Hey everyone! Today, I’m diving into the world of budget-friendly NVMe drives. I’ve tested four different brands of non-DRAM, TLC memory NVME drives, all retailing for under $50. Are these the best deals for upgrading your storage in 2025? Let’s find out!
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Timetec M810 1 TB NVME 🛒 https://amzn.to/3CN0XIC
Patriot P300 1 TB NVME 🛒 https://amzn.to/3CM2637
Silicon Power A60 1 TB NVME 🛒https://amzn.to/41kDGXN
Teamgroup MP33 1 TB NVME 🛒 https://amzn.to/3Qt4v5G
Testing Methodology
For this test, I used four different drives in the standard 2280 size. The installation was straightforward on my ITX board, and I booted from a USB with Linux to keep things independent of any operating system-specific factors. I ran four types of tests: sequential write, sequential read, random write, and random read, each for 30 seconds.
Timetec M810
The Timetec M810 surprised me with its performance. Here are the results:
- Sequential Write: 2078 MB/s
- Sequential Read: 3226 MB/s
- Random Write: 700 MB/s
- Random Read: 599 MB/s
This drive was definitely a dark horse in my testing. I hadn’t used Timetec before, and its performance was impressive!
Patriot P300
Next up is the Patriot P300. It’s also a Gen 3×4 TLC memory drive, claiming a read speed of up to 2100 MB/s. Here are the results:
- Sequential Write: 2080 MB/s
- Sequential Read: 2167 MB/s
- Random Write: 661 MB/s
- Random Read: 580 MB/s
The Patriot performed consistently, but it lagged behind the Timetec in random read speeds. Still, it’s a solid choice for budget builds.
Silicon Power A60
Now, let’s look at the Silicon Power A60. This drive is marketed as a budget option but delivered some surprising results:
- Sequential Write: 2829 MB/s
- Sequential Read: 3536 MB/s
- Random Write: 859 MB/s
- Random Read: 1164 MB/s
The Silicon Power drive took the lead, especially in random read/write speeds, making it a great option for those who prioritize performance.
Teamgroup MP33
Finally, we have the Teamgroup MP33. Here’s how it fared:
- Sequential Write: 2554 MB/s
- Sequential Read: 3551 MB/s
- Random Write: 807 MB/s
- Random Read: 900 MB/s
The Teamgroup drive showed strong read performance, making it a good choice for gaming and data-heavy applications.
Final Thoughts
All four drives performed above their advertised speeds, which was a pleasant surprise. The standout was definitely the Silicon Power A60 due to its excellent random read/write capabilities.
If you’re looking for a budget NVMe, I’d recommend the Teamgroup or Silicon Power for their performance, but the Timetec is a close second for those who want something more affordable.
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