ADATA SX8200 480 GB

[W1zzard]

The ADATA SX8200 SSD ushers in new performance records for our SSD reviews. Despite the use of TLC, speeds are incredible. The SX8200 has a generous 128 GB SLC write cache, which ensures even large write batches get completed at the drive's full speed. Pricing is awesome too, with only $170 for the tested 480 GB version.

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[Ferrum Master]

They put a 70nm DRAM NT5CC128M16IP-DI module rated to 95C max according to the datasheet.

If it reaches 105C it is a broken product in my books.

 

[vMax65]

I have one and just super impressed with the price to performance. Picked it up for £130 in the UK and it is as stated, blisteringly fast for the price. In terms of heat mentioned above, I have had no issues whatsoever and checking the drive at rest it is sitting at 34 degrees C (temps in the UK today are sitting at 25 Degrees C and you can add some more for in the house and PC) with the heatsinc from the Gigabyte Z370 Gaming 7 attached and it never has gone above 60 degrees C, not that I am a heavy IO intesive user but under Crystal disk and ASA, again never above 70 degrees C.

 

[Ferrum Master]

again never above 70 degrees C.

Did you read the whole thing. W1z stated that the on board sensor shows around 30C less than really is...

Your 70C proves that the DRAM cooks at near 100C.

 

[newtekie1]

They put a 70nm DRAM NT5CC128M16IP-DI module rated to 95C max according to the datasheet.

If it reaches 105C it is a broken product in my books.

I guess that's why they give you a heatsink.

 

[Ferrum Master]

I guess that's why they give you a heatsink.

As w1z also said. It does not help. Read up mate.

 

[kastriot]

It's a overpiced crap simple as that.

 

[jabbadap]

As w1z also said. It does not help. Read up mate.

Wonder how hot is that dram chip between the ssd and mobo. This drive obviously needs some air flow.

But yeah that inaccurate temperature readings are sadly quite common with m.2 ssds.

 

[newtekie1]

As w1z also said. It does not help. Read up mate.

Where in the review does it say that the DRAM chip is still hitting over 95°C with the heatsink on?

 

[Ferrum Master]

Where in the review does it say that the DRAM chip is still hitting over 95°C with the heatsink on?

Thermal throttling can still happen, even with the heatsink installed

102C was the reported max.

I would hardly call this thing a heatsink, it is a plate. It will heat up during usage and get overwhelmed in practice as the heat usually builds up. Considering the RAM is sided on both sides of the PCB and venting the other one is impossible as such. Installing Final Fantasy 15 or similar sized would be a torture on that device for sure. Moving Steam stuff around is the only rare scenario when common user can trigger a serious load on these devices.

 

[dj-electric]

It's a overpiced crap simple as that.

Extreme lack of market knowladge.
in EU this NVMe drive is priced below 150 euros, making it an obvious choice over just about any SATA based drive.
NA got the short end of the stick here.

 

[newtekie1]

102C was the reported max.

I would hardly call this thing a heatsink, it is a plate. It will heat up during usage and get overwhelmed in practice as the heat usually builds up. Considering the RAM is sided on both sides of the PCB and venting the other one is impossible as such. Installing Final Fantasy 15 or similar sized would be a torture on that device for sure. Moving Steam stuff around is the only rare scenario when common user can trigger a serious load on these devices.

So...he didn't actually say it and you were just making an assumption and trying to act like a know it all...got it.

Next time you try to put words in a reviewer's mouth, and also assume that another person didn't read the review, make sure that person actually didn't read the review. Because I read every word of the review which is why I knew your statement was full of *&$% the moment I read it.

 

[W1zzard]

Installing Final Fantasy 15 or similar sized would be a torture on that device for sure

Not really, you are probably downloading off Steam or copying from another drive, neither of which will be able to send data the the SX8200's full write speed.

Where in the review does it say that the DRAM chip is still hitting over 95°C with the heatsink on?

It does not. The FLIR image is for without heatsink. Another good reason to install the heatsink.

 

[trparky]

This may be off topic but is there such a thing that allows one to connect an m.2 SSD without mounting it to the motherboard? Maybe something similar to u.2?

 

[Caring1]

This may be off topic but is there such a thing that allows one to connect an m.2 SSD without mounting it to the motherboard? Maybe something similar to u.2?

Tried a PCI-e adapter?

On topic, why was the Office installation performance so poor relative to all other charts?
Also as only one spot on the drive seemed to heat excessively, doesn't that indicate poor placement of the thermal monitor on the drive? The rest seemed to be within range.
Perhaps they will review that placement once they see feedback such as this great review by @W1zzard.

 

[trparky]

I'm thinking more like mounting it in such a way that allows for more air flow around the m.2 SSD.

 

[newtekie1]

I'm thinking more like mounting it in such a way that allows for more air flow around the m.2 SSD.

I believe there are PCI-E to M.2 adapters that have active cooling fans.

 

[Caring1]

I'm thinking more like mounting it in such a way that allows for more air flow around the m.2 SSD.

Or find an M2 extension cable: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Gen...5d1d-4914-8725-5fffbf9c39eb&priceBeautifyAB=0

 

[vMax65]

Did you read the whole thing. W1z stated that the on board sensor shows around 30C less than really is...

Your 70C proves that the DRAM cooks at near 100C.

Using HW monitor and HW Info this M.2 drive doesn't even get above 40 degrees C in normal use and even at any sort of load I can provide through sustained write tests it is well under 70 degrees C, thankfully I have a decent M.2 Heatsinc provided by Gigabyte and it sits above the graphics card instead of inbetween. But the key takewaway is that it just straight out performs great for the price. They have provided a Heat Sinc but most mid to high end boards now provide great heat sinc's and placement of the M.2 has become better. This drive will cause absolutly no issues to 99% of the users out there. And finally, this move by ADATA has Samsung and others now dropping there prices, which can only be a good thing all around.

 

[bug]

This may be off topic but is there such a thing that allows one to connect an m.2 SSD without mounting it to the motherboard? Maybe something similar to u.2?

Just look at the design: M.2 drives are designed to be installed attached to a parent board.
If there is a way to install them otherwise, it's probably a contraption.

 

[trparky]

Just look at the design: M.2 drives are designed to be installed attached to a parent board.
If there is a way to install them otherwise, it's probably a contraption.

But knowing that these devices get extremely hot kinda' tells me that the design is flawed. Why in God's name would you build something that you know gets hot with no real good way of getting rid of the heat?

 

[bug]

But knowing that these devices get extremely hot kinda' tells me that the design is flawed. Why in God's name would you build something that you know gets hot with no real good way of getting rid of the heat?

Well, M2 was designed before PCIe SSDs. It's not inconceivable no one anticipated heat was a problem devices fit into those slots will have to manage.
So the correct question would be why SSD makers designed devices that put out so much heat knowing fully well they'll operate glued to the motherboard.
Personally, I think these SSDs are perfectly balanced: they extract maximum performance they stay right at the edge of throttling. The only way to make them throttle is stress-testing or some very uncommon scenarios for the home users. But others seem to be more radical in their thinking.

 

[trparky]

So the correct question would be why SSD makers designed devices that put out so much heat knowing fully well they'll operate glued to the motherboard.

Yeah, now that I think about it that would be the correct question to ask.

 

[newtekie1]

But knowing that these devices get extremely hot kinda' tells me that the design is flawed. Why in God's name would you build something that you know gets hot with no real good way of getting rid of the heat?

It is all about use scenario. Yes they get hot, but not during normal use. With this drive, you have to write to it, at full speed, for over 5 minutes before it starts to thermal throttle. You almost have to fill the entire drive before it gets too hot.

Most people don't have a source even fast enough to write to these drives at full speed, and even if they do, they aren't likely to be transferring that much data to the drive all at once.

 

[trparky]

With this drive, you have to write to it, at full speed, for over 5 minutes before it starts to thermal throttle.

What about say, during a disk image like what one would do when preparing to convert to one of these? I may be getting an NVME drive soon, I would be copying my OS from my SATA SSD to one of these.