Patriot Memory P400 Lite 2TB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD: specs and who it suits

The Patriot Memory P400 Lite (model P400LP2KGM28H) is a 2TB internal solid state drive in the M.2 format, using a PCIe Gen 4 x4 controller. It is designed to replace or add to the main storage in a desktop or laptop, and Patriot describes it as suited to any mainstream PC or laptop.

What PCIe Gen 4 x4 means

PCIe is the connection an SSD uses to talk to the computer, and "x4" means four lanes of it. Gen 4 offers more bandwidth per lane than Gen 3. The drive's listed speeds are well below the Gen 4 ceiling, so it is best seen as a Gen 4 drive with moderate performance, and it should also work in a Gen 3 slot, where the speed is typically capped by the slot. Check your device's manual.

Read and write speeds

Patriot lists sequential read up to 3,300MB/s and sequential write up to 2,700MB/s in ATTO benchmarks. The description quotes up to 3,500MB/s for sequential reads, so the figures differ slightly between parts of the listing. Sequential speeds describe large files moving in one stream, such as copying a video. Everyday tasks such as loading the operating system or apps depend more on random performance, which the listing does not give. These are maximums, and real speeds vary with the system, the drive's fill level and temperature.

Heatshield and data protection

The drive carries a slim graphene heatshield. Fast SSDs generate heat, and when they get too hot they slow down to protect themselves, a behaviour called thermal throttling, which Patriot says the drive includes. A thin heat-spreading layer helps move heat away from the chips.

For data integrity, the listing names end-to-end data path protection and SmartECC. Error correction checks and repairs bit errors as data moves, to protect the integrity of what is saved. Patriot also mentions low power consumption, which is useful for laptops.

Size and fit

The M.2 stick measures about 3.1 x 0.9 x 0.2 inches (roughly 80 x 22 x 5 mm) and the listing's weight rounds to zero pounds. That matches the common 2280 length, though the listing does not say so, so check your device's slot size. A slim heatshield matters in laptops, where space above the drive is tight.

Compatibility

The listing's operating system line is garbled, naming Windows versions with asterisks and an unusual "13". Check the manufacturer's page for the supported systems. Before buying, also confirm that your device has a free M.2 slot that takes NVMe drives, since some M.2 slots accept only SATA.

Who it suits

A 2TB capacity suits people who keep large game libraries, photo and video collections or project files on one drive, and anyone replacing a small boot drive in a PC or laptop. It suits mainstream use rather than workloads that depend on the fastest possible speeds.

What to check before you buy

• Slot type: confirm that your device has an M.2 slot that supports NVMe and the 2280 length.
• Clearance: check space for the heatshield, especially in thin laptops.
• PCIe generation: the drive runs in a Gen 3 slot at that slot's speed.
• Operating system: confirm supported versions with the manufacturer.
• Moving data: plan how to clone or reinstall your system.
• Backups: keep a copy of important files on another device.

The short version

• A 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD with a PCIe Gen 4 x4 controller.
• Sequential reads up to 3,300MB/s and writes up to 2,700MB/s (ATTO).
• Slim graphene heatshield, SmartECC, thermal throttling and end-to-end data protection.
• Suited to mainstream desktops and laptops with a free NVMe M.2 slot.

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