Addlink S70 SSD Review

by Paul | Last Updated: August 9, 2022

The Addlink S70 is a budget NVMe solid state drive with a starting price of $139 for the 1TB variant. although the brand is popularly known for various mobile devices and think traffic camera. the SSD card has some blistering read and write speed and you can pay as low as $44.99 for the 256GB variant.

It looks like a real deal from every angle but it definitely has some compromises. It 4k reads and write are not the best and it doesn’t have a software backup like we see with other NVMe PCIe SSD cards. The storage card offers a great performance and it is also durable and can even compete with some more expensive cards.

In this comprehensive review, we will provide you with all the information you need to evaluate the Addlink S70 as the best NVMe SSD card for you. read on for its key features as well as pointers for selecting the best NVMe SSD card for your laptop.

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Why you need the Addlink S70 for your laptop

An SSD card otherwise known as a solid-state drive is a computer data storage device that uses flash memory chips and it doesn’t have moving parts. It keeps data safe and performs faster than HDD cards (hard disk drive).

If your laptop doesn’t have an SSD card then you are missing out on fast performance and a number of other features that will save your time. An SSD card doesn’t have any moving parts so data stored inside will be safe even when it falls to the ground.

Because there are no moving parts inside an SSD it won’t come up with any mechanical problems. Laptops that rely on HDD cards have to supply energy to the card before it works. A laptop that uses an SSD card wouldn’t sacrifice any power to in order to service the SSD card because it doesn’t come with a motor like we find inside an HDD card.

A laptop that uses SSD card has faster read and write speeds than a laptop that uses HDD card. there is the need for an HDD card to spin before it works and it slows down the read and write speed. An SSD card uses flash memory chip and data read and write speeds happen instantly and that’s why it is fast.

Maybe you have heard some weird noises when carrying out a graphic demanding task on your laptop well sometimes it’s the HDD card inside. Using an SSD card like the Addlink S70 guarantees almost zero noise because we don’t have any parts moving. It also generates less heat an SSD card is better if you want your workflow to be faster.

Selecting the Best SSD card for your laptop

The Addlink S70 is one of the cheapest 1TB NVMe solid state drive you will find available. The SSD card is a PCIe 3.0, four lane NVMe card. the SSD was built on a second generation, 64-layer 3D triple layer cell NAND manufacturing architecture.

We have four different storage capacities they include the 256GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. At the moment it is a bit difficult to get 1TB and 2TB variants because of shortage of NAND chips. They all come with five years warranty and have a read speed of 3400MBps and a write speed of 3000MBps at least with the 1TB model.

It offers a value in in terms of price to performance ratio and it is highly durable. The SSD card supports management tools like SMART, TRIM data management, and ECC. Addlink however doesn’t provide any software that can be used to access this task.

To monitor and tweak the Addlink S70 you have to use a supported third-party application. This one of the few compromises made on the SSD card. nonetheless the Addlink S70 is still one of the best bargains you can get with decent a decent speed.

The 4k read and write speed might be slow but apart from that I don’t see any other card that come close with what the S70 offers.

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Here are 6 key points for selecting the Addlink S70 for your laptop

Affordable Price

The Addlink S70 is one of the cheapest SSD NVMe cards that you can find out there. It has a starting price of $44.99 for the base model with 256GB for the 1TB model you might spend as much as $140. The price is fair when you consider the performance you will get on the SSD card.

It has a very good read and write speed and as far as the price goes it is actually the only card at that price with such speed. this should be your number one SSD card if you are on a tight budget and still want reasonable sequential speed.

Warranty

The NVMe solid state drive card comes with a five-year warranty which is a very lovely addition to see. If during the course of five years there are any problems with the SSD card then you are rest assured that the brand will either repair or replace the SSD card for you.

This means a lot and it shows that add link actually care about their products. It also adds to the fact that you are getting even more value for money when you decide to buy the Addlink S70.

Fast read and write speed

The Addlink S70 has a superb read and write speed, we have a read speed of 4300MBps and a write speed of 4000MBPs. Your laptop will benefit from the speeds at which the SSD card transfer data.

Although 4k transfer speed is low it shouldn’t be a thing to worry too much about especially when you consider what you are paying to get the Addlink S70.

It is fast and will definitely help in making your work faster. The read and write speed might be different depending on the size you finally decide to buy.

Durable

The NVMe SSD card is highly durable because it has no moving parts and would resist any wear and tear. Even if it falls there is still a high chance that you can pick it up and it would work perfectly. The SSD card should last for years because it is well crafted.

Works with various devices

The card works well across various devices and it should work perfectly with mini laptops, desktops, and system. the S70 has an M.2 form factor and it should be okay regardless of the laptop you are using. It has a design that makes it fit inside most laptops regardless of the GPU that the laptop is using.

Based on NAND technology

The SSD card is based on a NAND technology and it helps minimize the latency of the addlink S70. It makes the NVMe SSD card consumes less power even when in use. the technology also makes the SSD card stay highly reliable. NAND is a type of non-volatile storage technology that doesn’t require power to keep data.

A closer look at the Addlink S70

The addlink S70 has an M.2 2280 package and it measures 22mm wide by 80mm long it will fit inside most of the laptops out there. Addlink used Phison’s E12 controller with support for AES 256 encryption to power the SSD card.

At the bottom of the SSD card we have a 512MB DDR3L cache made by SK Hynix this would increase the write speeds of the S70. This gives us an idea of why the write speed is higher than the read speed. we have Toshibas 64-layer 3D BICS TLC NAND for permanent storage on the addlink S70.

Using a NAND technology on the S70 was a good move by addlink if you want an SSD card to perform well the technology is required. The 256GB and 512GB variants perform lower because they don’t have enough NAND chips to service the Phison E12 all the times.

The 1TB and 2TB variants have enough NAND chips in them that’s why they guarantee higher and better performance. we have a five-year warranty and that is addlinks way backing up their claim in terms of durability. The SSD card can be used for video editing, gaming, and even 3D rendering. It has the power and capacity to run difficult tasks smoothly.

About the Addlink S70 manufacturers

Addlink has been a major player in the mobile storage industry for more than 15 years. Their head office is based in Taipei and they aim to create an outstanding brand in terms of quality and design solutions.

They have a team that focuses on innovative electronics, products design, and development based on the concept of following the latest technology trends and consideration for their user’s experience.

Product Specifications and Features

Form Factor – M.2 2280

Controller – Phison E12 with DDR3L cache

Storage Options – 256 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB

NAND – AES 256 bit

Interface – NVMe PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4 lanes

Warranty – Up to 5 years

Dimension – 80mm x 22mm x 3.5mm

Weight – 8.2 grams

Description of the addlink S70

addlink S70 SSD aims at high-end applications, ideal for photo editing, video production, 3D animation and rendering, gaming, and other intensive applications.

These heavy workloads require efficient processing with no system lags or slowdowns. Powered by 3D NAND flash memory, the S70 not only provides fast transfer speeds but also unmatched reliability and better endurance

Pros of the Addlink S70

Good Performance – the addlink S70 delivers a very good performance as an NVMe SSD card. it has a decent write and read speed especially if you consider the price it is coming in at. You get between 3000 to 3400 of write and read speed which is sufficient enough to process data very fast.

Great Value for Money – when you consider the price you will pay for the addlink S70 then you will realize the value you are getting. It has a lot of amazing features and little compromises that are forgivable. The 1 TB variants cost around $140 and that is a serious bargain I don’t thinks there is any NVMe PCIe SSD card that comes close to this in terms of price to performance ratio.

Five Year Warranty – the SSD card comes with a five-year warranty which simply means within the first five years of using the SSD card if there is any technical issue addlink will repair or replace the SSD card. this further makes the addlink S70 worth buying. Some top brands don’t even give you warranty if you buy their SSD cards.

Highly Durable – the SSD card is very durable and will last a number of years. Since there are no moving parts. It will survive accidental falls and your data will be safe wherever you go. SSD cards are normally durable and the addlink S70 is not different it has a nice design and components that makes it durable.

Cons of the Addlink S70

4K speed is slow – 4k read and write speed is slow on the addlink S70 and that is one of my problem with the NMVe SSD card. the normal read and write speed is fast enough and I feel that the slow 4K speed is one of the compromises that addlink had to make in order to keep the price of the SSD card low.

Lack of a software management tool – the NMVe card doesn’t have an official software that can be used to modify or backup the data saved on the SSD card. you can do that with some third-party software’s but it is not very easy to use other software’s.

F.A.Q

Will the warranty be valid if I remove the sticker?

Yes, the warranty will still be valid even if you remove the sticker. You need to keep the box however for RDA purposes.

Will this work on a PCIe x16 slot using an adapter?

Yes, it is going to work just fine but it is an X4 lane device so it will only use 4 lanes.

How many write cycles can this SSD drive endure?

The write cycle that the SSD card will endure depends on the variant you decide to buy. The 256 GB variant will endure 350TBW, 512 GB will endure 600TBW, 1TB will endure 1200TBW, and the 2 TB will endure 2000TBW.

Rounding up

As one of the first SSD cards released by Addlinks the S70 holds a promise of what’s to come. It offers an amazing value for money and price to performance ratio is okay. It lacks in some aspect but if you are a gamer or content editor then it will serve you just well.

The SSD card handles basic task like a pro and I think it is on par with the expensive Samsung EVO 970. If you wish to buy an NVMe SSD card on a tight budget then look no further because I cant point another solid state drive that offer better than this at an affordable price.