fanxiang S201 2TB M.2 SATA SSD: features, specs and compatibility

The fanxiang S201 is a 2TB internal solid state drive in the M.2 2280 format, using the SATA III interface. It is meant for upgrading or adding storage in laptops and desktop PCs that have a compatible M.2 slot. Because M.2 slots come in different types, a little checking up front matters more here than with most components.

What M.2 2280 and SATA III mean

M.2 describes the small, gumstick-shaped card format, and 2280 means it is 22 mm wide and 80 mm long. The listing gives the drive's length as 3.1 inches, which matches. The more important detail is the interface: this drive uses SATA III at 6Gb/s, not NVMe. Some M.2 slots support only NVMe drives, some only SATA, and many support both. Fanxiang says the motherboard needs an M.2 interface, but you should also confirm that the slot accepts SATA drives.

Speed in context

Fanxiang rates the sequential read and write speeds at up to 560 and 480MB/s. That is close to the ceiling of the SATA III interface, which tops out at roughly 550-600MB/s in practice. It is several times faster than a typical mechanical hard drive in everyday use, particularly for boot times, opening programs and loading files. NVMe drives are typically much faster on paper, but only a motherboard with an NVMe-capable slot can use that speed.

SLC caching

The listing highlights SLC caching. Many SSDs treat part of their flash memory as a fast write buffer, so short bursts of writing happen at full speed. Fanxiang says this helps with booting, opening programs, game loading and saving files. When a very large file transfer fills the cache, speeds typically settle to a lower sustained rate, which is normal for drives of this type.

Endurance and reliability

The S201 is rated for up to 300TBW, or terabytes written. This figure is the total amount of data that can be written over the drive's life, and for ordinary home use it is a very large allowance. Fanxiang also notes that there are no moving parts, which gives the drive good shock resistance compared with a mechanical disk, and it offers a three-year warranty. Installation screws and a screwdriver are in the package.

Setting it up

Fanxiang says the drive works with Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 on PCs, notebooks and all-in-one machines. The usual steps are: switch off and unplug the computer, open the case or the laptop's service panel, fit the drive in the M.2 slot, and secure it with the screw. If it is a new, empty drive, initialize and format it in your operating system. To move an existing system across, drive-cloning software can copy it over. Back up your data first and follow your computer's manual.

Who it suits

It suits owners of older laptops and desktops with an M.2 SATA slot who want to replace a slow hard drive or add a large amount of storage for files, photos and games. It is less relevant if your computer's slot supports only NVMe, where a different drive type would be needed.

What to check before you buy

• Slot type: confirm that your M.2 slot supports SATA, not only NVMe, using the motherboard or laptop manual.
• Length: check that the slot takes 2280 (80 mm) drives.
• Clearance: some laptops limit the thickness of the drive or the space around it.
• Operating system: confirm that your system is among those listed.
• Data: back up before cloning or formatting.

The short version

• A 2TB M.2 2280 SATA III internal SSD from fanxiang, model S201-2TB.
• Rated at up to 560MB/s read and 480MB/s write, with SLC caching.
• Rated for up to 300TBW, with a three-year warranty.
• Works with computers that have an M.2 slot accepting SATA drives.
• Screws and screwdriver included.

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