Specifications & Features

Specifications & Features

ADATA is now offering no three versions of the SX8200 with the bigger models (256GB/512GB/1TB) have more endurance, including 300 TBW up-to 640 TBW for the 1TB capacity. The sample that has arrived for testing is the 480GB version of the drive. The series as stated will be fitted with TLC written 3D NAND flash memory (vertically stacked). This allows ADATA to offer the proper storage volumes, the EX920 models come with an added DRAM cache chips and a proprietary SMI SM2262 controller.

	Adata XPG SX8200 (240GB)	Adata XPG SX8200 (480GB)	Adata XPG SX8200 (960GB)
Capacity (Raw / User)	256GB / 240GB	512GB / 480GB	1024GB / 960GB
Form Factor	M.2 2280 D5	M.2 2280 D5	M.2 2280 D5
Interface / Protocol	PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3	PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3	PCIe 3.0 x4 / NVMe 1.3
Controller	SMI SM2262	SMI SM2262	SMI SM2262
DRAM	Nanya DDR3	Nanya DDR3	Nanya DDR3
NAND	Micron 64-Layer TLC	Micron 64-Layer TLC	Micron 64-Layer TLC
Sequential Read	3,200 MB/s	3,200 MB/s	3,150 MB/s
Sequential Write	1,100 MB/s	1,700 MB/s	1,700 MB/s
Random Read	200,000 IOPS	310,000 IOPS	310,000 IOPS
Random Write	240,000 IOPS	280,000 IOPS	280,000 IOPS
Endurance TBW	160 TBW	320 TBW	640 TBW
Product Number	ASX8200NP-240GT-C	ASX8200NP-480GT-C	ASX8200NP-960GT-C
Warranty	5-Years Limited	5-Years Limited	5-Years Limited

So instead of using Planar NAND, 3D NAND is used. 3D TLC NAND is physical vertical NAND cell stacking not to be confused with chip stacking in a multi-chip package. In 3D NAND, NAND layers, not chips, are stacked in a single IC. The good news is continued cost reduction, smaller die sizes and more capacity per NAND chip. Also, installed NAND toolsets in the wafer fabs can, for the most part, be reused, thereby extending the useful life of fab equipment. The NAND ICs are driven by an SMI SM2262 controller, there is a DRAM cache up-to 1024 MB.

Controller

Pricing

I just pulled some numbers from some online e-tailers. ADATA is able to keep the prices okay, 240 GB is available for $99,- where the 1TB versions run at roughly 319 USD, (~33 cents per GB) it can be found soon at Amazon and Newegg and your regular etailers. ADATA started shipping the units last month. The SX8200 thus is the flagship SSD, based on the Silicon Motion SM2262 controller paired with Micron's new 64-layer flash. Mind you, there also is a the SM2263XT HMB DRAM-less controller, used on the lower storage units on M.2. Combined with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update you are compatible with Host Memory Buffer technology. With the feature enabled, your system memory substitutes the memory of the drive to cache the map table. Thus using DRAM SSD cached equals a nice price reduction.