FireCuda 530 2TB

Seagate puts the SSD market on notice, says Chris Szewczyk.

- Chris Szewczyk

SPECS

Capacity: 2TB

Format: M.2 2280 (80mm)

Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe v

Logic: Phison PS5018-E18

Memory: Micron 176L TLC

Sequential read/write: 7,300/6,900 MB/s

Endurance: 2,550TBW

Security: N/A

Warranty: Five years

We’ve been waiting in anticipation for the release of Seagate’s FireCuda 530 series and we can happily state that it’s definitely time to add Seagate to the list of manufacturers capable of making top-tier SSDs.

The FireCuda 530 is a 2280 M.2 drive. It combines brand-new Micron 176-Layer TLC NAND with a Phison PS5018-E18 controller. This gives it a rated sequential read and write speed of 7,300/6,900MB/s, respectively, which is pushing the limits of a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface. The 4TB model has the same rating while the smaller 1TB and 500GB drives are rated for 7,300/6,000MB/s and 7,000/3,000MB/s, respectively. Another key point of note are its two versions: one with a heatsink, and the other without; we’re testing the heatsink-less version.

A key characteristics of the range is its stunning endurance ratings. The 2TB model comes with a massive 2,550TBW endurance (total bytes written), while the 4TB ups this to 5,100 TBW. These make the likes of the Samsung 980 Pro and WD_Black SN850 look like budget bin cheapies in comparison. The lack of AES256 encryption is a notable omission, but Seagate would likely say that drive encryption is unnecessary on a ‘gaming’ SSD.

Running with the big boys