Addlink SSD

The Addlink S91 is a 1TB M.2 2230 NVMe SSD built for Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and compact laptops. It delivers 4900 MB/s reads and a 5-year warranty, but the $199 USD price tag is steep for a DRAM-less drive with middling endurance. It's a good fit for handhelds, but anyone with a full-size M.2 slot should look elsewhere.

Sequential reads top out at 4900 MB/s and writes at 3200 MB/s, which puts the S91 around the 66th percentile for speed in our database. That's solid, not spectacular. For context, a top-tier PCIe 4.0 2280 drive will push past 7000 MB/s, but you're not fitting one of those in a Steam Deck. The S91's numbers are more than enough for game loads, OS boots, and general laptop use.

Random performance is a bit more middling at the 59th percentile. The DRAM-less design with HMB support helps, but it's not a substitute for a dedicated DRAM cache under heavy mixed workloads. Thermal throttling is built in, which is good news for a drive crammed into a handheld with minimal airflow. In practice, you'll see quick bursts of speed followed by some drop-off during large file transfers or extended gaming sessions.

Stacked against the Samsung 9100 PRO, the S91 looks like a budget option in terms of raw performance. The 9100 PRO is a PCIe 5.0 drive with speeds that embarrass the S91, but it's also a 2280 drive that won't fit in most handhelds. The Micron T710 and Crucial T710 are closer in spirit, both being high-performance PCIe 4.0 drives, but again, they're full-size. The Lexar NM1090 PRO is another 2280 competitor that outpaces the S91 on paper.

For 2230 specifically, the S91's real competition is other small-form-factor drives like the WD_BLACK SN770M or Corsair MP600 Mini. The S91 holds its own there, with read speeds that match or beat many 2230 alternatives. But the WD_BLACK SN7100, while a 2280 drive, shows what you're giving up in performance by going small. If your device can take a 2280, the S91 makes no sense. If it can't, the S91 is a legitimate contender.

At $199 USD, the S91 is hard to recommend on price alone. You can get a faster 1TB 2280 NVMe drive for less money, but those won't fit in a Steam Deck or ROG Ally. The 2230 form factor carries a premium, and that's the tax you pay for compatibility. If you're upgrading a handheld, the S91 is a reasonable option, but if you have room for a full-size drive, look elsewhere. The 5-year warranty does soften the blow a bit, and the endurance rating is acceptable for the class.

The Addlink S91 is a 1TB M.2 2230 NVMe SSD aimed squarely at handheld gamers and compact laptops. It's a PCIe 4.0 drive with a DRAM-less design that leans on HMB to keep things moving, and it's built for tight spaces like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. At around $199 USD, it sits in that tricky spot where you're paying a premium for the small form factor rather than raw speed.

People searching for a Steam Deck SSD upgrade or a 2230 NVMe drive for a mini PC will find the S91 on the short list. The headline numbers are 4900 MB/s read and 3200 MB/s write, which is respectable for a drive this size. But the real question is whether it holds up under sustained load, and whether the price makes sense when bigger 2280 drives are often cheaper.

We've seen a lot of 2230 drives come through our database, and the S91 lands in the middle of the pack overall. It's not going to blow anyone away on paper, but the 5-year warranty and decent endurance rating suggest Addlink isn't just slapping a label on a generic drive.

Skip the S91 if your device has a full-size M.2 2280 slot. You'll get faster speeds and better value from drives like the Samsung 9100 PRO or WD_BLACK SN7100 for less money. Also skip it if you do heavy sustained writes, like video editing or large file transfers, since the DRAM-less design and 3200 MB/s write speed will bottleneck you. And if you're on a tight budget, there are cheaper 1TB 2230 options that sacrifice some speed but cost significantly less.

The Addlink S91 is a competent 2230 SSD that does exactly what it's designed to do: give handheld gamers and compact laptop users a 1TB upgrade without breaking a sweat. The read speeds are good, the warranty is reassuring, and the thermal throttling is a nice touch for cramped installs. But the price is steep for what you get, and the DRAM-less design means sustained performance isn't going to impress anyone.

Should you buy it? If you have a Steam Deck or ROG Ally and need more storage, the S91 is a solid choice, especially if you catch it on sale. But if you're shopping for a desktop or a laptop with a full-size M.2 slot, skip it and get a faster 2280 drive for less money. The S91 is a niche product, and it's priced like one.