The TeamGroup MP44Q (begins at $69.99 for 1TB; $129.99 for 2TB as examined) does very nicely as a funds inner solid-state drive (SSD). It’s competitively priced and holds its personal in our efficiency benchmarks in opposition to a set of drives with comparable rated speeds, lots of which price considerably extra. The MP44Q additionally has a surprisingly good sturdiness score for a QLC-based drive. Though it lacks the backup software program and safety features largely present in higher-priced drives, in addition to a full-fledged heatsink, this Editors’ Selection-winning funds SSD is a superb worth amongst PCI Categorical (PCIe) 4.0 drives.
Design: Surprisingly Sturdy QLC Reminiscence
This SSD is constructed within the M.2 Kind-2280 “gumstick” type issue widespread amongst immediately’s inner SSDs. It employs the NVMe 1.4 protocol over its PCIe 4.0 bus. (Baffled by a few of these phrases? Take a look at our glossary of SSD terminology.)
The MP44Q is a four-lane PCI Categorical (PCIe) 4.0 drive, using YMTC 232-layer quad-level cell (QLC) 3D NAND flash reminiscence and a MaxioTech MAP1602A Falcon Lite controller. Maxio focuses on making controllers that lack a dynamic random-access reminiscence (DRAM) cache. DRAM-less SSDs such because the MP44Q make the most of the pc’s personal reminiscence (host reminiscence buffer, or HMB) as an alternative. Each the DRAM-less structure and QLC NAND assist maintain the MP44Q’s value down.
To assist cool the drive, the MP44Q is supplied with a graphene heat-spreader sticker affixed to the highest. TeamGroup promotes this as an enhancement to the warmth dissipation of a motherboard’s personal heatsink moderately than an alternative to a heatsink, although. It would be best to get a third-party cooler in case your motherboard does not have an SSD heatsink over the M.2 slot you imply to make use of. When outfitted with a compact (that’s, low-profile) heatsink, it ought to match the spare M.2 slot in a Sony PlayStation 5—it simply meets Sony’s necessities for a PS5-friendly SSD. (Simply make sure that the drive with heatsink hooked up does not exceed the 11.25mm most peak to slot in the PS5’s case.)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The MP44Q is competitively priced, itemizing at very comparable costs to the TeamGroup MP44 for the capacities they share; the MP44 additionally is available in an 8TB stick, which is sort of double the associated fee per gigabyte of the smaller capacities.
Strong-state drives primarily based on QLC NAND flash reminiscence are typically much less sturdy for heavy write exercise than both TLC or MLC drives, as indicated by decrease terabytes written (TBW) rankings. The MP44Q is a welcome exception to this pattern, with a lot better sturdiness than most QLC SSDs. For instance, the Sabrent Rocket This autumn is rated at 200TBW for its 1TB mannequin, 400TBW for 2TB, and 800TBW for 4TB. The Essential P310 is rated at 220TBW for 1TB and 440TBW for 2TB, whereas the Corsair MP600 Core XT’s rankings are 250TBW for 1TB, 450TBW for 2TB, and 900TBW for 4TB.
Sturdiness rankings for TLC drives are a lot larger; the ADATA Legend 850, as an illustration, is rated at 1,000TBW (1TB) and a couple of,000TBW (2TB), and TeamGroup’s TLC-based MP44 is rated at 1,450TBW for 1TB, 2,500TBW for 2TB, 3,000 for 4TB, and 6,000TBW for its 8TB stick.
The terabytes-written spec is a producer’s estimate of how a lot information might be written to a drive earlier than some cells start to fail and get taken out of service. TeamGroup covers the MP44Q with 5 years of guarantee or till you hit the rated TBW determine in information writes, whichever comes first.
Testing the MP44Q: Distinctive Outcomes for a Low-Priced SSD
We take a look at PCIe 4.0 inner SSDs utilizing a desktop testbed with an MSI X570 motherboard and AMD Ryzen CPU, 16GB of Corsair Dominator DDR4 reminiscence clocked to three,600MHz, and a discrete Nvidia GeForce graphics card.
We put the MP44Q via our normal suite of solid-state drive benchmarks, comprising Crystal DiskMark 6.0, PCMark 10 Storage, and 3DMark Storage. Crystal DiskMark’s sequential pace checks present a standard measure of drive throughput, simulating best-case, straight-line transfers of enormous information. As comparability drives, we included different PCI Categorical 4 SSDs with elite throughput speeds much like that of the MP44Q and added the Samsung SSD 990 EVO, our earlier total funds PCIe 4.0 SSD champ.
In Crystal DiskMark’s throughput testing, the MP44Q successfully matched its rated sequential learn and write speeds. Crystal DiskMark’s 4K learn take a look at measures how lengthy it takes to entry a gaggle of information in 4K cluster sizes. The MP44Q’s learn rating on this take a look at was close to the highest of a slender vary of scores tallied by our group of comparability drives, and its 4K write rating was in the course of the pack. Notably, the MP44Q’s 4K write rating was significantly higher than that of the MP44, which is actually the identical drive besides that it employs triple-level-cell (TLC) NAND flash reminiscence as an alternative of QLC. Good 4K write efficiency is particularly vital for an SSD used as a boot drive. (Be aware: We take a look at inner SSDs put in as secondary information drives.)
The PCMark 10 General Storage take a look at measures a drive’s pace in performing numerous routine duties corresponding to launching Home windows, loading video games and inventive functions, and copying each small and enormous information. The MP44Q turned in a median General Storage Check rating amongst our comparability group.
The MP44Q turned in stable ends in the person PCMark traces, that are simulated duties that comprise the person elements that go into the General Storage Check rating. It tied for the excessive rating amongst our group within the Home windows bootup hint and held its personal on the opposite trials.
In 3DMark Storage, which measures an SSD’s proficiency in performing quite a lot of gaming-related duties, the MP44Q’s rating was within the decrease center of the pack, beneath the MP44 however above the Samsung SSD 990 EVO.
Verdict: A Plain, Pockets-Pleasant SSD Constructed for Velocity
What the TeamGroup MP44Q might lack in options, it greater than makes up for in its performance-to-price ratio, holding its personal in our benchmarking amid a gaggle of elite PCIe 4.0 SSDs.
Once we reviewed the TeamGroup MP44 in early 2024, we famous {that a} widespread concern with DRAM-less SSDs is that their write speeds may take a success with massive transfers in contrast with drives which have an inner DRAM cache, and the MP44’s outcomes on our checks appear to bear that out. Nonetheless, the MP44Q’s outcomes on Crystal DiskMark’s 4K write take a look at and the PCMark 10 small-file copy take a look at had been a lot better than the MP44’s, so we’ll maintain off on passing a verdict on that matter.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The Samsung SSD 990 EVO, our earlier Editors’ Selection winner for funds PCIe 4.0 inner SSDs, did higher than the MP44Q on the small-file copy take a look at however fell nicely in need of the MP44Q on almost each different hint take a look at. The MP44Q has a lot larger throughput speeds than the SSD 990 EVO and posted higher scores on each the Crystal DiskMark 4K learn and write checks.
General, the MP44Q is a superb performer for its value. It lacks a full-fledged heatsink, so you may need to use your motherboard’s heatsink or get a third-party mannequin. (If it is quick sufficient, it would even match a PS5.) In order for you an 8TB stick, you may need to look to the likes of the MP44, although you may pay a valuable premium for it. For those who want safety features and backup software program in a funds SSD, the SSD 990 EVO is the way in which to go. However the MP44Q’s efficiency for its value makes it worthy of our Editors’ Selection award as a funds inner SSD.
The Backside Line
The TeamGroup MP44Q does not present any extras past its graphene warmth spreader, however this DRAM-less, QLC-based inner SSD boasts profitable efficiency at a discount value.
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About Tony Hoffman
Senior Analyst, {Hardware}
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