TeamGroup MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD 1TB Review

When TeamGroup announced the MP44Q series, they promised to deliver bleeding-edge PCIe 4.0 performance without compromise. After spending several weeks putting the 1TB model through its paces, I can confidently say they’ve delivered on that promise – and then some. But in today’s competitive storage market, raw speed isn’t everything. Let’s dive deep into what makes this drive special and whether it deserves a place in your system.

First Impressions and Design

The MP44Q arrives in TeamGroup’s eco-friendly packaging, which immediately scores points for environmental consciousness.

The drive itself is a study in minimalist design, featuring a sleek black PCB with TeamGroup’s signature styling. But what’s really interesting isn’t immediately visible to the naked eye – the patented graphene heat dissipation label that’s less than 1mm thick.

This isn’t just any thermal solution. TeamGroup has earned patents in both Taiwan (M628748) and China (CN 217135922 U) for this innovative approach to heat management. Unlike bulky heatsinks that can interfere with motherboard components, this ultra-thin graphene layer works in harmony with your motherboard’s native cooling solutions while effectively taming the heat output of PCIe 4.0 operations.

Notable is TeamGroup’s decision to go with a DRAM-less architecture, a choice that helps keep costs down while relying on modern host memory buffer (HMB) technology to maintain competitive performance levels.

Advanced Technical Features

3D NAND Flash Architecture

The MP44Q utilizes cutting-edge 3D NAND flash technology, stacking memory cells vertically to achieve higher density and better performance compared to traditional 2D NAND. This vertical integration not only improves storage capacity but also enhances power efficiency and reliability. The 3D NAND architecture allows for better electron control and reduced cell-to-cell interference, resulting in more stable performance and improved endurance.

Intelligent Wear Leveling

One of the MP44Q’s standout features is its sophisticated wear leveling algorithm. This technology ensures that write operations are distributed evenly across all memory cells, preventing premature wear-out of frequently accessed sectors. The drive’s controller actively monitors usage patterns and redistributes data to maximize the lifespan of the NAND flash memory, contributing to the drive’s impressive 5-year warranty coverage.

Advanced Garbage Collection

The drive implements an intelligent garbage collection system that operates in the background to maintain optimal performance. This process consolidates valid data and frees up blocks for future writes, reducing write amplification and improving overall drive efficiency. The garbage collection algorithm is particularly sophisticated, balancing the need for space reclamation with minimal impact on active operations.

End-to-End Data Protection

Security meets reliability with the MP44Q’s comprehensive E2E (End-to-End) data protection system. This feature ensures data integrity throughout the entire data path, from host to NAND and back. The drive includes advanced error correction capabilities, protection against power loss, and data path protection to guard against corruption during transfers. This multi-layered approach to data security makes the drive particularly suitable for professional workloads where data integrity is paramount.

DRAM-less Architecture: Impact and Considerations

The MP44Q employs a DRAM-less design, which represents an interesting engineering choice:

Advantages:

• Lower cost
• Reduced power consumption
• Simplified design
• Relies on HMB technology for caching

Potential Considerations:

• More reliant on system memory for caching
• May impact sustained write performance in very heavy workloads
• Could affect random access performance in certain scenarios

Performance:

The MP44Q delivers decent speeds that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. With sequential read speeds hitting up to 7,400MB/s and writes reaching 6,500MB/s, the drive is pushing the boundaries of what PCIe 4.0 can deliver.

The secret sauce here is the combination of advanced SLC caching technology and a PCIe Gen4 x4 interface. In real-world testing, this translates to practically instantaneous file transfers for most everyday tasks. Game levels load in the blink of an eye, and 4K video editing feels buttery smooth. The drive maintains its composure even under heavy workloads, thanks to that innovative graphene cooling solution keeping temperatures in check. However thing to note with DRAM-less SSDs is that sustained writes of large files would see performance drops in comparison the DRAM drives. So this is something to consider if you’re constantly working with large media files and such.

SSD Disk Benchmark performance

ATTO Disk Benchmark – Performance Scaling by Block Size

Final Thoughts

The implementation of advanced features like intelligent wear leveling and sophisticated garbage collection demonstrates TeamGroup’s commitment to both performance and longevity. While the DRAM-less design might give some professional users pause, the drive’s performance metrics and price point make it an excellent choice for gaming builds and general high-performance computing needs.

For users seeking a balance of speed, capacity, and reliability, the MP44Q makes a compelling case with its robust data protection features and sophisticated NAND management. Whether you’re a gamer, content creator, or professional user, this drive offers a premium storage solution that’s built to last. Offered at a price point of under AU$100 for the 1TB version, the MP44Q certainly make a compelling choice.

Pros:

• Advanced 3D NAND architecture for improved density and efficiency
• Sophisticated wear leveling and garbage collection
• Comprehensive E2E data protection
• Innovative graphene cooling solution
• High capacity options up to 4TB
• PS5 compatible
• 5-year warranty

Cons:

• QLC NAND characteristics may affect sustained write performance
• Requires software installation for full monitoring capabilities
• Background garbage collection may temporarily impact performance during heavy writes

You can buy the TeamGroup MP44Q by following this link https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/hard-drives-&-ssds/solid-state-drives-(ssd)/114500-tm8ffd001t0c101