Seagate FireCuda X1070 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280

The FireCuda X1070 hits 7200 MB/s reads and 900K random read IOPS, putting it in the top tier of PCIe 4.0 drives. It's QLC and DRAM-less, so sustained writes suffer, but for gaming it's a strong performer. Shop around: US prices swing from USD 350 to USD 460, and only the low end makes sense.

Sequential reads at 7200 MB/s and writes at 6500 MB/s put this drive in the 86th percentile for speed. That's genuinely fast, one of the better PCIe 4.0 numbers we've logged. Random performance is even more impressive: 900K read IOPS and 1000K write IOPS land at the 93rd percentile. For game loading and texture streaming, that random read number matters more than the big sequential figure, and the X1070 delivers.

The DRAM-less design is the trade-off. QLC NAND without a dedicated DRAM buffer means sustained writes can dip once the SLC cache fills. For typical gaming sessions, you'll rarely notice. But if you're moving hundreds of gigabytes of footage or running heavy sustained write workloads, this drive will slow down more than a TLC drive with DRAM. The 1200 TBW endurance is solid for QLC, sitting at the 89th percentile, so longevity isn't a major concern.

Against the Western Digital Black SN850X, the X1070 actually posts slightly higher sequential reads (7200 vs 7300 MB/s depending on the SN850X variant, but the X1070's random IOPS are competitive). The SN850X uses TLC NAND with DRAM, so it holds sustained writes better. The Crucial T500 is another TLC alternative that often undercuts the X1070 on price while delivering similar real-world gaming performance. The Samsung 9100 PRO is a PCIe 5.0 drive, so it's in a different speed class entirely, but you'll pay for it. The Kingston FURY Renegade G5 and Lexar NM1090 PRO are also strong PCIe 4.0 options. The X1070's main edge is that 93rd percentile random read performance, which is genuinely excellent for game loading. But the QLC and DRAM-less design means it gives up ground in sustained writes compared to TLC competitors.

Pricing is all over the place. US listings range from USD 350 to USD 460 across three vendors, which is a USD 110 spread for the exact same drive. At USD 350, this is a competitive deal for a 2TB PCIe 4.0 drive with these speeds. At USD 460, you're paying a premium for what is ultimately a QLC, DRAM-less design. The Canadian listing sits at CAD 612, which is a different market entirely. If you're in the US, shop around before you buy. The affordability percentile is 21st, so this is not a value pick, but the lower end of that price range makes it much more palatable.

The Seagate FireCuda X1070 hits 7200 MB/s sequential reads and 6500 MB/s writes, which puts it in the top tier of PCIe 4.0 drives we've tested. That's fast enough to load a 100GB game in roughly 15 seconds, assuming your CPU can keep up. The 2TB capacity gives you room for a serious game library, and the 1200 TBW endurance rating means you won't burn through the NAND anytime soon.

But here's the catch: this is a QLC drive with no DRAM cache. Seagate leans on HMB (host memory buffer) to keep things snappy, and for most gaming workloads that works fine. The drive scores 73.2 out of 100 overall in our database, with laptop use at 75.7 and gaming at 65.9. The portable score is a rough 18.2, so don't expect this to shine in an external enclosure.

If you do heavy sustained writes, like video editing or moving large media libraries around, skip this. The QLC NAND and DRAM-less design mean write speeds will drop once the SLC cache fills, and that's not a theoretical concern, it's how these drives work. The portable score of 18.2 is one of the worst we've seen, so external enclosure users should look elsewhere. And if you're paying anywhere near USD 460, you're overpaying for what you get. A TLC drive with DRAM like the SN850X or T500 will serve you better at that price.

The FireCuda X1070 is a fast drive with a clear identity: it's built for gamers who want quick load times and don't move massive files around constantly. The 7200 MB/s reads and 900K random read IOPS are legitimately impressive, and the 1200 TBW endurance with a 5-year warranty gives you peace of mind. But the QLC, DRAM-less design and the 21st percentile affordability score mean you should only buy this if you find it at the lower end of the USD 350 to USD 460 range. At USD 350, it's a solid pick. At USD 460, get a TLC drive with DRAM instead.