TEAMGROUP MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0×4 NVMe SSD Review – Affordable Speed without Compromise

The TEAMGROUP MP44Q M.2 PCIe 4.0×4 is an NVMe SSD that TEAMGROUP released in 2024 as an upgraded version of the MP44L. The MP44Q offers higher write and read speeds while coming to the market at the same price point as its predecessor. What’s interesting is that it transitions from TLC (triple-level cells) to QLC (quad-level cells), making storage expansion more cost-effective without sacrificing performance.

This is quietly one of the best budget M.2 SSDs with impressive performance and speed, delivering read speeds up to 7,400 MB/s and write speeds up to 6,500 MB/s. It comes with a slim graphene copper foil that’s less than 1mm thick, exclusive intelligent S.M.A.R.T monitoring software, and a five-year warranty. TEAMGROUP also shows environmental consciousness by using recyclable packaging materials to help reduce their carbon footprint.

Packaging

Test System Specifications

For this review, I tested the M.2 SSD in a system running:

• AMD RYZEN 7 7800X3D Processor
• Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX Motherboard
• AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE Graphics Card
• ID COOLING SL360 XE WHITE CPU Cooler
• T-FORCE XTREEM ARGB DDR5 RAM 6000 MHz

Comparison

To properly evaluate the TEAMGROUP MP44Q PCIe 4.0×4, I’m comparing it with the ADATA Gaming XPG S70 GAMMIX PCIe 4.0×4, which offers similar sequential read and write speeds. The key difference is in pricing – the MP44Q is priced at $60 while the ADATA S70 costs around $90. An interesting point of comparison is that the MP44Q comes with a graphene label for cooling while the S70 includes a proper heatsink. Let’s see how they stack up in our benchmark tests:

Testing

1. ATTO SSD Benchmark

ATTO Disk Benchmark is reliable software for testing SSDs, using I/O size and file size transfers for measurement. The test uses direct I/O sizes ranging from 512B to 64MB with a file size of 32GB and a queue size of 4.

The TEAM MP44Q delivered write speeds averaging around 5.9 GB/s and read speeds around 6.8 GB/s. In comparison, the ADATA S70 achieved write speeds averaging around 6 GB/s and read speeds around 6.9 GB/s. However, the S70 showed some inconsistency in its write and read speeds, while the TEAMGROUP MP44Q demonstrated better stability and consistency throughout the tests.

2. CrystalDiskMark Benchmark

CrystalDiskMark (CDM) is a favourite among disk benchmark tests. It allows customisation of test counts, size, and format.

In the Sequential 1 Megabyte Queue (up to 8 with 1 thread) test, both the TEAMGROUP MP44Q and ADATA S70 showed similar read speeds at 6978 MB/s, though the MP44Q was slightly slower in write speed. For the Sequential 128 Kilobyte Queue (up to 32 with 1 thread), the TEAM MP44Q performed about 10% below the ADATA S70.

Where the MP44Q really shined was in the RANDOM test on 4 Kilobyte Queue (up to 32 with 16 threads), which measures the maximum random performance of the drive. The TEAM MP44Q showed a significant advantage with read speeds averaging 4364 MB/s compared to the ADATA S70’s 2908 MB/s. In the lowest performance test using random 4 kilobyte queue (up to 1 with 1 thread), the TEAM MP44Q also dominated by about 10% in both write and read speeds.

3. AS SSD Benchmark Test

AS SSD Benchmark is another excellent tool for testing M.2 SSDs. This test evaluates sequential performance, 4K blocks, 4K blocks distributed to 64 threads, access time, and provides a final score for each SSD.

When transferring a 10GB file, the TEAM MP44Q achieved sequential read speeds averaging 6141 MB/s and write speeds averaging 5662 MB/s. The ADATA S70 performed at 6068 MB/s for reads and 5881 MB/s for writes. Both drives showed strengths for general purposes, though the S70’s faster access time gave it a higher overall score. However, considering the price difference, the MP44Q offers excellent value for everyday work.

In the AS SSD copy test, the TEAM MP44Q was slightly slower (by 0.11 seconds) than the ADATA S70 when transferring ISO files. However, it was significantly faster when transferring programs (5.61 seconds faster) and games (2.74 seconds faster).

4. Blackmagic SSD Test Speed

The Blackmagic Disk Speed Test is designed to measure and certify disk performance for working with high-quality video content.

While CPU and GPU also influence this test, both the TEAM MP44Q and ADATA S70 showed similar results. The MP44Q took the lead in some write and read speed tests, particularly in the Blackmagic RAW section for 4K and 8K, making it an excellent choice for video production work.

5. HDSentinel Temperature Graph

TEAMGROUP MP44Q

After all tests were completed, the maximum temperature during 100% full read or write operations ranged between 49°C – 54°C, with idle temperatures between 40°C – 42°C.

ADATA S70 GAMMIX

The ADATA S70 reached maximum temperatures of 49°C – 56°C during testing, with idle temperatures between 40°C – 41°C.

TEAMGROUP MP44Q NVMe SSD Review Conclusion

After benchmarking with four different disk benchmark applications, I can confidently say that the TEAMGROUP MP44Q delivers exceptional value at its price point. Being $30 cheaper than the ADATA S70 while showing comparable performance and stability across various tests makes it a compelling option. Despite not coming with a dedicated heatsink, the graphene label does an effective job maintaining reasonable temperatures.

TEAMGROUP deserves credit for accurately describing the MP44Q’s capabilities on the packaging, building trust with existing and potential customers. Whether you’re using it for general purposes, high-load tasks, video editing, or gaming, the MP44Q will help you achieve your goals efficiently. If you’re looking for the best budget solution for an NVMe PCIe 4.0 drive that still delivers beastly performance, grab the MP44Q for sure.

Disclosure: TEAMGROUP MP44Q review sample was supplied for reviewing