Adata has just released a Pro version of its high-performance Legend 970 PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD. The new model sports a higher maximum capacity of 4TB (compared to the 2TB of the vanilla 970) and its active cooling solution is now powered directly from the M.2 slot, meaning you don’t have to plug it into a spare SATA power cable to power the tiny on-board active cooling fan.
The company claims a 14 GB/s sequential read and 11 GB/s sequential write speed for the Legend 970 Pro, delivering a small bump in performance versus the Legend 970. It also has a higher random read performance at 1,800K, although its random write drops to 1,300K (versus 1,400 for the Legend 970). The 4TB Legend 970 Pro has a minimum endurance of 2,960TBW, or about 740TBW per 1TB of space, which puts it slightly higher than average.
Here's a comparison of the Adata Legend 970 which we reviewed last December, and new Adata Legend 970 Pro specifications:
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Adata Legend 970 | Adata Legend 970 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1TB / 2TB | 1TB / 2TB / 4TB |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5026 E26 | IG5666 |
| Flash Memory | 232-Layer Micron TLC | 232-Layer Micron TLC |
| Sequential Read | Up to 10,000 MB/s | Up to 14,000 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | Up to 10,000 MB/s | Up to 11,000 MB/s |
| Random Read | Up to 1,400K | Up to 1,800K |
| Random Write | Up to 1,400K | Up to 1,300K |
| Endurance (TBW) | 1,400TB (700TB per 1TB) | 2,960TB (740TB per 1TB) |
| Warranty | 5-year limited warranty | 5-year limited warranty |
| Dimensions | 80.6 x 24.2 x 17.9mm | 80.6 x 24.2 x 17.9mm |
| Weight | 57.1g | 52.1g |
Some may consider the biggest feature Adata had brought to the Legend 970 Pro is the use of the M.2 slot to power its on-board fan, thus reducing the cable clutter brought about by the extra SATA power plug on the vanilla version. Furthermore, the 4TB maximum capacity on the Pro version could be a godsend for creators, especially those who work with massive files (like 4K video recordings).
Another thing to note is the new controller the Pro version uses. The Phison PS5026 E26 controller is known to crash instead of thermal throttle when hitting its temperature limits. Even though this issue has since been fixed, Adata switched to InnoGrit’s IG5666 controller for the Pro — similar to what the TeamGroup uses for its ultrafast T-Force Z54A consumer SSDs.
Adata hasn’t revealed pricing for the Legend 970 Pro just yet, but those who require fast and massive storage solutions should be on the lookout when these SSDs arrive on the market. Hopefully we can get one into the labs for a review and direct comparison with its predecessor and other rivals on the market.
