ADATA Ultimate SU800 256GB

The ADATA Ultimate SU800 is a mainstream SATA III solid-state drive built around the 4-channel Silicon Motion SM2258 controller. This configuration includes a dedicated DRAM cache (not DRAM-less), uses Micron 3D TLC NAND with floating gate technology, and employs an aggressive SLC caching algorithm to maximize burst speeds and saturate the 6Gbps SATA interface. It also uses LDPC error correction and saw internal NAND revisions from 32-layer to 64-layer over its production life; write speeds can fall once the pseudo-SLC cache is exhausted due to the SM2258 handling of direct-to-TLC writes.

Key Specifications

• Interface: SATA III 6Gb/s
• Sequential Read/Write: 560 MB/s / 520 MB/s
• Controller: Silicon Motion SM2258 (DRAM-equipped)
• NAND Type: 3D TLC (Micron Floating Gate)
• Form Factor: 2.5-inch (7mm height)
• Advanced Features: Intelligent SLC Caching, DRAM Cache Buffer, RAID Engine, and Data Shaping support
• Error Correction: LDPC
• NAND revisions: transitioned from 32-layer to 64-layer in later batches

Hardware Alternatives

• Crucial MX500: Closest architectural relative, also uses Micron 3D TLC NAND and a similar Silicon Motion controller lineage; generally offers better sustained write performance after cache exhaustion.
• Samsung 860 EVO: Direct performance competitor that uses Samsung's proprietary MJX controller and V-NAND, noted for better consistency under heavy loads while targeting the same DRAM-backed SATA market.
• WD Blue 3D NAND / SanDisk Ultra 3D: Occupy the same performance tier but use the Marvell 88SS1074 controller instead of Silicon Motion, resulting in different firmware approaches to garbage collection and thermal management while delivering comparable user-facing throughput.