Today, we are checking out another DRAM-less SSD. This time, it is from Netac, and it’s the budget-friendly version of its NV7000 series. Meet the NV7000-t PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD. I have the 2TB capacity here to test and review. I’m unsure why they named it NV7000-t, with the “t” at the end. It will probably confuse some would-be buyers with the NV7000, which is a different type of SSD. The NV7000-t is a DRAM-less SSD, similar to Lexar’s NM790 we recently reviewed. It also uses a MaxioTech controller and YMTC 232-layer 3D TLC NAND flash. So, if you are in the market for a budget-friendly SSD, check out our Netac NV7000-t review below.
Netac NV7000-t Gen4 M.2 SSD 2TB Review
The Netac’s NV7000-t packaging looks similar to its big brother, the NV7000. Although I must admit, the NV7000-t’s packaging looks better than the NV7000’s, thanks to the holographic effect. If I were to put the NV7000 and NV7000-t side by side, I would think that the “t” variant is the better one.
Like most DRAM-less SSDs in the market, this one doesn’t have any indication that it’s DRAM-less on its packaging. There’s also no indication of its advertised speeds, a missed opportunity, in my opinion, since the 2TB capacity can reach up to 7,300MB/s sequential read and 6,7000MB/s sequential write.
The Netac NV7000-t SSD series is available in 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities. Initially, the 2TB capacity was the highest. But at the time of publishing this review, a 4TB capacity is now available. Although, for some reason, the 4TB capacity hasn’t been included on the NV7000-t’s product page. Perhaps Netac hasn’t updated the page yet.
As expected, lower-capacity SSDs tend to have slower performance. The 512GB capacity has a slightly slower read speed and significantly slower write speed.
Netac also claims that the NV7000-t is not only compatible with desktop PCs and laptops but also with the PlayStation 5. Although, you might need to get a 3rd party heatsink that works with a PS5 since it doesn’t come with a heatsink.
The MaxioTech Controller and YMTC NAND Flash
Near the Netac’s NV7000-t gold fingers is the MaxioTech MPA1602A controller. This controller is specifically designed for DRAM-less SSDs. According to its specs sheet, the MaxioTech MPA1602A can support up to 7,200MB/s and 6,500MB/s of sequential read and write speeds, respectively. Netac’s advertised speeds for the NV7000-t are slightly higher.
The NV7000-t is a single-sided SSD with four NAND flash chips. Single-sided SSDs have an advantage when it comes to compatibility since some laptops can’t support double-sided SSDs. The NAND flash are labeled as CD05BH61964. Note that I’ve seen other version of the NV7000-t 2TB capacity that only has 2 NAND flash chips, labeled CD04CC40968.
As I mentioned in my other DRAM-less SSD review with the same components; Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd. (YMTC) has yet to have a long track record, as the company was only established in 2016. Meanwhile, its controller is from (Maxiotek/Maxio Tech Corp) a spin-off company of JMicron, also established in 2016. While both companies are around seven years old, I have yet to hear of any (major) issues with their controller and NAND flash.
Anyway, let’s check out how the Netac’s NV7000-t 2TB capacity performs.
Netac NV7000-t Gen4 M.2 SSD Specifications
| Interface | M.2 2280 | ||
| Channel | PCIe Gen4x4 | ||
| Capacity | 512GB | 1TB | 2TB |
| Seq. Read (up to) | 7200 MB/s | 7300 MB/s | 7300 MB/s |
| Seq. Write (up to) | 4400 MB/s | 6600 MB/s | 6700 MB/s |
| TBW | 320 MB/s | 640 MB/s | 1200 MB/s |
| NAND Flash | 3D NAND Flash | ||
| Operating Temperature | 0°C – 70°C | ||
| Storage Temperature | -40°C – 85°C | ||
| Size | 20 x 80 x 2.3 mm | ||
| Warranty | 5 years | ||
Check the latest pricing and availability: (#ad)
Netac NV7000-t Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is available on Amazon here.
Test Setup
I tested the Netac NV7000-t 2TB capacity on an X670E motherboard with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X. I installed the drive on the first M.2 slot with the motherboard’s M.2 heatsink. Below are the rest of the system’s specifications:
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
| Motherboard | MSI MPG X670E Carbon WiFi |
| Memory | Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000MHz CL30 AMD EXPO |
| Graphics Card | Colorful GeForce RTX 4070 Ti iGame Advanced |
| OS Drive | MSI Spatium M480 Play |
| Game Drive | SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD V2 and Extreme Portable SSD V2 |
| Power Supply | MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 |
| Chassis | MSI MPG Velox 100P Airflow |
| Monitor | MSI Optix MPG321UR-QD 4K 144Hz |
Netac NV7000-t M.2 2TB SSD Benchmark Results
Note: Benchmark results below are sorted according to write speed.
AJA Benchmark Results
In the AJA System Test, the NV7000-t got a really good start. Its sequential write speed ended at the top, slightly beating WD’s SN850X and Samsung’s 990 Pro. Its performance is also similar to that of the Lexar NM790.
AJA System Test is just a quick test and may not represent the drive’s overall performance. So, let’s check out more benchmark results.
AS SSD Benchmark Results
In AS SSD, the NV7000 ended up as the faster SSD. It’s expected since that drive is not DRAM-less, and I also expect the non-t variant to perform better. Nevertheless, the NV7000-t showed some promising and remarkable results on the sequential speed test.
Unfortunately, it fell below during the 4K random test. The NM790 performed faster in the 4K random test despite having the same components inside.
ATTO Disk Benchmark Results
In the ATTO disk benchmark, the NV7000-t performed similarly to the NM790, and it’s very close to the sequential performance of other SSDs with DRAM cache. This is purely a sequential test, and the NV7000-t 2TB got reasonably close to its advertised speeds.
CrystalDiskMark Benchmark Results
In the CrystalDiskMark benchmark, the results are pretty similar to the AS SSD benchmark. The NV7000-t performed well during sequential tests but trails behind during 4K random tests. Its random performance is identical to the Crucial P5 Plus in this test.
This leads me to conclude that the NV7000-t may not perform well during mixed workloads. While its sequential read and write speeds are great, its random speeds are on the mediocre side.
PCMark 10 Full System Drive Benchmark Results
Finally, I tested the Netac NV7000-t using the PCMark 10 Full System drive benchmark suite. It is an intensive test and takes about an hour (or more) to finish. The test uses a wide-ranging set of real-world traces from popular applications (Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office) and everyday tasks to thoroughly test modern drives’ performance.
I did not expect it to get a much better result than the more expensive NV7000. The NV7000-t got a higher score and faster bandwidth rating than the NV7000. Although, it did trail behind the NM790, maybe because the 4TB capacity had an advantage in its capacity. Its average access time is also good and better than the NV7000.
Pricing and Availability
The Netac NV7000-t PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD is now available in 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities. It comes with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $35 (512GB), $50 (1TB), $80 (2TB) and $160 (4TB). Retail prices may have changed by the time you land on this review. You can check the updated pricing below.
Check the latest pricing and availability: (#ad)
Netac NV7000-t Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is available on Amazon here.
Netac NV7000-t NVMe M.2 SSD Review Conclusion
The Netac’s NV7000-t performance was spot on. It reached its advertised speeds and performed well overall despite being a DRAM-less SSD. The only downside of this SSD series is its weak mixed or random performance. It was noticeably slower than the other SSDs, even compared to the NM790.
Another thing that I noticed is at the time I published this review; the current retail prices were higher than the original MSRP. I don’t know if it will change soon. But with the current pricing, the NV7000-t is hard to recommend. Competitors, like the NM790, are cheaper, considering they use the same MaxioTech controller and YMTC 232-layer NAND flash. It would be an easy recommendation if they stick to the original MSRP.
However, SSD prices tend to change. Sometimes, they are (significantly) discounted during the sale season. If Netac can adjust its pricing and make it more competitive (again), then the NV7000-t would be a more appealing option.
On another note, I am more worried about the quality or longevity of the controller and the NAND flash. I’m unfamiliar with MaxioTech and YMTC; they don’t have a long track record or history yet. Nevertheless, the NV7000-t did perform as expected. Sure, it is not the fastest Gen4 SSD, but if you can spot one with its original MSRP or lower, it’s a good enough SSD.
However, I recommend not using this as your primary SSD or system drive. If you are just using this as a media storage or a game drive, then there’s no problem. It would do just fine.
Finally…
Again, it’s a bit difficult to recommend at its current pricing. There are a lot of alternatives with better pricing and/or performance. The competition is indeed tough in the SSD industry. But if Netac can adjust or discount the price, it may be worth considering. Finally, I’m okay with this SSD and can recommend it… if the price is right.
