# ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB (Original Version): An IG5236 PCIe 4.0 SSD (2026)

The ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB -- the larger of the two original IG5236-driven S70 Blade capacities, distinct from the later 2023 Update -- pairs 7,400 MB/s reads and 6,400 MB/s writes with a five-year, 1,480 TBW warranty that still holds up in 2026.

Quick answer: Buy the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB (Old Version) on the used market or clearance when the price undercuts a new DRAM-equipped PCIe 4.0 2 TB drive, because the IG5236 platform, full 6,400 MB/s writes, and 1,480 TBW endurance deliver a capable Gen4 experience for gaming, general use, and moderate write workloads. Skip it at full retail or when the 2023 Update is priced similarly, since the newer version's 176-layer TLC brings 6,800 MB/s writes and a longer production support runway. Skip the 1 TB sibling for any workload that involves sustained writes or large file transfers, because the 2 TB's doubled NAND die count unlocks the platform's full write speed and doubles endurance for a modest price premium on the used market. The Samsung 980 Pro 2 TB is the closest alternative -- similar peak reads, marginally faster sustained writes in independent benchmarks, and a more established firmware support record -- while the WD Black SN850 2 TB trades a slight TBW deficit for a longer independent review history. The verdict on the original S70 Blade 2 TB is that it is the better buy of the two original capacities and the IG5236 platform at its best: full-speed writes, doubled endurance, and a larger SLC cache make it a serviceable, DRAM-backed Gen4 drive in 2026, provided the price reflects its discontinued status.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 2 TB |
| Interface | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Innogrit IG5236 |
| Memory type | Micron 96-L TLC |
| DRAM cache | Yes |
| Sequential read | 7400 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 6400 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 650000 |
| Random write IOPS | 740000 |
| Endurance | 1480 TBW |
| MTBF | 2000000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

On the 2 TB ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade Old Version, sequential reads are rated at up to 7,400 MB/s over a PCIe 4.0 x4 link, and sequential writes hit the IG5236 platform ceiling at 6,400 MB/s -- the full write speed the controller can sustain, unlocked by the 2 TB's doubled NAND die count versus the 1 TB model. Random performance is rated at up to 650,000 read IOPS and 740,000 write IOPS per johnnylucky.org's specification entry for the 2 TB Old Version. The SLC cache absorbs burst writes at the full rated speed until it fills, after which writes settle to the native Micron TLC rate, and the 2 TB's larger cache means it stays in burst mode longer than the 1 TB under a contiguous transfer.

In daily use the S70 Blade 2 TB is quick but not class-leading. Independent reviewers at launch found game load times within a second of the Samsung 980 Pro and WD Black SN850, meaning the gap is invisible outside of stopwatch testing. Where the IG5236 platform earns its keep is on mixed-I/O workloads: the eight-channel controller and 2 GB of discrete DRAM keep latency low when the drive is serving reads and writes simultaneously, something DRAM-less HMB designs struggle with. For a pure gaming desktop or a PS5 that largely reads from the drive, the 2 TB Blade is indistinguishable from newer PCIe 4.0 flagships at a distance and holds a practical advantage over the 1 TB in its larger capacity headroom. For a video scratch disk or a moderate write workload, the 2 TB's 6,400 MB/s write ceiling and 1,480 TBW endurance make it a meaningfully stronger choice than the 1 TB sibling -- the combination of full-speed writes, larger SLC cache, and doubled endurance narrows the gap against current PCIe 4.0 leaders. No heatsink beyond the pre-applied strip is included in the box, and the IG5236 runs warm enough under sustained load that motherboard heatsink coverage is recommended.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

ADATA covers the XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB with a five-year limited warranty, ending early only if the 1,480 TBW endurance rating is exceeded. That figure doubles the 1 TB model's 740 TBW and sits well above the PCIe 4.0 class average of roughly 600 TBW per terabyte. At a typical consumer workload of around 20 GB of writes per day, the 2 TB Blade would need roughly two centuries to exhaust the NAND, so in practice the five-year warranty term expires long before the flash endurance does. Even at a heavier 50 GB per day the drive clears eight decades. ADATA rates the drive at two million hours MTBF, but treat that figure as a population-reliability projection across a large fleet rather than a lifespan promise for any single unit. The warranty is handled through ADATA's standard RMA process, and ADATA has maintained reasonably responsive warranty service for XPG-branded SSDs, though turnaround times vary by region.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 7,400 MB/s reads and 6,400 MB/s writes over PCIe 4.0 x4
- 1,480 TBW endurance on the 2 TB model
- InnoGrit IG5236 eight-channel controller with 2 GB DRAM
- Single-sided M.2 2280 PCB fits PS5 and thin laptops
- Pre-applied low-profile heatsink clears PS5 height limit
- Five-year warranty, TBW-limited
- Larger SLC cache than the 1 TB variant
**Cons:**

- Discontinued; replaced by the 2023 Update with 176L NAND
- No independent firmware support track record like Samsung or WD
- IG5236 runs warm under sustained writes without motherboard heatsink
- Slower sustained writes than PCIe 4.0 leaders like 990 Pro or SN850X
- Read IOPS slightly behind the 1 TB variant (650K vs 740K)
- Seagate FireCuda 530 2 TB offers higher 2,550 TBW endurance


## Verdict

Buy the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB (Old Version) on the used market or clearance when the price undercuts a new DRAM-equipped PCIe 4.0 2 TB drive, because the IG5236 platform, full 6,400 MB/s writes, and 1,480 TBW endurance deliver a capable Gen4 experience for gaming, general use, and moderate write workloads. Skip it at full retail or when the 2023 Update is priced similarly, since the newer version's 176-layer TLC brings 6,800 MB/s writes and a longer production support runway. Skip the 1 TB sibling for any workload that involves sustained writes or large file transfers, because the 2 TB's doubled NAND die count unlocks the platform's full write speed and doubles endurance for a modest price premium on the used market. The Samsung 980 Pro 2 TB is the closest alternative -- similar peak reads, marginally faster sustained writes in independent benchmarks, and a more established firmware support record -- while the WD Black SN850 2 TB trades a slight TBW deficit for a longer independent review history. The verdict on the original S70 Blade 2 TB is that it is the better buy of the two original capacities and the IG5236 platform at its best: full-speed writes, doubled endurance, and a larger SLC cache make it a serviceable, DRAM-backed Gen4 drive in 2026, provided the price reflects its discontinued status.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB good for gaming?

It is a capable gaming drive, and the 2 TB capacity makes it a strong choice for a large game library. The Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB hits 7,400 MB/s sequential reads and 6,400 MB/s writes with a discrete 2 GB DRAM cache, so game load times are within a second of a Samsung 990 Pro or WD Black SN850X in most titles -- the difference is invisible outside of stopwatch testing. DirectStorage-enabled games that stream large texture assets straight from the SSD will benefit from the Gen4 bandwidth and the 2 TB capacity fits a large game library alongside the operating system with room to spare. For a pure gaming build, the S70 Blade 2 TB is a cost-effective way to get DRAM-backed PCIe 4.0 performance at a usable capacity, especially on the used market.

### Does the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB work in a PS5?

Yes, and the original S70 Blade was one of the earlier PS5-compatible drives reviewed at launch. Sony requires an M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD recommending at least 5,500 MB/s sequential reads and fitting within 110 by 25 by 11.25 millimetres including the heatsink. The Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB's 7,400 MB/s reads and 6,400 MB/s writes clear the speed requirement with substantial headroom, and the pre-applied low-profile heatsink keeps the total height under Sony's 11.25 mm ceiling, so no aftermarket heatsink is needed. The drive's single-sided PCB also fits the PS5's M.2 slot without bending or clearance issues. The console expansion slot is PCIe 4.0, so the Blade runs at its full rated speed. The 2 TB capacity is a practical sweet spot for PS5 owners juggling multiple AAA titles.

### What is the difference between the S70 Blade Old Version and the 2023 Update?

ADATA released the original S70 Blade around 2021 and refreshed it as the 2023 Update with three key changes. The update swaps the original Micron 96-layer TLC NAND for Micron 176-layer TLC, which raises sequential writes from 6,400 MB/s to 6,800 MB/s on the 2 TB and larger capacities. Capacity options expand from just 1 TB and 2 TB on the original to 1 TB through 8 TB on the update. IOPS rise slightly from the original's 650K/740K to 750K on the update. The controller -- InnoGrit IG5236 -- remains the same across both versions. The Old Version is discontinued, so it is a used-market or clearance-aisle option, while the 2023 Update is the current production revision. For the 2 TB capacity, the practical difference is narrow because both versions share the same read ceiling, and the write speed gap is just 400 MB/s.

### What is the TBW endurance of the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB?

The original Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB carries a 1,480 TBW endurance rating, confirmed by the TechPowerUp review which explicitly states 740 TBW for the 1 TB and 1,480 TBW for the 2 TB. This is above the PCIe 4.0 class average of roughly 600 TBW per terabyte and doubles the 1 TB model's 740 TBW through simple NAND scaling. At a typical consumer write load of 20 GB per day, the drive would need roughly two centuries to exhaust the NAND endurance, so the five-year warranty term expires long before the flash does. The 1,480 TBW figure matters most if the drive is used as a write-heavy scratch disk or for frequent large file transfers, and at this endurance level the 2 TB Blade is a practical choice for moderate write workloads that would be marginal on the 1 TB.

### Does the Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB need a heatsink?

The drive ships with a thin pre-applied heatsink that is sufficient for light to moderate workloads and keeps the drive within Sony's PS5 height limit, but it is not a substitute for proper cooling under sustained writes. The InnoGrit IG5236 controller runs warm, and the 2 TB's higher write throughput means it can generate more heat than the 1 TB under a long sequential transfer. In a desktop PC the drive benefits from a motherboard M.2 heatsink or an aftermarket solution to prevent thermal throttling. In a PS5, the console's own airflow over the expansion bay handles cooling adequately with the pre-applied strip. In a laptop, the thin factory heatsink may be the only option due to clearance, and thermal throttling under heavy sustained load is a realistic possibility that buyers should plan for.

### Is the 2 TB Gammix S70 Blade faster than the 1 TB version?

For sequential reads, both the 1 TB and 2 TB versions of the original S70 Blade are rated at the same 7,400 MB/s. Sequential writes differ meaningfully: the 2 TB is rated at 6,400 MB/s while the 1 TB is rated at up to 5,500 MB/s according to ADATA's product specification sheet. The gap comes from NAND die count -- the 2 TB has twice the flash dies to stripe writes across, unlocking the IG5236 controller's full write ceiling. The 2 TB also carries a larger SLC cache, so it sustains full-speed burst writes longer before settling to the native TLC rate, and it doubles endurance to 1,480 TBW. The only metric where the 1 TB slightly leads is random read IOPS at 740K versus the 2 TB's 650K, a small difference that reflects minor channel overhead on the higher-capacity SKU. For write-heavy tasks like video editing or large file transfers, the 2 TB is the clear choice. For read-heavy workloads like gaming and OS boot, the two capacities are nearly indistinguishable.

### What controller does the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade use?

The Gammix S70 Blade -- both the original Old Version and the 2023 Update -- uses InnoGrit's IG5236 eight-channel PCIe 4.0 NVMe controller, also known by its codename 'Rainier.' The IG5236 was InnoGrit's push into the high-end PCIe 4.0 controller market and competes directly with Phison's PS5018-E18, appearing in drives from ADATA, Team Group, Corsair, and others. The IG5236 supports up to 7,400 MB/s sequential reads, 6,400 MB/s sequential writes, and features a DRAM-backed architecture rather than host memory buffer, which gives it an advantage in mixed-I/O latency over DRAM-less designs. On the 2 TB Blade the controller is paired with 2 GB of Samsung DDR4-2666 across two dies. Independent reviews at launch were broadly positive on the IG5236's performance, with the main caveat being thermal behaviour: the controller draws enough power under sustained writes that cooling is worth planning for.

### How does the S70 Blade 2 TB compare to the Samsung 980 Pro 2 TB?

Both are PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe drives with DRAM caches and similar peak sequential reads (7,400 MB/s on the Blade vs 7,000 MB/s on the 980 Pro). Sequential writes are close: the Blade's 6,400 MB/s versus the 980 Pro's 5,100 MB/s at launch, though the 980 Pro was consistently ahead in most independent real-world benchmarks due to Samsung's in-house Elpis controller and V-NAND delivering lower latency and faster sustained write behaviour. The Blade holds an endurance advantage at 1,480 TBW against the 980 Pro 2 TB's 1,200 TBW, and both carry five-year warranties. The 980 Pro benefits from Samsung's firmware support infrastructure and broader compatibility validation. The Blade's case rests on value: it delivers comparable real-world performance, higher TBW, and a larger 2 TB capacity than the 980 Pro could offer at the same price point at launch. On the used market in 2026, the Blade 2 TB remains the cheaper way into a DRAM-backed PCIe 4.0 drive at this capacity.

---

Last updated: 2026-07-19. Source: https://ssdrive.net/adata-gammix-s70-blade-old-version-2-tb