TRANSCEND MTE 250H REVIEW: A AFFORDABLE GEN4 SSD
Although Transcend may not be the most well-known brand, it does have experience in memory, particularly flash. Transcend memory cards, USB flash drives and DRAM modules were once widely available and could be found almost anywhere. With the proliferation of generic SSD producers and the abundance of excellent solutions from well-known brands, Transcend has frequently played a larger role in the OEM market, where it has, putting nostalgia aside, providing clients with good service. Consumer SSDs are still produced by them, and when you can't acquire the SK Hynix drive of your desire, they are frequently dependable alternatives. In that vein, the MTE250H, or 250H for short, is created.
Although the Transcend 250H is a respectable PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, its subpar efficiency and performance make it difficult to justify its high price at the moment. Despite being targeted at the upper end, it is typically subpar or worse when compared to a wide range of superior options. For a drive of this class, Transcend backs it with a respectable warranty and software support, although this is not particularly rare. While the 250S merely has a heat-spreading label, the 250H also includes a PS5-compliant heatsink, which at least aids in keeping the drive cool when under stress.
Transcend emphasizes the dependability and support of their goods as well. This is crucial in regions with a restricted range of SSDs as well as those where its goods are distributed more broadly. Additionally, Transcend's SSDs will be more affordable and readily available there. In other words, if your options for drives are limited and the pricing is reasonable, the 250H can be a viable option.
Specifications
| Product | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface / Protocol | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 / NVMe 1.4 |
| Controller | SM2264 | SM2264 | SM2264 |
| DRAM | DDR4 | DDR4 | DDR4 |
| Flash Memory | 112-Layer Kioxia BiCS5 TLC | 112-Layer Kioxia BiCS5 TLC | 112-Layer Kioxia BiCS5 TLC |
| Sequential Read | 7,200 MB/s | 7,100 MB/s | 7,500 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | 6,200 MB/s | 6,500 MB/s | 6,700 MB/s |
| Random Read | 530K | 530K | 540K |
| Random Write | 420K | 420K | 420K |
| Security | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Endurance (TBW) | 780TB | 1560TB | 3120TB |
| Warranty | 5-Year | 5-Year | 5-Year |
Although this TBW is higher than the industry standard, it is comparable to other high-end SSDs. This is true even while employing various flashes. Like the latter, it features a heatsink, which is a good feature for any premium PCIe 4.0 SSD. This makes it a good option for the PlayStation 5 as well. Transcend advises against removing the heatsink because doing so may void the drive's warranty; however, this will vary on the laws in your country. If your laptop supports double-sided disks, Transcend's 250S model would be a better option because it is similar but does not have a heatsink.