SSD Operating Temperatures

Temperature Measurements

During our test benchmarks stress tests with a high-stress workload, we monitor the SSD temperature. The peak stress temperature measured hovers at roughly 77 Degrees, which is not bad considering the performance level and the fact that this SSD has no heatsink. Once we placed it under a heatsink, that value dropped to ~60 degrees C. 

Above the temperatures reported back from the sensor. The question always remains, what sensor is monitored and what part? The controller or one of the NAND ICs? Most of the time the reported temperature is one of the NAND ICs. Controllers can easily run 90 Degrees C if not cooled but are designed to manage with that. If a controller or NAND heats up too much, the SSD will throttle down in performance to cope with the heat. As such, always place your M2 SSD under a heatsink for best operation.

Above we removed the heatsink, we always advise some form of cooling.