# Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4TB - DirectStorage PCIe 4.0 SSD (2026)

The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4TB is a DirectStorage-optimised flagship PCIe 4.0 NVMe - Phison E18 controller, Micron 176-layer TLC, custom O2GO firmware tuned for Microsoft DirectStorage, and 2,800 TBW endurance over five years.

Quick answer: The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB is a strong pick for gamers and creators who want the largest practical PCIe 4.0 NVMe capacity and Microsoft DirectStorage firmware tuning that distinguishes the drive from generic Phison E18 implementations. Buyers chasing the highest TBW endurance should look at the Seagate FireCuda 530 4 TB (5,100 TBW) instead, and PS5 owners who need a thinner package should consider the WD Black SN850X 2 TB or 4 TB. Skip the Rocket 4 Plus-G if you do not run DirectStorage workloads - the O2GO firmware advantage disappears outside supported titles, and the plain Rocket 4 Plus is typically cheaper. As a flagship PCIe 4.0 NVMe at 4 TB with the largest SLC cache window in the segment, the Plus-G is one of the cleanest choices for heavy-capacity creator and gamer builds.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 4 TB |
| Interface | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5018-E18 |
| Memory type | Micron 176-L TLC |
| DRAM cache | DDR4 |
| Sequential read | 7200 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 7000 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 650000 |
| Random write IOPS | 700000 |
| Endurance | 2800 TBW |
| MTBF | 2000000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

Manufacturer ratings for the Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB land at 7,200 MB/s sequential reads and 6,850 MB/s sequential writes, with random performance up to 650,000 read and 700,000 write IOPS at high queue depths. Tom's Hardware specifically tested DirectStorage workloads and confirmed the O2GO firmware delivers measurably better random-read latency under DirectStorage GPU decompression patterns than the stock Phison E18 reference firmware - real-world gaming load times match or beat the WD Black SN850X 4 TB in supported titles.

Sustained writes are exceptional at this capacity. The 4 GB DRAM and large SLC pseudocache allow the drive to absorb roughly 600-800 GB of continuous writes before the cache exhausts on a near-empty 4 TB, after which writes fall toward the underlying Micron TLC direct-write rate around 1,800-2,200 MB/s. For boot, gaming, and application workloads that profile is invisible; for large video transfers or 4K capture the 4 TB SLC cache is one of the largest available in any consumer SSD. The Phison E18 runs warm under sustained load - reviewers recommend the optional copper heatsink for ITX, laptop, or PS5 expansion installs. DirectStorage operates as expected and benefits specifically from the O2GO firmware tuning.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Sabrent backs the Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB with a five-year limited warranty (the standard one-year warranty is extended to five years through registration at sabrent.com) and a 2,800 TBW endurance budget - 700 TBW per terabyte of capacity. At a heavy 50 GB/day sustained write workload that budget lasts roughly 153 years, far past the warranty period and any realistic service life. The Seagate FireCuda 530 4 TB rates higher at 5,100 TBW and bundles three years of Rescue data recovery; the WD Black SN850X 4 TB rates 2,400 TBW. Sabrent does not publish an explicit MTBF figure on the consumer Rocket 4 Plus-G spec sheet, though comparable Phison E18 drives quote 1.6-1.7 million hours. RMA handling runs through sabrent.com support - the process is competent for North American buyers and slower for international claims. The five-year warranty is competitive with the segment but only after registration.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 7,200 MB/s reads with DirectStorage-tuned firmware
- 4 TB capacity for large game library and creator work
- 4 GB DDR4 DRAM cache
- 2,800 TBW endurance with 5-year warranty
- Massive SLC cache window (600+ GB on 4 TB)
- O2GO custom Phison I/O+ firmware for DirectStorage
**Cons:**

- No included heatsink, copper accessory sold separately
- TBW lower than Seagate FireCuda 530 4 TB (5,100 TBW)
- Phison E18 runs warm under sustained workloads
- 5-year warranty requires registration at sabrent.com
- Limited retail availability outside North America
- O2GO firmware advantage limited to DirectStorage titles


## Verdict

The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB is a strong pick for gamers and creators who want the largest practical PCIe 4.0 NVMe capacity and Microsoft DirectStorage firmware tuning that distinguishes the drive from generic Phison E18 implementations. Buyers chasing the highest TBW endurance should look at the Seagate FireCuda 530 4 TB (5,100 TBW) instead, and PS5 owners who need a thinner package should consider the WD Black SN850X 2 TB or 4 TB. Skip the Rocket 4 Plus-G if you do not run DirectStorage workloads - the O2GO firmware advantage disappears outside supported titles, and the plain Rocket 4 Plus is typically cheaper. As a flagship PCIe 4.0 NVMe at 4 TB with the largest SLC cache window in the segment, the Plus-G is one of the cleanest choices for heavy-capacity creator and gamer builds.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4TB good for gaming?

Yes, it is one of the strongest gaming-focused PCIe 4.0 picks. The Plus-G 4 TB delivers 7,200 MB/s sequential reads on PCIe 4.0 with custom O2GO firmware based on Phison's I/O+ specifically tuned for Microsoft DirectStorage workloads. Tom's Hardware testing confirmed measurably better random-read latency under DirectStorage GPU decompression patterns than the stock Rocket 4 Plus. The 4 TB capacity holds 50-70 modern triple-A games, suitable for a large primary library. Game load times track flagship peers within margin of error in non-DirectStorage titles and slightly outperform them in DirectStorage-supported games such as Forspoken and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

### Is the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4TB compatible with the PS5?

Yes, but with thermal caveats. The PS5 expansion slot needs a PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive rated at 5,500 MB/s or higher sequential reads, dimensions within 110 x 25 x 11.25 mm including heatsink, and the M.2 2280 form factor. The Plus-G 4 TB meets the bandwidth requirement comfortably at 7,200 MB/s and uses the correct 2280 form factor. The bare PCB fits with a third-party heatsink within the 11.25 mm height budget; the optional copper Sabrent heatsink sits at the upper limit and may not clear the PS5 cover plate. The 4 TB capacity is the largest practical PS5 expansion choice in 2026 for buyers willing to pay for it.

### Does the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G have a DRAM cache?

Yes. The Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB carries 4 GB of dedicated DDR4 DRAM cache alongside the Phison PS5018-E18 controller. The DRAM scales at 1 GB per terabyte of capacity, so the 1 TB SKU carries 1 GB and the 2 TB SKU carries 2 GB. The dedicated DRAM gives the drive a measurable advantage over DRAM-less HMB drives on sustained random writes and metadata-heavy workloads, which is particularly important at 4 TB where the larger NAND mapping table benefits from more DRAM headroom. The dedicated DRAM is also part of why the drive maintains DirectStorage performance under load.

### What is the TBW endurance of the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB?

Sabrent rates the 4 TB Rocket 4 Plus-G at 2,800 TBW (terabytes written) over the five-year warranty after registration, equivalent to 700 TBW per terabyte of capacity. At a heavy 50 GB/day sustained write workload the budget lasts roughly 153 years, far beyond the warranty period and any realistic service life. The figure is lower than the Seagate FireCuda 530 4 TB at 5,100 TBW (which uses the same Phison E18 platform but with Seagate's binning) and higher than the WD Black SN850X 4 TB at 2,400 TBW. For typical desktop or gaming workloads the difference is not relevant; for heavy capture or VM workloads the FireCuda 530 is the higher-endurance alternative.

### How does the Plus-G differ from the regular Rocket 4 Plus?

The hardware is identical - same Phison PS5018-E18 controller, same 176-layer Micron 3D TLC NAND, same DDR4 DRAM cache, same M.2 2280 PCB. The difference is firmware: the Plus-G runs Sabrent's O2GO custom firmware based on Phison's I/O+ platform, tuned specifically to maintain random-read latency under Microsoft DirectStorage workloads. The standard Rocket 4 Plus uses Phison's reference firmware. For DirectStorage-supported gaming the Plus-G has a real measurable advantage; for general productivity, video editing, and non-DirectStorage gaming the two drives perform nearly identically.

### Does the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G need a heatsink?

Yes under sustained workloads, optional under light loads. The Phison PS5018-E18 is one of the warmer PCIe 4.0 controllers and produces enough heat under continuous writes to throttle without active cooling. Sabrent sells an optional copper heatsink for around USD 30 that is recommended for ITX, laptop, and PS5 expansion installs. Desktop builds with the motherboard's M.2 heatsink will not see throttling at all in light gaming and application use; sustained heavy writes still benefit from any thermal solution. Light gaming and boot use rarely triggers throttling even bare.

### Is the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4 TB worth it over the regular Rocket 4 Plus?

Only for DirectStorage gamers. The hardware is identical, so non-DirectStorage workloads see no meaningful difference between the Plus-G and the standard Rocket 4 Plus. The Plus-G's O2GO firmware delivers measurably better performance only in titles that use Microsoft DirectStorage for asset streaming - currently a small but growing list including Forspoken, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Final Fantasy XVI. If your gaming library skews DirectStorage-supported, the Plus-G is the better pick; otherwise the plain Rocket 4 Plus 4 TB at typically slightly lower cost is the more sensible choice.

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Last updated: 2026-05-23. Source: https://ssdrive.net/sabrent-rocket-4-plus-g-4-tb