Addlink P30 USB4 SSD Review: Tiny Powerhouse, Budget-Friendly
The Addlink P30 USB4 SSD immediately grabs your attention with its remarkably small size. This drive packs a surprising amount of performance and storage capacity into a package that’s barely larger than a postage stamp, making it a compelling option for users who prioritize portability and value. While it might not be the absolute fastest USB4 SSD on the market, its combination of features and affordability make it a standout contender.
First Impressions: Pocket-Sized Perfection
The first thing you’ll notice is the Addlink P30’s diminutive dimensions. Measuring just 2.5 inches square and approximately half an inch thick, it’s easily one of the smallest USB4 SSDs available. This compact form factor makes it incredibly easy to slip into a pocket or bag, ensuring you always have access to your files on the go. The drive also boasts a sleek and attractive design, although its small size doesn’t allow for a full display of its aesthetic. Its weight is negligible, at only 1.9 ounces without the cable and 2.1 ounces with the included cable.
Under the Hood: Quality Components
Unlike some manufacturers, Addlink is transparent about the components within the P30. It utilizes a Phison PS2251-21 controller paired with 162-layer Kioxia BiCS6 TLC NAND flash memory. This combination ensures a good balance of performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The use of TLC NAND, while not as fast as more expensive SLC or MLC options, allows for higher storage densities and lower prices.
Warranty and Durability: Long-Term Peace of Mind
The Addlink P30 comes with a five-year warranty, providing reassurance that your investment is protected. While Addlink didn’t provide a specific TBW (Terabytes Written) rating, the reviewer estimates it to be around 600TBW per terabyte of capacity, based on the use of TLC NAND. This TBW rating represents the amount of data that can be written to the drive before it potentially reaches its end-of-life. In most real-world scenarios, users are unlikely to exceed this limit within the warranty period.
Pricing and Value: Unbeatable Affordability
One of the most compelling aspects of the Addlink P30 is its competitive pricing. The 1TB model, which was tested for this review, is priced at $89.44, while the 2TB version costs $158.44. These prices are significantly lower than many other USB4 SSDs, making the P30 an exceptional value proposition. For instance, it’s roughly half the price of the top-rated Adata SE920. While the SE920 offers faster performance, the Addlink P30 provides a compelling alternative for users who prioritize affordability and portability. A 4TB version is planned, but not yet available.
Performance: Fast Enough for Most Tasks
While the Addlink P30 isn’t the fastest USB4 SSD available, it still delivers respectable performance for most everyday tasks. The reviewer noted that it lagged behind some larger drives in certain tests, likely due to thermal considerations and the fact that the 1TB model has less secondary cache than higher-capacity versions. However, the P30 still exhibited smooth performance and avoided compatibility issues that have plagued some other SSDs.
In CrystalDiskMark 8’s sequential tests, the P30’s performance was somewhat lower than that of its competitors, although it still managed to outperform the Corsair EX400U. However, the random performance of the Addlink P30 was more in line with the competition.
The drive’s performance in the 48GB transfer tests was decent, but not exceptional. The reviewer noted that the SE920 was more than twice as fast when writing a 450GB file, but this was partly due to the SE920’s larger capacity (2TB) and larger secondary cache. The reviewer suggests that the Addlink P30 would likely achieve better 450GB write times in its 2TB or 4TB configurations.
The slower 450GB write speeds were attributed to the P30’s limited secondary cache of around 50GB. This cache utilizes TLC NAND written as SLC to improve write speeds by avoiding the error-checking overhead associated with multiple voltage levels in TLC NAND. Once the cache is full, the write speed drops to around 830MBps, which is still respectable and significantly faster than older NAND technologies like QLC.
Real-World Usage: A Portable Workhorse
Despite not being the absolute fastest USB4 SSD, the Addlink P30 is "fast enough" for most users. Its compact size and decent performance make it ideal for light data-transfer duties, backing up files, and transporting large media libraries. The reviewer found the drive to be a welcome addition to their setup, even praising the magnetic mounting ring.
Testing Methodology
The review was conducted using a Windows 11 (22H2) 64-bit operating system running on a Z790 motherboard with an i5-12400 CPU and 64GB of DDR5 memory. Intel integrated graphics were used. The 48GB transfer tests utilized an ImDisk RAM disk, while the 450GB file was transferred from a Samsung 990 Pro 2TB SSD. Each test was performed on a newly formatted and TRIM’d drive to ensure optimal results.
The reviewer also noted that SSD performance can vary based on capacity due to factors such as the number of chips and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Furthermore, vendors may occasionally swap components, which can also affect performance.
Conclusion: A Winning Combination of Size, Price, and Performance
The Addlink P30 USB4 SSD is a compelling option for users who need a portable, affordable, and reasonably fast storage solution. While it might not be the top performer in terms of raw speed, its compact size, competitive pricing, and reliable performance make it a standout choice.
Pros:
- Extremely small and lightweight
- Very affordable for a USB4 SSD
- Decent performance for everyday tasks
- Five-year warranty
- Transparent component information
- Magnetic mounting ring
Cons:
- Not the fastest USB4 SSD available
- Smaller secondary cache in the 1TB model can affect sustained write speeds
Overall, the Addlink P30 is a great value for users who prioritize portability and affordability. If you need the absolute fastest performance, you might want to consider a more expensive option like the Adata SE920. However, for most users, the Addlink P30 provides a compelling combination of features and value.
