Adata’s Ultimate SU800 512GB SSD is in the middle , at $0.27/GB it is not exactly inexpensive nor does it take advantage of some of the SM2258 controllers advanced features, on the other hand it does use Micron’s 3D NAND, the same chips used in Crucial MX300, offer a dynamic SLC cache and is overprovisioned by 64GB.
To be clear, Adata’s product description and marketing materials don’t make any mention of Micron. But since the company specifically referenced floating-gate cells in earlier press releases about the drive, there was never much doubt about whose NAND was inside.
Silicon Motion’s SM2258, the company’s latest low-cost controller, runs the show. That chip is specifically designed for 3D TLC applications. The SM2258 seems to be a natural evolution of the company’s preceding 2246 and 2256 controllers, featuring pseudo-SLC caching, Silicon Motion’s proprietary “NANDXtend” ECC scheme, and the full caboodle of encryption features.
Sadly, the SU800 doesn’t seem to make use of those encryption features, so look elsewhere if you like to keep your data secret and safe. On the bright side, Adata warrants the drive for three years. Additionally, the company touts the drive’s endurance over planar TLC offerings. Indeed, the 512GB unit’s 400 terabytes-written spec greatly eclipses the SP550 480GB’s 180TB-written rating
