TEAMGROUP VULCAN G 512GB 2.5'' SSD Review

SSD by stefan @ 2020-11-04

The Vulcan G SSD from TEAMGROUP is meant as an upgrade for entry level and mainstream systems, both which still use a regular HDD as a boot drive. Those in question will notice quite a speed boost overall, while the 512GB of storage should be enough for a lot of installations. By using TLC NAND Flash and a DRAMless controller solution, the overall sale price is brought down considerably. The only downside can be considered the fact that if we do write to the drive continuously, the speed will drop eventually after the SLC pseudo-cache has been filled up.

Introduction

At first we would like to thank TEAMGROUP for offering a sample of their VULCAN G 512GB 2.5'' SSD for testing and reviewing.

About TEAMGROUP:

“TEAMGROUP mainly produces its own brand of memory modules, memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state disks, peripheral series, mobile accessories and industrial applications. Gaming competitions have drawn worldwide attention in the recent years, so TEAMGROUP integrated its gaming memory modules into “T-FORCE” product line which is specifically designed for people who pursuit extreme high speed and excellent performance. These products have been well received by the technology media around the globe and have won honors such as Computex Design & Innovation Awards, Best Choice Award, Good Design Product Award, Golden Pin design ?TAIWAN EXCELLENCE ? GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2017 and iF Design Award 2018. In recent years, it has become the fastest growing 3C product manufacturer and has achieved global leading position. TEAMGROUP also listed company at stock exchange market in January 2019.”

Product Features, Specifications

Product Features:

The best choice for upgrading gaming PC

The VULCAN G Solid State Drive uses SATA interface and 3D NAND flash memory chip, which makes booting or loading games much faster compared with traditional drives. It is definitely the best choice for upgrading your gaming PC!

4 times faster with performance upgrade

The VULCAN G Solid State Drive has excellent read/write speed up to 4 times faster than traditional drives. With read/write speed up to 550/500MB per sec, there’s no need for waiting, you are ready for any game at any time!

Optimized SLC caching algorithm

The SLC caching algorithm is supported, which can greatly enhance the read/write speed. The superior performance allows you to enjoy the ultimate thrill of speed!

Smart Optimization and stable operation

S.M.A.R.T. monitoring technology and Windows TRIM optimization command are supported, which allows free blocks to bed used as soon as they are released, accelerating transfer and writing performance and keeping the system stable with smart monitoring.

Compatible, reliable and prolonging the service life

Built-in ECC (Error Correction Code) and Wear-Leveling technology can improve the reliability of data transfer and prolong the service life, allowing for greater stability and compatibility in data storage.

Product Specifications:

Packaging, A Closer Look

TEAMGROUP has recently launched a storage product for the entry-level segment and to be more exact the VULCAN G series of 2.5’’ SSDs. The product can be purchased with capacities of 512GB or 1TB, come with 3D NAND TLC Flash from Toshiba and packs a 3-year warranty.

It is shipped inside a compact cardboard enclosure with the total storage capacity written on top, together with some features like form factor, supported functions and the fact that it comes with SLC caching:

On the back we will learn about the product specifications, power rating, internal code name but also the product serial number:

After removing the top packaging layer, we will end up with the main product, sitting inside a transparent plastic mold:

The 2.5’’ drive does come with an aluminum chassis and the T-FORCE Gaming logo in the middle; the product logo is also present in the lower right side of the top cover:

On the side, we will observe the mounting holes with threads:

The drive sports the usual SATA Data/Power connectors:

A Closer Look Contd.

A large sticker is present on the back side of the drive, highlighting the full product name, its power rating, the product code name but also the serial number; please note that a warranty sticker is present on the side of the chassis:

The enclosure does not feature any screws, only clips and it may take a while to remove the two halves without damaging the interior:

The drive PCB does only take a small portion of the whole space and is fixed with three screws; on the back side there aren’t any controllers or NAND packages installed: