Specifications and Features
VP4000 Mini Key Features
- Sequential Read/write speeds up to 5,000MB/s, 3,500MB/s
- Compliant with NVMe 1.4
- Special edition ultra-thin cooling heat spreader
- Compatible with ROG Ally and Steam Deck
- Up to 2TB storage
- Five-year warranty
The 2TB version of VP4000 Mini has a declared maximum bandwidth of up to 5000MB/s read and up to 3500MB/s write. In our tests, we reached a similar or slightly higher bandwidth, except for the ATTO benchmark, where raw data bandwidth went up to 6.5GB/s.
The VP4000 Mini has a DRAM-less design, so it uses the computer’s RAM to boost the performance. The current generation of SSDs is already very fast without built-in DRAM, so it’s not a big issue, while it saves a lot of space on the PCB and makes high capacity M.2 2230 SSD possible.
Under the label and think heat sink, we will find a Silicon Motion SM2269XT controller and Micron 176-layer QLC NAND. All popular 2TB M.2 2230 SSDs use QLC NAND, so even though we wish to see TLC, we won’t find it in the new series of 2230 M.2 SSDs.
The SSD arrived with a 0-hour counter and was in perfect condition. The CrystalDiskInfo screenshot below shows the SSD’s condition after the tests.
The idle temperature is around 35-40°C. Mixed load tests will cause slightly higher temperatures – around 45°C. However, if we run extended write operations in a closed handheld console, the temperature can be at the edge of throttling, so around 75°C.
Above is a screenshot from Hwinfo64 showing the temperature on a desktop motherboard after extended tests and nearly 2TB of writing. In a PC with good airflow, temperatures are surprisingly low. As mentioned, they may spike during high load in a Steam Deck, ASUS Ally, or other console.
On the next page, we will look at the SSD itself and the package contents.
