HP EX920 1 TB M.2. SSD review - Specifications & Features

Specifications & Features

HP is now offering no less than four versions of the EX920 with the bigger models (256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB) have more endurance, including 300 TBW up-to 1 and 2 B  capacities. The sample that has arrived for testing is the 1TB version of the drive. The EX920 series as stated will be fitted with TLC written 3D NAND flash memory (vertically stacked). This allows HP to offer the proper storage volumes., the EX920 models come with an added DRAM cache chips and a proprietary HP branded controller.

So instead of using Planar NAND, 3D NAND is used. 3D TLC NAND is physical vertical NAND cell stacking not to be confused with chip stacking in a multi-chip package. In 3D NAND, NAND layers, not chips, are stacked in a single IC. The good news is continued cost reduction, smaller die sizes and more capacity per NAND chip. Also, installed NAND toolsets in the wafer fabs can, for the most part, be reused, thereby extending the useful life of fab equipment. The NAND ICs are driven by a HP H6028 controller, there is a DRAM cache up-to 1024 MB.

Controller

Pricing

I just pulled some numbers from some online e-tailers. HP is able to keep the prices okay, 256GB is available for $99,- where the 1TB versions run at roughly 339 USD, (~33 cents per GB) it can be found soon at Amazon and Newegg. HP started shipping the EX920 M.2 and the EX900 M.2 NVMe 1.3 SSDs last month. The EX920 thus is the flagship SSD, based on the Silicon Motion SM2262 controller paired with Micron's new 64-layer flash. Mind you, there also is a the SM2263XT HMB DRAM-less controller, used on the lower specced HP SSD EX900 M.2. Combined with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update you are compatible with Host Memory Buffer technology. With the feature enabled, your system memory substitutes the memory of the drive to cache the map table. Thus using DRAM SSD cached equals a nice price reduction. More on that in a separate review on the EX900 though (we received that SSD as well).