Final Words & Conclusion

Final Words & Conclusion

I believe it is reasonable to say that the M200 series is one of the fastest USB 3.2 devices available; they are quick enough to do everything that needs to be done on a USB port and then some. While this device offers lightning-fast speed, it is also one of the more economical options; the 2 TB unit tested, which is built on TLC NAND, sells for 309 USD, or around 15 cents per GB, which is not a bad price.

Portable USB storage has advanced at a breakneck pace. A few years ago, the fastest USB stick achieved 25 MB/sec; modern variants may reach 100 MB/sec, and with upgraded NAND technologies, they may now incorporate an M2 SSD to create portable USB3 storage that is frequently faster than a SATA3 SSD and is now capable of standard NVMe performance. This unit fits that description; it is a pocket-sized device that is both lightweight and simple to connect. Thus, with a compliant USB 3.2 2x2 (20 Gbps) host-client configuration, you can achieve transfer rates of up to 2000 MB/s. Writes at a rate of approximately 2000 MB/sec and reads at a rate of approximately 2000 MB/sec. How quickly does a USB-connected puck really need to be? Additionally, it is extremely durable. You could probably drive a car over it and it would not break (that is an opinion though, not a spec).

Pricing and some TLC

A secondary critical element is that prices have continued to decline as new NAND technologies are developed. Whereas Samsung will easily charge $500 for its 1TB Thunderbolt version, this 2 TB unit is available for $309,-. These are the manufacturer's suggested retail pricing; the street price will be lower. The disadvantages are that we are lacking some data; we know the NAND is written TLC, but we have no idea what the TBW values are. However, realistically, with a portable drive, this is irrelevant. TeamGroup, on the other hand, backs this item up with a five-year warranty, which is good. Write performance, depending on the workload, will be 1500~2000 MB/sec copying sustained and linear multi-gigabyte files (ISO/UHD Movies, etc). From then, the trend is upward toward 2000 MB/sec read and copy performance. Temperatures are not an issue. We show a peak temperature after writing, writing, writing, and then some writing. The internal M.2. SSD is running below its actual performance capacity due to the USB 3.2 Gen2 bandwidth available, and that housing functions as one big heatsink. We have not seen load temperatures much higher than 45 Degrees C. And even if it would overheat, it has throttling protection. In an extreme write state, it can get warm in your hands though.

Concluding

Each product has a unique placement. We are completely satisfied with the M200 and do like what has happened to the NAND sector over the past year or two. We moved from fast USB 3.0 sticks of 75~80MB/sec towards something that offers 25x more performance.  Keep in mind that you'll need the newer USB 3.2 2x2 connector port; the 'standard' USB 3.2 operates at half the speed, around 1 GB/sec (which is still very fast). Stability and compatibility, well, it's USB, man - we had no issues with it whatsoever. In conclusion, this is a reasonably priced USB 3.2 SSD. It's convenient to carry a portable storage unit that provides super-fast performance for today's USB needs and requirements. If you need fast portable storage, you can't go wrong here, and it comes with a secure feel and a 5-years warranty.

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