# Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB Review — a Boot Drive With Caveats (2026)

The Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB posts a strong 3,100 MB/s read, but a 1,100 MB/s write cap and 170 TBW rating narrow it to light boot duty.

Quick answer: The Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB makes sense as a boot drive for a Gen3-era laptop, NUC, or desktop that needs a small OS module with hardware encryption — TCG Opal 2.0 support is its genuine differentiator. Skip it for anything write-heavy: 1,100 MB/s writes, the family's lowest 138K random-read rating, and a 170 TBW budget undercut it for media work, and the 240 GB sibling is the more durable small capacity. A Samsung 970 EVO Plus 250GB writes nearly twice as fast with a 5-year warranty, and WD's DRAM-less Blue SN550 idles far lower for laptop duty. As a legacy part with thinning stock, it earns a place only where encryption support or price makes the case.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 256 GB |
| Interface | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5012-E12 8 Channel |
| Memory type | 3D TLC |
| DRAM cache | Yes |
| Sequential read | 3100 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 1100 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 138000 |
| Random write IOPS | 280000 |
| Endurance | 170 TBW |
| MTBF | 1800000 |
| Warranty | 3 years |

## Performance

Integral rates the 256GB at 3,100 MB/s sequential reads and 1,100 MB/s writes, with 138K random-read and 280K random-write IOPS. The read figure is genuinely quick — within 10 percent of the family's 3,400 MB/s ceiling — so Windows, applications, and games open with the responsiveness expected of a DRAM-backed Gen3 drive. The write ceiling is the compromise: at 1,100 MB/s, large installs and file copies run at roughly a third of the speed of the 960 GB and 1 TB variants, and only the 240 GB model rates lower in the family.

Burst versus sustained matters more here than in bigger capacities. The pseudo-SLC cache on a 256 GB module is small, so sustained writes beyond a modest burst settle to native TLC rates well below the headline figure — fine for boot-and-office duty, noticeable when moving large photo or video batches. The 138K random-read rating is the family's lowest, though it remains far above what any SATA drive manages. As with the rest of the range, independent benchmarks are scarce — Cowcotland's early-2020 reviews covered the 960 GB variants — so these are manufacturer ratings, not measured results.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Integral's warranty for the UltimaPro X Version 2 family runs 3 years or the TBW rating, whichever comes first, and the 256GB's budget is the one to scrutinise: 170 TBW, less than half the 380 TBW assigned to the 240 GB variant in Integral's own datasheet. At 20 GB of writes per day — typical for a boot drive — 170 TBW covers about 23 years, so the 3-year term remains the practical limit for ordinary use. MTBF is rated at 1.8 million hours, a population statistic rather than an individual lifespan promise. The published per-capacity endurance table is genuinely useful, and buyers comparing the 256 GB and 240 GB parts should weigh that difference before choosing. Claims are handled through Integral's UK support with proof of purchase.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 3,100 MB/s sequential read rating
- TCG Opal 2.0 AES-256 hardware encryption
- DRAM-backed Phison E12 platform
- 280K random-write IOPS rating
- Per-capacity endurance published by Integral
**Cons:**

- Writes capped at 1,100 MB/s
- 170 TBW is less than half the 240 GB rating
- 138K random reads, the family's lowest
- 190 mW idle draw is high for laptops
- Legacy product with limited retail stock


## Verdict

The Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB makes sense as a boot drive for a Gen3-era laptop, NUC, or desktop that needs a small OS module with hardware encryption — TCG Opal 2.0 support is its genuine differentiator. Skip it for anything write-heavy: 1,100 MB/s writes, the family's lowest 138K random-read rating, and a 170 TBW budget undercut it for media work, and the 240 GB sibling is the more durable small capacity. A Samsung 970 EVO Plus 250GB writes nearly twice as fast with a 5-year warranty, and WD's DRAM-less Blue SN550 idles far lower for laptop duty. As a legacy part with thinning stock, it earns a place only where encryption support or price makes the case.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB good for gaming?

Only as an operating-system drive for a Gen3-era machine. The 3,100 MB/s read rating loads games as quickly as any DRAM-backed PCIe 3.0 module, and the 280K random-write IOPS keep installs and shader compilation moving. The limits are capacity and writes: 256 GB holds Windows plus one or two large titles at most, and the 1,100 MB/s write cap means big installs take noticeably longer than on the 512 GB or 960 GB variants. Treat it as a boot drive with a games-passenger seat, not a library drive, and check your slot tolerates a double-sided module.

### Does the Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB have a DRAM cache?

Yes. Like every capacity in the UltimaPro X Version 2 range, the 256GB runs Phison's E12 controller in a DRAM-equipped design, and Integral's datasheet lists the platform with DRAM backing. The on-board DRAM stores the flash translation tables, keeping random-access behavior consistent as the drive fills, and the drive never needs to borrow system memory through the Host Memory Buffer scheme that DRAM-less controllers such as Kingston's A2000 or WD's Blue SN550 rely on. For a small boot drive the practical benefit is steadier responsiveness under multitasking once the operating system has been installed for a while.

### What is the TBW endurance of the Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB?

Integral's datasheet rates the 256GB (part code INSSD256GM280NUPX2) at 170 TBW under the 3-year-or-TBW warranty, whichever arrives first. At 20 GB of writes per day — typical boot-drive usage — that budget covers about 23 years, so the warranty term is the realistic limit. The figure worth noting is the comparison: Integral rates the 240 GB sibling at 380 TBW, more than double, making the 240 GB the more durable small capacity despite being smaller on paper. Buyers torn between the two should weigh endurance alongside the 256GB's higher 3,100 MB/s read rating.

### Why is the write speed of the Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB so low?

Small capacities always write slower, and this one more than most. A 256 GB module populates fewer NAND dies, which limits how much data the controller can write in parallel, so Integral rates it at 1,100 MB/s against 2,400 MB/s for the 512 GB and 3,000 MB/s for the flagship capacities. The small pseudo-SLC cache compounds this: bursts absorb quickly, then throughput settles to native TLC rates well below the headline. If you regularly move large files or install big games, the 512 GB or larger variants are the better-matched picks; for boot-and-office duty the write cap rarely shows.

### Is the Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB compatible with the PS5?

Technically it fits, but it is the wrong drive for the job. The 256 GB capacity just clears Sony's 250 GB minimum, and the drive's 80 x 22 x 3.8 mm dimensions fit the console's slot. Beyond that it misses every practical criterion: Sony recommends 5,500 MB/s sequential reads while this drive is rated at 3,100 MB/s on a PCIe 3.0 interface, it ships without the heatsink Sony requires, and 256 GB is far too small for a modern console library that treats 100 GB-plus installs as normal. A 1 TB or larger PCIe 4.0 drive with a heatsink is the sensible PS5 upgrade path.

### Integral Ultima Pro X 256GB or Samsung 970 EVO Plus 250GB?

For most buyers the Samsung wins on paper: it is rated at 3,500/2,300 MB/s — faster in both directions — and carries a 5-year warranty against Integral's 3-year term. The Integral's arguments are narrower: TCG Opal 2.0 hardware encryption, which the Samsung does not offer, and a datasheet that publishes per-capacity IOPS, power, and endurance figures. Both use TLC NAND with DRAM backing. If the drive is a general boot upgrade, take the Samsung for speed and warranty coverage; if your priority is Opal-compatible encryption for work or compliance reasons, the Integral is one of the few small Gen3 modules that provides it.

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Last updated: 2026-10-01. Source: https://ssdrive.net/integral-memory-ultima-pro-x-256-gb