Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G SSD Review: A DirectStorage Gaming Drive for Tomorrow
The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G is a high-end, gaming-oriented PCIe 4.0 SSD that uses a blazing-fast controller combined with the best flash on the market to deliver a great all-around experience. It’s specifically designed to take advantage of Microsoft’s upcoming DirectStorage API for both production and gaming workloads, making it overkill for the PlayStation 5 but suitable for high-end PCs, especially if you’re a gamer.
The Rocket 4 Plus-G has many similarities with the latest version of the Rocket 4 Plus-G. Safe Rocket 4 PlusThe latter launched with a 96-layer Micron TLC flash, but later switched to an improved 176-layer TLC. This flash is present in some of the very fast drives we tested, often paired with Phison’s E18 controller. This is true for both drives, but the Rocket 4 Plus-G goes even further with customized O2GO game-optimized firmware.This firmware is Phison’s I/O+ firmwareDirectStorage is designed to improve and maintain performance while gaming.
DirectStorage games are a long way off. Microsoft has announced that his DirectStorage 1.1 with GPU decompression will be available to developers by the end of this year. The Rocket 4 Plus-G is based on mature hardware, and Phison shows overall improvements in its firmware. This drive is still a luxury item, but it leads the way to direct storage SSDs.
specification
| product | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | $169.99 | $299.99 | $699.99 |
| form factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| interface/protocol | PCIe 4.0 x 4 | PCIe 4.0 x 4 | PCIe 4.0 x 4 |
| controller | Phison E18 | Phison E18 | Phison E18 |
| DRAM | DDR4 | DDR4 | DDR4 |
| flash memory | 176-layer micron TLC | 176-layer micron TLC | 176-layer micron TLC |
| Sequential read | 7,200MBps | 7,200MBps | 7,200MBps |
| Sequential write | 6,000MBps | 6,850MBps | 6,850MBps |
| random read | none | none | none |
| random write | none | none | none |
| safety | none | none | none |
| Endurance (TBW) | 700TB | 1,400TB | 2,800TB |
| part number | SB-RKTG-1TB | SB-RKTG-2TB | SB-RKTG-4TB |
| guarantee | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. Unfortunately, there are no 8 TB SKUs. rocket 4 plus — that particular model required a different type of flash that wasn’t designed with updated firmware.
At the time of review, Sabrent had not released official performance specifications for this drive. However, it should match or exceed the Rocket 4 Plus which gets up to 7,200/6,850 MBps for sequential reads and writes. It should also match drives similar to this hardware with up to 1 million random read/write IOPS.
The Rocket 4 Plus-G comes with a 5-year warranty when registered on Sabrent’s site, plus 700 TB writes per 1 TB of capacity guaranteed. Sabrent has set suggested retail prices for the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models at $169.99, $299.99, and $699.99, respectively. This pricing is in line with other high-end PCIe 4.0 drives at launch. WD Black SN850X When samsung 990 pro.
The drive is launching with a powerful heatsink with 3 copper heatpipes, apparently able to keep this SSD and others cool even under sustained workloads. Its suggested retail price is a reasonable $29.99.
Software and accessories
Sabrent offers basic SSD toolbox and cloning software for SSDs. The Toolbox displays information about the drive including diagnostics, supports firmware updates and other features. Additionally, his OEM version of Acronis True Image allows for imaging and cloning drives, making drive installation easier. Of course, you don’t need software support for this type of drive, but that’s a handy plus.
The Rocket 4 Plus-G comes with Sabrent’s typical warranty support, including software, but the drive was launched with a massive heatsink. and seems to be able to keep this SSD and others cool even under sustained workloads. Its suggested retail price is a reasonable $29.99. Beyond aesthetic value, additional cooling is recommended for high-end PCIe 4.0 SSDs. This advice was reinforced by data obtained during testing of a simulated DirectStorage workload that generated significant heat. This is especially true for his 2TB and 4TB models.
look carefully
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Our 2TB Rocket 4 Plus-G sample has labels on both the front and back with relevant information on the back. Below the label you will see the controller, one DRAM package per side for a total of 2, and 4 NAND packages per side for a total of 8. This PCB is packed with components. The 4TB model is similar but has double the number of dies per package, while the 1TB model is single-sided.
The PCIe 4.0 Phison E18 controller should be familiar as it has been benchmarked with many SSDs. According to Sabrent, small changes have been made to the controller along with the firmware to improve flash reliability for sustained DirectStorage workloads. The DRAM is his F5AN8G6NDJ DDR4 from SK hynix. This is 8Gb or 1GB for him in a 512M x 16b configuration, totaling 2GB for both packages. That’s plenty of memory for a 2TB drive.
The flash module is labeled with the familiar IA7BG94AYA. This is Micron’s 176-layer TLC that has been paired with the Phison E18 for quite some time. Each of these 8 modules has 256GB of NAND Flash, or four of his 64GB dies in a QDP/4DP configuration. NAND runs at 1600 MT/s. This memory competes well with SK hynix’s 176-layer TLC. Platinum P41 and Samsung’s 176-layer TLC 990 proA 232-layer successor flash is also expected, but the market downturn has delayed major rollouts until 2023.
Phison specifically designed and tested the new firmware for Micron’s 176-layer TLC. This NAND meets the performance and endurance requirements of sustained workloads. Firmware is workable, but not ideal for older flash. DirectStorage workloads promise to bombard SSDs with random reads, which can pose challenges for both wear and thermal management. A newer flash, which tends to be more efficient and faster, is the best choice.
Sabrent didn’t release a new model when it upgraded the Rocket 4 Plus’ flash. This is what many competitors have done with their lineups. The presence of two different generations of flash, skipping the rare 128-layer generation, could mean the company has announced a model optimized specifically for his Phison’s new firmware. There may be other reasons for this decision related to warranty and support. Exact details remain unknown as the firmware is currently not available for other drives.
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