Specifications and Features
Legend 970 Key Features:
- PCIe Gen5 x4 transmission interface
- Up to 10,000/10,000MB/s sequential read/write speed
- Dual-layer aluminum alloy and fan form a patented active air cooling system
- Compared with a fanless heat sink, temperatures are significantly reduced by 10%
- Surface crystallization improves thermal conductivity
- Operates long-term without slowing down or crashing
- 2000GB capacity
- Supports the latest Intel and AMD platforms
- 5-year warranty
Legend 970 Specifications:
| Capacity | 1000GB / 2000GB |
|---|---|
| Form factor | M.2 2280 |
| NAND Flash | 3D NAND |
| Controller | Phison PS5026 E26 |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 80.6 x 24.2 x 17.9mm / 3.17 x 0.95 x 0.7inch |
| Weight | 57.1g / 2.01oz |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Sequential Read (Max) | Up to 10,000MB/s |
| Sequential Write (Max) | Up to 10,000MB/s |
| 4KB Random Read IOPS(Max) | Up to 1,400K |
| 4KB Random Write IOPS(Max) | Up to 1,400K |
| Operating temperature | 0°C – 70°C |
| Storage temperature | -40°C-85°C |
| Shock resistance | 1,500G/0.5ms |
| MTBF | 1,600,000 hours |
| Terabytes Written (TBW) | 1,400TB |
| Warranty | 5-year limited warranty |
The 2TB version of the Legend 970 has a declared maximum bandwidth of up to 10GB/s read and up to 10GB/s write. Since most operations in modern computers are random, we are more interested in mixed load tests rather than linear read and write. It’s still great that the SSD can reach 10GB/s bandwidth, as until last year, we could see it only in RAID configurations.
The SSD arrived with a 0-hour counter and was in perfect condition. However, there was about 1TB written, which I assume is an internal quality check. CrystalDiskInfo shows that the SSD is without SMART errors or used cells.
ADATA gives us SSD ToolBox software, which diagnoses our SSD, checks the performance, optimizes the system, updates the firmware, and clones the drive. It’s everything we may need. To standardize our tests, we use third-party software so you can also compare results and sensor readings with your home devices.
ADATA Legend 970 runs at quite low temperatures. As you can see on the screenshot from hwinfo64, we couldn’t pass 67°C during extended tests. It means that the SSD is not throttling at all, as its throttling point is above 75°C.
The SSD uses a Phison PS5026 E26 controller, the most popular option in the available M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD. All the PCIe 5.0 SSDs are also known to run hot and throttle without proper cooling. As I mentioned, it’s not the case with the Legend 970, as it always provides optimal performance. On the other hand, the used cooling has its downsides as it’s noisy. Imagine a mid-class laptop running at full load or a Steam Deck during a demanding gaming session. It could have been acceptable ten years ago, but now it’s for sure a disadvantage, even though it’s advertised as a great and cool solution. It’s still not as bad as ASRock’s motherboard cooler with a similar-sized fan that spins at over 12k RPM. We couldn’t check the ADATA fan speed as it’s connected via a SATA power cable, but we can expect something similar.
On the next page, we will look at the SSD itself and the package contents.
