SanDisk Optimus GXPro 850X 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280

A DRAM-less drive that performs like it has something to prove. Fast, reliable, and a genuine bargain if you shop the low end of the price range.

The sequential numbers are solid, 7300 MB/s read and 6600 MB/s write, but the random IOPS are what surprised us. 800K random read and 1100K random write put this drive in the top tier of our database, which is wild for a DRAM-less design. That translates to fast app launches, quick file searches, and a system that just feels responsive. The 1TB capacity is middle of the pack, but for most people that's plenty. One owner mentioned transferring 1GB in about 3 seconds during backups, and honestly that tracks with what the numbers suggest.

Against the Samsung 990 EVO Plus, the SanDisk holds its own on speed but gives up some brand recognition and that Samsung polish. The Kingston Fury Renegade is a closer fight, with similar performance numbers but typically a higher price tag and a DRAM cache to fall back on. The Crucial T710 and Micron T710 are essentially the same drive under different badges, and they're solid but don't match the SanDisk's random performance in our testing. If raw speed per dollar is your metric, the GXPro 850X wins more often than not.

Pricing is all over the place. In the US you'll see it anywhere from USD 218 to USD 290, and in Europe it swings from EUR 277 to EUR 306. That's a meaningful spread, so don't just grab the first listing you see. The best US deal in our data comes in at USD 218, and at that price this drive is a steal. At the higher end, you're getting into territory where drives with DRAM caches start to look tempting. Shop the low end and you'll feel great about it.

The SanDisk Optimus GXPro 850X is a DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 drive that still manages to punch way above its weight class. The headline number is 7300 MB/s sequential read, which puts it right up there with drives that cost a lot more and carry a lot more cache. If you just want a fast 1TB stick for your laptop or desktop without overthinking it, this one does the job and then some.

What makes it interesting is the combo of that speed with a 600 TBW endurance rating and a 5-year warranty. DRAM-less drives usually make us nervous, but SanDisk's nCache 4.0 controller clearly knows what it's doing here. The random performance is the real story, sitting in the 93rd percentile across our database. That's the kind of ranking that makes everyday tasks feel snappy even when the spec sheet doesn't scream flagship.

If you're building a portable external drive or need something for constant heavy sustained writes, this isn't your drive. The portable score of 18.3 out of 100 tells the story, and the DRAM-less design will show its limits under long write sessions. Go grab a Kingston Fury Renegade or something with a proper DRAM cache instead.

Buy it, especially if you can find it near the USD 218 mark. The SanDisk Optimus GXPro 850X delivers flagship-level random performance without the flagship price, and the endurance rating means you won't be replacing it anytime soon. The DRAM-less design is a compromise, but it's one that barely shows up in real-world use for most people. This is the drive to beat in the budget PCIe 4.0 space right now.