ADATA Legend 970 Pro PCIe Gen5 x4 M.2 SSD Review

How Much Does it Cost?

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, I couldn’t find pricing for this new drive. However, given that it’s the first Non-Phison controller Gen5 drive, and the 1TB version comes with write speed limitations not found on the 2TB and 4TB variants, I would suspect it is going to be cheaper than anything else of similar speeds. If it isn’t cheaper, then this drive is going to be dead on arrival in a market that already has plenty of expensive high-speed options.

Conclusion

The ADATA Legend 970 Pro 1TB presents a compelling case for itself in the PCIe Gen5 SSD market but with some caveats. While the read speeds are undeniably impressive, exceeding advertised performance and offering a significant leap over Gen4 drives, the write speeds on the 1TB model are notably lower than its larger capacity counterparts. This discrepancy might influence your decision if you require a drive with a more balanced read/write performance profile, especially compared to rival offerings. However, I expect this to be reflected in the retail price.

Cooler

ADATA has implemented an impressive active cooling solution, but I suspect that it’s not without good reason. The new controller is less efficient than its well-established Phison rival, so keeping it cool is a bit more important. Not complaining though, as the cooler did a fantastic job, and temperatures were low. I also like that the drive doesn’t need a power source, and it can be disconnected if you’re bothered by the whirring noise.

New Controller

The InnoGrit IG5666 controller is a newcomer to the scene, and its performance in the Legend 970 Pro is promising. It delivers exceptional read speeds and respectable write performance, although further testing and real-world usage will provide a more comprehensive picture of its capabilities, I think most PC gamers would be more than happy with the write speeds, as it is basically going to exceed however fast you can download something, and the write speeds as blisteringly fast, making gaming loading times pretty minimal.

Performance

The Legend 970 Pro is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, catering to a range of needs and budgets. However, it’s important to note that the 1TB model has limited write speeds compared to the larger options, Overall, the Legend 970 Pro delivers a strong performance, especially in read-intensive tasks. It excels in scenarios that demand rapid data access, such as gaming, video editing, and content creation with good random IOPS and access times throughout our testing.

Should I Buy One?

If your primary need is blazing-fast read speeds and you’re working within a 1TB budget, the ADATA Legend 970 Pro is a strong contender. It excels in tasks that demand rapid data retrieval, such as gaming, video editing, and content creation. However, if you need a drive with equally impressive write performance, you might want to consider the 2TB or 4TB version of this drive or explore alternative PCIe Gen5 options. However, if the new controller helps ADATA keep the cost more competitive to Phison-powered options, then they may be onto a winner here.