HP EX950 1TB NVMe SSD Review — PCIe 3.0 (2026)
The HP EX950 1TB is a PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD built on the Silicon Motion SM2262EN controller and Micron 64-layer TLC NAND, delivering 3,500 MB/s reads and 650 TBW endurance for builders who need proven NVMe performance.
Controller & Memory
The EX950 is manufactured by BIWIN Storage under HP's brand. It uses a rebranded Silicon Motion SM2262ENG controller with Micron 64-layer 3D TLC NAND and Nanya or Micron DDR3 DRAM. The SM2262EN is one of the stronger PCIe 3.0 controllers, recognized for reliable random IO and consistent sustained writes.
The 1TB model is rated at 3,500 MB/s sequential reads and 2,900 MB/s sequential writes, with 410K random read IOPS and 380K random write IOPS. Endurance comes in at 650 TBW — a meaningful step up from the 512GB model's 320 TBW. The EX950 also comes in 256GB and 2TB capacities with the same peak read/write speeds but varying endurance.
HP issued a firmware update that significantly improved real-world performance on the EX950. Early units with firmware SS0411B underperformed in some benchmarks; the updated firmware (42A7T36A) resolved this. Buyers should check and update firmware using HP's support tools. The drive competes with the Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB, ADATA SX8200 Pro 1TB, and WD Black SN750 1TB in the competitive PCIe 3.0 tier.
Storage Comparisons:
EX950 Performance & Benchmarks
The HP EX950 1TB is rated for 3,500 MB/s sequential reads and 2,900 MB/s sequential writes. With the updated firmware, TechPowerUp found the EX950 2TB was one of the fastest SSDs they had tested at the time, beating the Samsung 970 Pro in some real-life benchmarks. The 1TB model shares the same controller and NAND, performing within a small margin of the 2TB variant.
HP EX950 1 TB vs M.2 3.0 x 4 peers
Switch between sequential throughput and random IOPS to see how this drive stacks up against other M.2 3.0 x 4 SSDs in our database. The highlighted bar is the drive on this page — click any other bar to open that drive.
- HP EX950 1 TB (this drive): 3,500 MB/s read, 2,900 MB/s write
- ADATA SX 8800 Pro 512 GB: 3,500 MB/s read, 2,700 MB/s write
- ADATA SX 8800 Pro 1 TB: 3,500 MB/s read, 2,700 MB/s write
- ADATA XPG Spectrix S40G RGB 256 GB: 3,500 MB/s read, 3,000 MB/s write
- ADATA XPG Spectrix S40G RGB 512 GB: 3,500 MB/s read, 3,000 MB/s write
The dynamic SLC cache on the 1TB model absorbs roughly 50–100 GB of burst writes before folding to TLC speeds around 1,800–2,200 MB/s — strong sustained performance for a PCIe 3.0 drive. Random IO is a particular strength of the SM2262EN controller, which maintains consistent 4K performance even as the drive fills. Gaming load times, file transfers, and application launches are all competitive with drives in this class. The 1TB capacity provides room for 15–25 AAA games alongside the OS.
HP EX950 vs Competitors
See how the EX950 stacks up against other M.2 3.0 x 4 drives in our database:
Compare with rival drives:
Endurance, TBW & Warranty
HP rates the EX950 1TB at 650 TBW with a five-year limited warranty. At 40 GB of writes per day, the endurance budget covers roughly 44 years. The 2 million hour MTBF is a population-level statistic. HP provides SSD management tools for health monitoring and firmware updates. Warranty service is handled through HP's RMA process.
HP EX950 1 TB Specifications
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity [?] | 1 TB |
| Interface [?] | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller [?] | Silicon Motion SM2262EN |
| Memory type [?] | Micron 64L 3D TLC |
| DRAM [?] | Nanya or Micron 512 - 2TB DDR3 |
| Read speed (MB/s) [?] | 3500 |
| Write speed (MB/s) [?] | 2900 |
| Read IOPS [?] | 410000 |
| Write IOPS [?] | 380000 |
| Endurance (TBW) [?] | 650 |
| MTBF (million hours) [?] | 2 |
| Warranty (years) [?] | 5 |
Verdict: Is the EX950 Worth It in 2026?
The HP EX950 1TB is a strong PCIe 3.0 NVMe drive with the SM2262EN controller and Micron TLC delivering competitive performance — particularly with the updated firmware. The 650 TBW endurance, 3,500 MB/s reads, and 1TB capacity make it a well-rounded choice for a combined boot and game drive. The main risk is the early firmware issue; anyone buying an EX950 should verify the firmware version. For the price, the EX950 1TB competes well against the Samsung 970 EVO Plus and WD Black SN750. Builders who need more capacity should consider the EX950 2TB with 1,300 TBW endurance.
+ Pros
- 3,500 MB/s reads and 2,900 MB/s writes on PCIe 3.0
- SM2262EN controller with strong random IO
- Micron 64-layer TLC NAND — consistent sustained writes
- 650 TBW endurance with 5-year warranty
- 1TB capacity for OS, games, and working files
- Cons
- Early firmware had performance issues — verify update
- HP-branded but manufactured by BIWIN
- Double-sided PCB may limit slim-laptop compatibility
- PCIe 3.0 — surpassed by Gen4 drives
- DDR3 DRAM is older generation compared to DDR4 on newer drives
Buy this or similar SSD Storage:
Video Review
HP EX 950 SSD M.2 NVME | The FASTEST SSD i have Used 😝 3500 MB/S
