- Is this drive fast enough for gaming?
- Yes. Game load times and level streaming are close to premium Gen4 drives. Frame rates do not change much between SSDs.
- Does it have DRAM?
- No. It is DRAM-less and uses host memory buffering plus SLC caching, which is why sustained writes slow down on very large transfers.
- Will it fit my laptop?
- It is a standard single-sided M.2 2280 card, so it fits most laptops with an NVMe slot. Check that your slot supports PCIe Gen4; it also works at Gen3 speeds.
- Do I need a heatsink?
- Not for normal use. For long video exports or heavy writes, a slim heatsink helps if your case or laptop has room.
- Is it compatible with a PS5?
- No. The PlayStation 5 requires a Gen4 M.2 drive with a heatsink and specific size limits; this bare drive does not meet the heatsink requirement.
- How does it compare with the Samsung 990 Pro?
- The 990 Pro is faster, has DRAM and better sustained write performance. This drive is the budget pick for everyday use and bulk storage.
- Where is the AGI AI818-43 1TB NVMe M.2 2280 PCIE GEN4.0x4 Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) cheapest?
- At Newegg, for $209.99, as of our latest check.