a home
Inclusive Heatsink and STILL lower in price than the Sabrent Rocket Q4 by around 10%
PS5 Benchmark rated at 5,600MB/s+
Lowest Prices 4TB 2280 PCIe4 SSD in the Market
QLC NAND SSD’s are always a bit of an industry negative and durability is very low
Low Sustained Write Performance
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The Addlink A90 is an unusual SSD, to say the least, with its promise of PCIe performance at a price tag approaching that of PCIe3. In the short period of time that Sony has enabled the PS5 m.2 NVMe SSD Expansion bay, around 30-35 mainline SSDs have fallen into the realm of compatibility with this storage upgrade. Sony has not exactly been forthcoming about which SSDs are supported and which are not, with many communities online working together to put together tested and proven PS5 compatibility lists. For parents looking to buy an SSD for their children’s new next-gen console, to long time gamers who are having to quickly learn the eccentricities of M.2 SSD storage – the days of memory cards and official upgrades are a thing of the past. Therefore, when Addlink launched their A-Series of SSDs, all with confirmed PS5 compatibility and logos, in efforts to provide a range of drives that allow PS5 buyers a choice between Performance – Price – Capacity – or all three. We already reviewed the Addlink A95 Prosumer SSD and now it is time to review the Addlink A90 SSD – Arriving at a lower price point, but also a lower performance threshold of around 1500-2000MB/s less. Although its traditional PC benchmarks rate it as below the recommended 5,500MB/s sequential read of PS5, the PS5’s own benchmark tell a different story (covered later in the testing) and confirm the compatibility of the Addlink A90 with PS5. So, should you consider the mid-range Addlink A90 NVMe SSD for your PS5 upgrade? Maybe as your PC gamer storage solution? Let’s find out.
Although a step down from the arguably more impressive A95, it also is a lower price point whilst still maintaining a number of the more expensive drives highest qualities, which means you still feel like you are getting a good ‘2nd place’ drive, without fear of too much compromise. Few SSDs that I have featured here on NASCompares have left me with the consistently please tone that the Addlink A Game range has. Whether you are looking at this as an SSD upgrade for your PS5 or your Gaming PC, there is very little to be unhappy about here as a gamer. The Build quality of both the SSD itself, as well as the heatsink and choices made at the hardware architecture level are all high-end choices that do not leave you with a feeling unsatisfied. When choosing to upgrade your SSD, it can be easy to always opt for the much bigger know brands like WD or Seagate, thinking that there is a clear reason for their higher price. As true as that can be sometimes, in the case of the Addlink A90 you have an SSD that takes advantage of the same hardware choices that those bigger brands offer in the likes of the Firecuda 520 from Seagate or the Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0, includes a high-quality heatsink, arrives preattached in a very sturdy build and at no point in the testing did we feel that a power or memory bottleneck appears. It might lack some of the enterprise bells and whistles of more enterprise-level SSDs, but the A90 is not targeting flash, fabric or caching – it is designed for gamers and at this, it is an unquestionable success. Keep an eye on this one!
SPEED - 8/10
HARDWARE - 8/10
DURABILITY - 9/10
PRICE - 8/10
VALUE - 8/10
8.2
PROS
Genuinely Impressive Performance on a Phison E16 SSD
Very nice heatsink and thermal application internally
Low-Temperature Reading even in high use
One of the highest Read/Write Performers available
Use of Micron 176L TLC NAND is promised in 2022 (TBC)
Fully PS5 Compatible with In-System Benchmark exceeding minimum
Higher Durability than WD Black SN850, Samsung 980 Pro & Sabrent Rocke
CONS
More Expensive than WD Black SN850 & Samsung 980 Pro
Not Quite as Durable as Seagate Firecuda 520
Little overshadowed by the Addlink A95
Addlink A90 SSD Review – Packaging
Shiny. Very, VERY Shiny! That is how I would begin in describing the packaging here. Arriving in somewhat holographic packaging, the retail box of the Addlink S95 pulls no punches here when it comes to aiming at the gamers, with most of the focus going to performance stats and highlighting their A Game gamer series (the A90, A90 and A92).
The rear of the box makes a point of not only highlighting that this SSD is PS5 compatible, but also it’s one of the first SSDs I have had in for review that actually features the official PS5 logo. Along with that, there is a little nod to the heatsink and rather unique (at least as far as other M.2 SSDs on the market) application of the heatsink, using a much more malleable substance (we will go into more detail later) they are keen to highlight that this does an improved job of maintaining the SSD temperature. This will be covered at the last 3rd of this review in the testing and benchmarking.
The contents of the box are a little small, but not in a bad way. A first-time setup guide and warranty information is included in a booklet (as well as the usual web/3D-Barcode links), as well as the SSD itself (with heating pre-applied).
The Heatsink on the Addlink A90 is an interesting mix of elements that include aesthetical design, air efficiency and professional application. Addlink have an impressive range of m.2 NVMe solutions in their catalogue, many using modified versions of this heatsink (depending on the product series), so the need to add the Add AGame logo and PCIe4.0 architecture makes sense.
Looking at the A90 heatsink directly, it is a sweet looking design. Comprised of 3 main elements, a pre-cute metal plate with air channel grooves, a secondary metal clip that surrounds it and finally the thermal silica gel pad that connected the Heatsink to the SSD.
Looking at the Addlink A90 at an angle shows that, despite the aggressive nature of the heatsink, it is actually not very tall. In fact, the Low-Profile designed heatsink is only has a 9.1 mm height, with the total Heatsink+silica+SSD coming to just under 11.25mm. With space being at a premium in the PS5 M.2 SSD slot (and users wanting a little space around/above their SSD+HS to promote any airflow, this is particularly impressive.
Likewise, the heatsink is fractionally raised from the SSD a degree higher than most SSD+HS combos on the Adddlink A90, as the silica gel between them is particularly thick and envelopes the chips underneath a tad (on purpose). This means that is a surrounding around that can capture passing airflow around the SSD, that is not obstructed by a surrounding casing.
Removing the Addlink A90 Heatsink was NOT easy. I cannot stress enough how well attached this heatsink was! I nearly snapped the SSD in two trying to remove it. The SSD uses an adhesive coated silica gel that covered the entirety of the M.2 NVMe SSD, but also slightly envelopes each chip on the drive. It doesn’t smother them (so no touching the PCB) but it does surround the edges of each component to cover a greater physical density, whilst still remaining tidy.
A closer look a the heatsink base shows you just how well it surrounds each chip (with clear indications of where each was placed from imprints). Additionally, you can see that the consistency of the silica gel pad is not the same as the reusable pads in other heatsinks, with this substance having more in common with thermal paste found on CPUs. The slightly porous nature of it definitely seemed to ensure that the components were adequately covered and it does leave you with a distinct feeling of quality and professional application.
Taking the time to clean a little of the silica gel away, you can see that the A90’s controller is much lower on the board than many other SSDs (where it will more often be located directly beneath the m.2 key connector.
As mentioned, the Addlink A90 NVMe SSD fits very neatly into the PS5 SSD upgrade slot, with a clear few millimetres between the heatsink and the m.2 slot cover. Although it is worth highlighting that this heatsink was originally designed for a gaming desktop PC installation (like 99% of other M.2 SD heatsinks), so I will hold full judgement on how efficient the A90 heatsink is for PS5 heat dissipation for another article/video soon.
So that is the physical design of the Addlink A90 SSD. But what about the hardware components themselves? Does the Addlink A90 cut the mustard in terms of current generation hardware and protocols? Let’s find out.
Addlink A90 SSD Review – PS5 Benchmark
Upon installing the Addlink A90 SSD into the PS5, the system gave an impressive benchmark of 5636MB/s. It should be noted that the PS5 has a very unique benchmarking system internally for its own software needs and although Sony recommends that you only use SSDs with a reported 5,500MB/s+ performance (sequential Read) minimum, we have seen SSDs with a lower reported PC benchmark of this be rated at 5,500MB/s+ om the PS5 benchmark. So, there is definitely wiggle room there.
To put the Addlink A90 SSD PS5 Performance Benchmark into a little perspective, here is how it compares against the Seagate Firecuda 520, Silicon Power US70 and Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0 – three SSDs that are all PS5 supported and VERY similar architecture:
Addlink A90 PS5 Benchmark – 5636MB/s
Seagate Firecuda 520 PS5 Benchmark – 5621MB/s
Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0 PS5 Benchmark – 5622MB/s
Silicon Power US70 PS5 Benchmark – 56227MB/s
With very little difference between the top three others in this tier, it is a solid benchmark. Additionally, the Addlink A90 takes care of overprovisioning at the NAND/Controller level (with four 96L 3D TLC NAND modules of 512GB), so that means that this 2TB SSD is genuinely available as 2TB on the Playstation 5 Storage manager (not 1,920GB as seen previously):
As you might expect from an M.2 NVMe SSD that boldly promises performance of over 5,000MB/s sequential read (ie BIG data), the hardware specifications and architecture of the Addlink A90 are quite modern. Indeed, for all the big talk of the Seagate Firecuda 520 hardware (or Firecuda 530 – still currently the ‘score to beat’ PCIe Gen4 m.2 NVMe right now) being top tier, the Addlink A90 is much more comparable to the Seagate Firecuda 520 and is pretty darn similar on the spec sheet! Below is how it looks:
I know a lot of the above will seem needlessly technical, so below we can bring the most important considerations into sharper focus.
Hardware Focus of the Addlink A90 SSD Series
The first big, BIG thing to remember here is the controller, that Phison E16. An SSD is much like a microcosm version of a whole computer. The Controller is equivalent to the CPU, and Phison are one of the bigger 3rd party SSD controller manufacturers in the world! I say 3rd party, because some long-running storage brands like Samsung and WD have most of their development and hardware engineering ‘in-house’ and use their own branded controllers. Whereas some brands source some/all components for their SSDs from 3rd parties – which is not necessarily a bad thing for both them and the industry (there are pros and cons on either side). Phison has been at the cutting edge of this subject for years now and the newer E18 was first revealed last year in 2020, but due to the pandemic making storage trends unpredictable and semi-conductor shortages, most SSDs that utilized the Phison E18 eventually arrived in 2021. Before that though was the Phison E16, the brands first PCIe 4.0 controller for NVMe SSD and it was widely featured by SSD brands at launch. This controller is one of the biggest reasons that the Addlink A90 can actually back up its promises about the 5,00MB/s+ Sequential Read (sequential data = big chunks of data). However, that is not the only reason.
The NAND on the Addlink A90 is where the data lives! SSDs (as you no doubt know) do not use moving parts as found in traditional hard drives and instead uses cells that are charged and data is read/written to them in this process. The quality of the NAND and the layers used will make a big difference to the durability and performance. Indeed, the Addlink A90 matches the current Phison 16 favourite PCIe4 SSD (the Seagate Firecuda 530) with 96 layer 3D TLC NAND onboard. This is a noticeably large jump over many others that are using 64L 3D TLC NAND before it and is a big part of the drive’s performance gains. Although the majority of modern PCIe M.2 SSD use 3D TLC NAND (with the Addlink A92 arriving with QLC NAND), most are still at 96L now layers, so this still puts the Addlink A90 on a level footing with most of the SSDs out there.
Much like the Controller on the Addlink A90 being the ‘CPU’, it also has an area of memory. The Addlink A90 SSD uses DDR4 memory on board and this in conjunction with the SSD provides a massive body of data handling resources for getting your data moving through the SSD and out of the m.2 NVMe PCIe 4 interface. The amount of memory scales in conjunction with the 1TB or 2TB SSD you use, with 2GB of DDR4 at the on the 2TB tier, 1GB DDR4 on the 1TB, etc.
Finally, there is the M.2 NVMe connection. Not all m.2 SSDs are created equal and although M.2 SATA and M.2 NVMe look similar, they provide massively different performance and connectivity. However, the Addlink A90 takes it one step further, by using a newer generation of PCIe Connectivity. In short, M.2 NVMe SSDs are connected to the host PC/Console system via PCIe protocol (think of those slots that you almost always use for your graphics cards, but a much, MUCH smaller connector). These allow much larger bandwidth (ie maximum speed) for the connected storage media, Much like regular PCIe slots, they have different versions (i.E PCIe Gen 1, 2, 3, 4, etc) and also a multiplying factor (x1, x2, x4, etc). Up until around 18 months ago, the best M.2 NVMes were M.2 PCIe Gen 3×4 (so a maximum 4,000MB/s possible). However, never generation SSD like the Addlink A90 use PCIe Gen 4×4 (a potential 8,000MB/s possible) and it is only now that SSD controllers and NAND production has reached a point where it can catch up and fully saturate (i.e fill) this connection.
Overall, you really cannot fault the hardware inside/onboard the Addlink A90, as it is still (at release) higher performing in sequential Read and Write than many other M.2 NVMe PCIe 4 SSDs released of the same architecture (especially at Sequential Write – to be discussed). Before we go into the full testing, however, it is worth taking a moment to look closely at the reported performance benchmarks of the Addlink A90, as although the performance seems stellar, there are areas such as IOPS and endurance when compared with its main rivals that are worth taking into consideration.
Addlink A90 SSD Review – Official Stats First
Before we conduct our own testing on this SSD, Let’s take a closer look at the reported specifications and benchmarks first. The Addlink A90 SSD arrives in multiple capacities (below). The Prices currently are a little inconsistent (with each higher capacity tier actually having a higher price per GB – quite unusual) likely due to the hardware shortages, the Pandemic, Chia has affected SSD availability in the last 12 months and most recently the announcement that PS5 supports this SSD and it has increased the majority of PS5 supported SSDs price point in most regions. Below is a breakdown of how each Addlink A90 SSD compares against the same capacity i nthe Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0 and Seagate Firecuda 520 SSD:
There are clear throughput improvements as you rise through the capacity tiers (not unusual), as does the rated 4K IOPS. Though one area worth focusing on a little is that TBW (terabytes Written) and DWPD (Drive writes per day), as this drive is NOTICEABLY higher than the Samsung 980 Pro and WD Black SN850 in terms of NAND lifespan on daily writes, likely down to that Micron 96 Layer 3D TLC NAND used by it lower performance than those other drives over time. That said, the PS5 is a highly READ focused system and DWPD and TBW are less of a concerning factor in that architecture. This is an important point because the brand has significantly less pedigree in-home/business SSD media than the likes of Samsung, WD and Seagate and people will want to know they are going to get a product that lasts!
As you might expect from the use of the Phison E16 controller and 96 layer NAND, the reported IOPS on each capacity is actually pretty similar to the 96L Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0 and near enough identical to the Seagate Firecuda 520. This is still very impressive anyway, but it does make me wonder where the disparity stems from. Indeed, when you look at the bulk of PCIe 4×4 M.2 NVMe 1.4 SSD, that feature the E16 controller and 96L (or higher) on board, it really only leaves about 4 other SSDs in the market today that this can be compared against. Of those, the only one that seemingly ‘out specs’ the Addlink A90 is the Seagate Firecuda 520 marginally. However, the Addlink A90 SSD has been available in the market for just a week or so and has certainly embedded itself in the market with PS5 users. Additionally, Addlink state that they are hoping to upgrade the NAND on the A90 series to 176L in the near future – but I did not factor that into this review at the time of writing. Below is how these three drives compare:
Yes, that is a LONG table, but you can immediately see that the Seagate Firecuda 520 raises the stakes on all of the key specifications. Although there are a number of micro reasons for this and they both feature 96L NAND, the Seagate entry has the inclusive data recovery services and a much more established reputation. Yes, that is why the Firecuda 520 commands the higher price tag. Additionally, the Sabrent Rocket originally arrived at a better price point at the lower tiers (constantly in sales as it has been in the market for almost a year longer) in most tiers and the fact it does this whilst still hitting that 5,000MB/s certainly gives pause for thought. However, for many, the additional cost for higher durability they may never need in the Firecuda 520, peak performance their core system will not reach and IOPS rating that their larger file handling will never utilize will mean that choosing the Firecuda or Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0 is not in their interest. Both SSDs (on paper at this stage!) are fantastic examples of where consumer and prosumer SSDs are evolving towards. Lastly, it is worth remembering that the Addlink A90 arrives at a lower price point than the others, yet STILL features an included premium low-profile heatsink in the price, Let’s get the Addlink A90 on the test machine!
Testing the Addlink A90 m.2 PCIE4 NVMe SSD
The Addlink A90 was selected for this test and it was tested using multiple benchmark tools, from a cold boot, in the 2nd storage slot (i.e not the OS drive). Each test was conducted three times (full details of this are shown in the YouTube Review of the Addlink A90 over on NASCompares):
Test Machine:
Windows 10 Pro Desktop System
Intel i5 11400 Rocket Lake – 6-Core 2.6/4.4Ghz
16GB DDR4 2666MHz Memory
Intel B560M mATX Motherboard
OS Storage, Seagate Firecuda 120 SSD
Test SSD connected to Secondary PCIe Gen 4 M.2 Slot
Using CrystalDisk, we got a good measure of the drive and verified that this PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD was indeed using the 4×4 lane. Additionally, the temp averaged out around 41C between each test being conducted.
The first tests were conducted using the ATTO disk benchmark software. The first was a 256MB test file size and below is a breakdown of the transfer rates and IOPS. The 2nd Test was a 1GB test file and finally, the last test was with a 4GB test file. The system was given 1-minute cool downtime between tests, no screen recording software was used (remove overhead) and a heatsink was used throughout (no reboots)
ATTO Disk Benchmark Test #1
256MB File PEAK Read Throughput = 5.24GB/s
256MB File PEAK Write Throughput = 3.94GB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Test #2
1GB File PEAK Read Throughput = 5.24GB/s
1GB File PEAK Write Throughput = 4.06GB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Test #3
4GB File PEAK Read Throughput = 5.22GB/s
4GB File PEAK Write Throughput = 4.06GB/s
Next, although the ATTO tests were quite good, but not what I would have hoped from this SSD, so I moved on to the Crystal Disk Mark testing to see how well it would handle our lasts barrage of tests. The first test was the 1GB file testing, which measured both sequential and random, as well as the read and write IOPS. Test were conducted on a 1GB, 4GB and 16GB Test File. I also included a mixed 70/30 read and write task to give a little bit more of a realistic balanced workload. These tests were conducted with 1-minute cooling break in between
CRYSTALDISK MARK 1GB TEST
CRYSTALDISK MARK 4GB TEST
CRYSTALDISK MARK 16GB TEST
Next, I switched to AS SSD benchmark. A much more thorough test through, I used 1GB, 3GB and 5GB test files. Each test includes throughput benchmarks and IOPS that are respective to the larger file sizes (important, if you are reading this and trying to compare against the reported 4K IOPS from the manufacturer).
AS SSD Benchmark Test #1
AS SSD Benchmark Test #2
AS SSD Benchmark Test #3
Ordinarily, I would introduce tests like BlackMagic and AJA into the mix here, but even a short burst of testing on an NVMe like this would over saturate the cache memory on board. Nevertheless, in the short term we still could ascertain the reported performance on 1GB, 4GB and 16GB file testing was:
1GB AJA File Test Results (Peak) = 4483MB/s Read & 4155MB/s Write
4GB AJA File Test Results (Peak) = 4475MB/s Read & 41324MB/s Write
16GB AJA File Test Results (Peak) = 4487MB/s Read & 4148MB/s Write
Overall, the Addlink A90 was certainly able to provide some solid performance, as well as potentially exceed the test figures here on a more powerful machine. Given the reported Read and Write statistics that the brand has stated publically, I think there is enough evidence here to back up those claims. IOPs were a little lower than I expected, but again, we were testing very large file types, so this would have to be taken in context. Below is the full temperature reading throughout the entire tests, with the SSD and it’s unique heatsink maintaining a solid temperature of between 30-40 degrees throughout – very impressive.
Addlink A90 SSD Review – Conclusion
Although a step down from the arguably more impressive A95, it also is a lower price point whilst still maintaining a number of the more expensive drives highest qualities, which means you still feel like you are getting a good ‘2nd place’ drive, without fear of too much compromise. Few SSDs that I have featured here on NASCompares have left me with the consistently please tone that the Addlink A Game range has. Whether you are looking at this as an SSD upgrade for your PS5 or your Gaming PC, there is very little to be unhappy about here as a gamer. The Build quality of both the SSD itself, as well as the heatsink and choices made at the hardware architecture level are all high-end choices that do not leave you with a feeling unsatisfied. When choosing to upgrade your SSD, it can be easy to always opt for the much bigger know brands like WD or Seagate, thinking that there is a clear reason for their higher price. As true as that can be sometimes, in the case of the Addlink A90 you have an SSD that takes advantage of the same hardware choices that those bigger brands offer in the likes of the Firecuda 520 from Seagate or the Sabrent Rocket PCIe 4.0, includes a high-quality heatsink, arrives preattached in a very sturdy build and at no point in the testing did we feel that a power or memory bottleneck appears. It might lack some of the enterprise bells and whistles of more enterprise-level SSDs, but the A90 is not targeting flash, fabric or caching – it is designed for gamers and at this, it is an unquestionable success. Keep an eye on this one!
PROs of the Addlink A90
CONs of the Addlink A90
Genuinely Impressive Performance on a Phison E16 SSD
Very nice heatsink and thermal application internally
Low-Temperature Reading even in high use
One of the highest Read/Write Performers available
Use of Micron 176L TLC NAND is promised in 2022 (TBC)
Fully PS5 Compatible with In-System Benchmark exceeding minimum
Higher Durability than WD Black SN850, Samsung 980 Pro & Sabrent Rocket
More Expensive than WD Black SN850 & Samsung 980 Pro
Not Quite as Durable as Seagate Firecuda 520
Little overshadowed by the Addlink A95
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