SanDisk 1TB SSD NVMe

The SanDisk Optimus GX is a 1TB M.2 2230 NVMe drive with 7250 MB/s reads and 6900 MB/s writes, putting it near the top of our speed rankings. It's one of the fastest 2230 drives available, making it ideal for Steam Deck and handheld upgrades. Pricing ranges from $230 to $249 in the US, with wider spreads in Europe and Canada, so shop around. If you need a 2230 drive, this is a top pick. If you have a full-size slot, you can find better value elsewhere.

The headline numbers are the sequential speeds: 7250 MB/s read and 6900 MB/s write. That's near the ceiling of what PCIe 4.0 x4 can do, and it puts this drive in the top tier of our speed rankings. For real-world use, that means game loads, file transfers, and OS boots all feel snappy. You're not going to notice a difference between this and a drive that hits 7400 MB/s, but you will notice the jump from a SATA SSD or an older PCIe 3.0 drive.

Random performance is where this drive really shines. 1000K random read IOPS and 1300K random write IOPS put it in the 96th percentile of all drives in our database. That's the kind of performance that makes everyday tasks feel instant, opening apps, switching between programs, loading save files. The DRAM-less design doesn't seem to hurt here, which is a pleasant surprise. The TLC NAND is a good choice too, giving you better endurance than QLC drives without the price premium of MLC.

The Samsung 990 PRO is the obvious comparison. It's a full-size 2280 drive with similar sequential speeds and a DRAM cache, but it won't fit in a 2230 slot without an adapter, and adapters are a pain. The 990 PRO also tends to cost more per gigabyte. If you have a standard M.2 slot, the 990 PRO is the safer bet. If you need 2230, the Optimus GX is the better choice.

The Crucial T700 is a PCIe 5.0 drive that absolutely smokes the Optimus GX on paper, with sequential reads well over 10,000 MB/s. But it's also a full-size drive, runs hot, and costs significantly more. The Kingston Fury Renegade and Lexar Professional NM1090 PRO are both strong full-size alternatives with similar or better specs, but again, they won't fit in a 2230 slot. The Team Group MP44 is a budget-friendly option that comes in larger capacities, but its performance doesn't match the Optimus GX. If you need 2230 specifically, the Optimus GX is basically in a class of its own right now.

Pricing on the Optimus GX is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, you're looking at $230 to $249 across five listings. In Europe, the spread is EUR 235 to EUR 260 across four listings in Germany, Spain, France, and Italy. If you're in the EU, shop around a bit, the EUR 25 difference between vendors is real money. In Canada, the gap is even wider: CAD 330 to CAD 415 across just two listings. That CAD 85 spread is significant, so definitely check both Canadian retailers before pulling the trigger.

Is it worth it? For a 1TB drive with this level of performance, yes, mostly. You're paying a premium for the 2230 form factor and the speed that comes with it. If you don't need the small size, you can find full-size 1TB PCIe 4.0 drives for less. But if you're upgrading a Steam Deck or a compact laptop, your options are limited, and this is one of the fastest 2230 drives available. The affordability percentile sits at 40th, so it's not a budget pick, but it's not outrageously priced either.

The SanDisk Optimus GX SDSP71100TAT is a 1TB M.2 2230 NVMe drive that punches way above its size class. The 2230 form factor is the little guy of the SSD world, usually reserved for handhelds like the Steam Deck and compact laptops. But SanDisk stuffed PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds into this tiny package, and the numbers are genuinely impressive. We're talking 7250 MB/s sequential reads and 6900 MB/s writes, which puts it right up there with full-size drives that cost more and take up way more space.

Who's this for? Anyone upgrading a handheld gaming PC, a thin-and-light laptop, or a mini PC that only accepts 2230 drives. It's also a solid pick for anyone who wants top-tier speed without paying flagship prices. The Optimus GX sits in a weird but great spot: it's not the cheapest 1TB drive out there, but it's one of the fastest 2230 options we've seen in our database, and the endurance rating is nothing to sneeze at either.

What makes it interesting is the combination of speed and endurance in a DRAM-less design. DRAM-less drives usually sacrifice some performance, especially on random writes, but SanDisk's controller and firmware seem to handle it well. The 1000K random read IOPS and 1300K random write IOPS are strong numbers for any drive, let alone one this small. And with 600 TBW endurance and a 5-year warranty, SanDisk is clearly confident this thing will last.

If you have a standard M.2 2280 slot in your desktop or laptop, skip this drive. You're paying a premium for the compact 2230 form factor that you don't need, and you can find full-size drives with similar or better performance for less money. The Samsung 990 PRO, Kingston Fury Renegade, or even a budget Team Group MP44 will serve you better in a full-size slot.

Also skip it if you need more than 1TB of storage. The Optimus GX only comes in a 1TB capacity, so if you're building a game library that needs 2TB or 4TB, you'll need to look elsewhere. The Team Group MP44 comes in larger capacities, and full-size drives generally offer more options. And if you're on a tight budget, the affordability percentile of 40th means there are cheaper 2230 drives out there, they just won't be as fast.

If you're upgrading a Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or any other handheld that takes a 2230 drive, the Optimus GX is an easy recommendation. The speed is top-tier, the endurance is solid, and the 5-year warranty gives you peace of mind. The 1TB capacity is a sweet spot for handheld gaming, enough room for a decent library without breaking the bank.

For laptop users with a standard 2280 slot, the calculus changes. You can get similar or better performance from full-size drives for less money, and you'll have more capacity options. The Optimus GX only makes sense here if you specifically need the 2230 form factor. But if that's your situation, this is one of the best options on the market right now.