Gen 4 M.2 SSDs offer a significant advancement in storage technology, offering lightning-fast data transfer rates and excellent performance. One of the most fascinating features of these SSDs is that they have become quite inexpensive in recent years. With increased productivity and competition in the storage market, the cost of Gen 4 M.2 SSDs has dropped dramatically, allowing a broader range of customers to access storage solutions at a faster pace. These low prices, combined with their remarkable speed, have made the Gen 4 M.2 SSDs a popular option for those with systems that seek economical methods to boost overall performance and reduce load times for applications and data access.

In this review, we will be checking out the performance of the ADATA LEGEND 960 MAX and how it performs compared to other M.2 SSDs around the market.

Specifications:

Capacity	1TB / 2TB / 4TB
Form factor	M.2 2280
NAND Flash	3D NAND
Controller	SMI SM2264
Dimensions (L x W x H)	80.6 x 23.2 x 10.65mm / 3.17 x 0.91 x 0.42inch(with heat sink) 80 x 22 x 3.3mm / 3.15 x 0.87 x 0.13inch (without heat sink)
Weight	36.6g /1.3oz (with heat sink) 7.3g /0.26oz (without heat sink)
Interface	PCIe Gen4 x4
Sequential Read (Max)	Up to 7,400MB/s (PC/Laptop)*, Up to 6,400MB/s (PS5)
Sequential Write (Max)	Up to 6,800MB/s*
4KB Random Read IOPS(Max)	Up to 630K*
Operating temperature	0°C – 70°C
Storage temperature	-40°C-85°C
Shock resistance	1,500G/0.5ms
MTBF	1,500,000 hours
Terabytes Written (TBW)	3,120TB**
Warranty	5-year limited warranty**

Closer Look

The packaging comes in a black box with gold text. It is simple and straightforward, but attractive to look at.

Inside the box, you will find the SSD bracket, the gold and black heat sink, and the ADATA Legend 960 MAX PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 SSD.

The Legend 960 MAX supports the latest PCIe Gen4 x4 interface, which meets the NVMe 1.4 standard. It offers mind-blowing creativity and supports the latest Intel and AMD platforms.
With the addition of the SMI Controller, specifically the SMI SM2264, which makes the SSD more stable than others,

The heatsink of the Legend 960 MAX follows the design of the packaging. A black body with gold text and accent. This might not be appealing to others, but for me, it looks classy and premium.

Test Methodology

Here are the components used for testing the SSD.

Specifications:
ASRock Z690 Taichi Intel
Intel i5 13600KF
Thermaltake Core P3 Pro Chassis
DeepCool AK620 Air Cooler
Thermaltake GF3 850W Power Supply
Noiseblocker e-Loop-X Fans

For Benchmark Apps we will be using CrystalDiskMark and HWiNFO64.

Benchmarks

In Sequential Reads and Writes, we can see that it is below what ADATA gave on the specs sheet of their product, around 4000 MB/s. This type of number really depends on the components used, so it may vary from system to system. Also, we can see that this SSD was beaten by a DRAMless SSD in sequential reads, which is the KP800.

Random 4K reads and writes are about average for what an SSD with DRAM speeds should have. This also shows the real-world speed of your SSD on daily usage. So far, the ADATA Legend 960 MAX performs well.

Temperature-wise, the ADATA Legend 960 MAX is one of the hottest SSDs I tested among the SSDs with DRAM. It may be because the sample I got was somehow a little bit damaged from the previous reviewer, or it is what it is. Though the SSD is running in the normal range of working temperatures,

Conclusion

The ADATA Legend 960 MAX Gen 4 M.2 SSD is a good-performing SSD. It performs within the range of what other SSD brands have to offer and, for me, has a great, classy, but premium look.

Though temperature-wise, it’s not the best out of the SSDs with DRAM I tested. It still performs in the range of temperature operation. Also, with ADATA’s reputation, you will have the relief of knowing that you have a good SSD in your hands.

The SSD also comes with a 5-year warranty to give you peace of mind. Also, this is compatible with your storage needs on your PS5. So, you will not go wrong in choosing this SSD.

You can buy the ADATA Legend 960 MAX SSD for around the price of P3,695.00 pesos at your nearest ADATA affiliated online and physical stores.

Because of that. The ADATA Legend 960 MAX receives a Recommendation Award as an all-around SSD that I will likely recommend if you want to use it for your PC and PS5.