TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 2TB 2.5-Inch SATA III SSD: specs and fit

The TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z is a 2TB solid-state drive in the 2.5-inch SATA III format. It is the kind of drive that replaces or supplements a hard disk in a desktop, a laptop or a small-form-factor PC, giving quicker start-ups and load times than a mechanical drive. The listing for this model gives few details, so this page covers the stated specs and explains what they generally mean.

What the speed figures mean

TEAMGROUP rates the drive at read and write speeds of up to 550MB/s and 500MB/s. Those figures are close to the practical ceiling of the SATA III interface, which runs at 6Gb/s. They are best-case sequential numbers, so everyday speeds depend on the files, the system and how full the drive is.

SATA SSDs are slower than NVMe drives, but they are still a clear step up from mechanical hard drives for start-up, application loading and general responsiveness.

3D NAND TLC and SLC cache

The listing names 3D NAND TLC, with an SLC cache. 3D NAND stacks memory cells vertically to fit more capacity in a small package. TLC stores three bits per cell, which allows larger capacities in a compact size.

An SLC cache works by treating part of the drive as faster single-bit storage for incoming writes, then moving the data into TLC storage later. This usually helps short bursts of writing. On long, heavy writes, speeds can drop once the cache fills, which is typical of TLC drives in general.

2.5-inch SATA III format

The drive measures about 3.9 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches, the standard 2.5-inch size, and it weighs around 0.1 lb. It uses a SATA data connector and a SATA power connector, the same as a 2.5-inch hard drive. This makes it a straightforward upgrade for older laptops and desktops that don't have an M.2 slot. SATA III is backward compatible with SATA II and I ports, but the drive then runs at the slower port's speed.

Capacity

At 2TB, the drive offers room for a large operating system, applications, a game library or a media collection. As with all drives, the capacity shown in your operating system will be slightly smaller than the label, because of how bytes are counted and formatting overhead.

Who it suits

It suits people upgrading an older laptop or desktop, adding a second storage drive, or building a system that has a SATA bay free. It is less relevant if your system only has an M.2 NVMe slot and no 2.5-inch bay.

What to check before you buy

• Bay and ports: confirm a free 2.5-inch bay and a spare SATA data port and power connector.
• Laptop thickness: check what drive height your laptop accepts. This one is about 0.3 inches thick.
• Mounting: a desktop 3.5-inch bay may need an adapter bracket.
• Moving data: plan how to clone or reinstall your system, and back up first.
• Specs and support: the listing gives few details, so check the maker's data sheet for endurance and warranty.
• Performance: expect SATA-level speed, not the speed of an NVMe drive.

The short version

• A 2TB 2.5-inch SATA III internal SSD, model T253TZ002T0C101.
• Rated up to 550MB/s reads and 500MB/s writes.
• 3D NAND TLC with an SLC cache.
• Fits standard 2.5-inch SATA bays in laptops and desktops.
• Confirm your system has a free SATA bay and ports.

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