PSA: Kingston NV1 SSD Comes with a Hardware Spec Lottery: TLC or QLC, SMI or Phison

[btarunr]

Kingston NV1 is an entry-level M.2 NVMe SSD that comes at extremely tempting pricing of just $85 for the 1 TB version. Read all about it in our detailed performance review of the 1 TB variant. After our testing, when we peeled the label for component photography, we discovered that our drive combined a Silicon Motion SM2263XT DRAM-less controller, with 96-layer QLC NAND flash by Micron Technology. This went against every other review of the NV1 we read so far, which points to a combination of a Phison E13T series controller, with either TLC or QLC NAND flash, depending on the drive capacity. This makes our review probably the first instance of an SMI+QLC combination.

We did some digging, and are drawn to the origins of the NV1. Launched in March 2021, the drive adopts a strategy by Kingston to only advertise the performance and endurance numbers that are possible with any drive hardware combination. An AnandTech article from the time references how the drive, much like the A400 SATA SSD, comes in a number of controller+flash combinations. These include the SMI SM2263XT, or Phison E13T; and NAND that's either TLC or QLC. This uncertainty in hardware specs means that when you to go shop for an NV1, you can only expect the worst (i.e. QLC flash).

Update Dec 30th: As one of our readers pointed out, you can identify the Phison and SMI versions of the NV1 without breaking the package. This is illustrated in the second picture below, just look for the shiny controller (SM2263XT) or the capacitor arrangement (Phison E13T). Pictures on shop websites will probably not reflect this as most will either use a stock image provided by Kingston, or shoot the photo once and never update it.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[trsttte]

Basically don't buy, cool another one risked from the list.

I think i'll stick with WD, Samsung, Micron and Kioxia (vertically integrated brands who make their own stuff instead of just shopping around for components). Not that they're innocent either but at least they seem a lot more reliable in terms of keeping with what they advertise.

 

[Dragokar]

They all do the same^

 

[Nephilim666]

They all do the same^

Do you have examples?
I was only aware of ADATA and now Kingston.

 

[Rhein7]

Kinda expect that tbh and I actually don't mind.
In my country, 2TB NV1 is roughly $200 which is the cheapest 2TB NVME drive you could buy here though the endurance is pretty pathetic with only 480 TBW.
As a comparison, 2TB Adata SX8200 Pro is $293 and 970 Evo Plus is $355 here.

I was actually thinking to buy 2 of them and using one as big ass usb drive with an enclosure.

 

[huggi]

Do you have examples?
I was only aware of ADATA and now Kingston.

Et tu, Samsung? Samsung Too Changes Components for their 970 EVO Plus SSD | TechPowerUp

Samsung updated the 970 EVO Plus controller from the older Phoenix to the newer Elpis (which is used in their 980-series drives) and to a different/repackaged version of the same 96-layer NAND. This resulted in better performance when writing data under 115GB but slower writes after that because of the revised SLC cache. For the general consumer, I think that it was an overall positive change because home users are not writing more than 115GB in one go usually.

That said, this isn't as bad as what Kingston have done in that every 970 EVO Plus produced after the change would have the updated components rather than being a lottery of getting either an older or newer component combination.

 

[Chaitanya]

Do you have examples?
I was only aware of ADATA and now Kingston.

Western Digital caught swapping lower-grade NAND into budget SSD

Buying an SSD can be a daunting task with the variety of options that are available today. Using guides like our own can help you navigate through...

www.techspot.com

Samsung seemingly caught swapping components in its 970 Evo Plus SSDs

The Phoenix controller in Samsung's own product images isn't present on newer drives.

arstechnica.com

Unsavory Flash Swap: Re-Testing Crucial’s P2 SSD After QLC Downgrade

Crucial’s P2 now ships with QLC flash, making it a poor performer and an even worse value.

www.tomshardware.com

Kingston has been the OG when it comes to SSD bait and switch.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Those that look performance over specs usually do enough research to know which drives are being played off as better than it actually is. This surprise specs means kingston could be trying to get rid of overstock, or just out for a buck. IDK, where is your trust knowing you are being lied to? Going in to purchase a drive, at least readers of this article have paid attention and are aware of the risk and likely will shun away from kingston, now and in the future.

 

[ArdWar]

I guess it's bound to happen more and more often as SSD go even more mainstream and become commodities. Might not long until the spec become a tossup and as nondescript as today's HDD/SD card/flashdisk.

 

[trsttte]

I guess it's bound to happen more and more often as SSD go even more mainstream and become commodities. Might not long until the spec become a tossup and as nondescript as today's HDD/SD card/flashdisk.

Though you could argue the same happens with HDDs and definitely happens with flashdisks, SD cards actually solved this by having a standard speed spec. Currently that spec became outdated and anything but the bottom of the barrel can class 10, and even the new revisions UHS and Video class didn't solve much, but there are standards. SSD is up to fuck you it's whatever!

Someone needs to bring up a standard spec for companies to meet, this bait and switch is bullshit! I'd hoped the PS5 using a standard m.2 and "requiring" a minimum speed would help solve this but doesn't seem like it.

I'm only buying from main manufacturers (WD, Samsung, Micron, Kioxia), they also have been caught doing the same BS but have been more reliable than the rest at least (Samsung for example, in the recent 970 Evo debacle was a single change and kind of a toss up in performance other than niche cases, Adata/Kingston have basically changed the entire product, that should be illegal!)

 

[Nephilim666]

Western Digital caught swapping lower-grade NAND into budget SSD

Buying an SSD can be a daunting task with the variety of options that are available today. Using guides like our own can help you navigate through...

www.techspot.com

Samsung seemingly caught swapping components in its 970 Evo Plus SSDs

The Phoenix controller in Samsung's own product images isn't present on newer drives.

arstechnica.com

Unsavory Flash Swap: Re-Testing Crucial’s P2 SSD After QLC Downgrade

Crucial’s P2 now ships with QLC flash, making it a poor performer and an even worse value.

www.tomshardware.com

Kingston has been the OG when it comes to SSD bait and switch.

Thanks!
Will add them to the do-not-buy list.

 

[illusion archives]

In China, it's supposed that NV1 using TLC for 250/500GB SKUs and switching to QLC for 1/2TB types.

Phison E13 + 500GB Kioxia BICS4 TLC: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1B54y1j7Ty
Phison E13 + 2TB IMFT N18A QLC: https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv11191198
Although E13-based NV1 is common, SM2263XT-based NV1 also exists:
Silicon Motion SM2263XT + 1TB IMFT N18A QLC: https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv11808272

If Kingston does not break the 'rule' that only using QLC on capacious SKUs, that won't be too bad. But, the 'rule' itself is fragily.

 

[maxfly]

Someone should create a thread that lists all of the shoddy drives. Its gotten to the point that I can't keep track of them all there are so many!

 

[INSTG8R]

Someone should create a thread that lists all of the shoddy drives. Its gotten to the point that I can't keep track of them all there are so many!

Exactly, now I question my pretty recently purchased (around the date of the article) Samsung 970 Evo Plus…

 

[LabRat 891]

Soooo... Buy one from each of your trusted eTailers and then return the slowest ones? Got it.

 

[ShiBDiB]

Eh it's an entry level SSD, I'm fine with them using the cheapest available reliable components. Not like they lied about the specs (you could get faster than advertised depending on the hardware)

 

[Raven Rampkin]

Wasn't this supposed to be a "value" tier SSD? Value tier SSDs are like value tier RAM. Whatever chips were available and/or affordable at the time. Whatever PCBs.

 

[zlobby]

Someone should create a thread that lists all of the shoddy drives. Its gotten to the point that I can't keep track of them all there are so many!

We need a wall of shame for shady PC components on TPU. Otherwise we'll need to google stuff.

 

[Luminescent]

Bought one NV1 1tb for black friday, very cheap but when i read the endurance i was horrified, fliped it immediately with a tiny profit and bought a kingston a2000.

 

[Spartoz]

Basically don't buy, cool another one risked from the list.

I think i'll stick with WD, Samsung, Micron and Kioxia (vertically integrated brands who make their own stuff instead of just shopping around for components). Not that they're innocent either but at least they seem a lot more reliable in terms of keeping with what they advertise.

WD doesn't do that with their SSDs, the green and blue lineup change controllers and NAND too

 

[Bomby569]

I do get this sell like crazy and shortages and supply chain issues make it almost impossible for them to get a constant supply of the same parts. And if it's on the cheaper models its understandable. Better then not having any to buy. And it's also not reasonable to expect them to make a different SKU, packaging, dedicated website page just for one different component. That would also make them more expensive for virtually no reason.

On the higher end models with bigger margins, there i think there is no excuse for them not to segment the product if the components change. Just make another SKU.

 

[Frick]

I bought this in october for €45, the 500GB version, haven't installed yet. It seems I have the SM2263XT version. Didn't buy it for performance though so it's no biggie. This kind of thing is always annoying though.

 

[defaultluser]

Why is anyone at all surprised by this? Kingston built a business around being the world's top re-brander (they don't make the chips or controllers)

They invented the SIMM (in the late 80s), and have been running the business on autopilot ever since - they are no better to buy from than any other worthless reseller (put them in the same class with crap like ADATA)

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Eh it's an entry level SSD, I'm fine with them using the cheapest available reliable components. Not like they lied about the specs (you could get faster than advertised depending on the hardware)

Being entry level does not excuse lying on specs. That kind of behaviour only enables companies that do this, and it eventually makes its way up the chain.

ESPECIALLY swapping TLC for QLC. QLC when filled up is HDD levels of slow shit.

 

[Devin Swarvski]

Yea they are all doing the same thing. Not only Kingston and ADATA, even WD was caught doing that with their SN750 (You'll notice that you won't find any information regarding whether the SN770 is QLC/ TLC or whatever on their website lol) I've been buying SSDs from addlink for my PS5 and my PC. So far they are the only ones that don't switch their components, I hope that they won't let me down any sooner.