Silicon Power P34A60 256GB DRAM-Less NVMe SSD Review (2026)

Name: Silicon Power P34A60 256 GB
Brand: Silicon Power
SKU: silicon-power-p34a60-256-gb
Rating: 3.4 (68 reviews)

Posted on May 23, 2026 by Raymond Chen

The Silicon Power P34A60 256GB is a budget DRAM-less PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD built on the Silicon Motion SM2263XT controller and Intel TLC NAND, offering 2,200 MB/s reads at the lowest price tier.

Silicon Power P34A60 256GB DRAM-Less NVMe SSD Review

Controller & Memory

The P34A60 uses the Silicon Motion SM2263XT controller — a cost-optimized, DRAM-less design that relies on Host Memory Buffer (HMB) to borrow a small amount of system RAM for the flash translation layer. The controller is paired with Intel 3D TLC NAND. Because there is no on-board DRAM, the P34A60 is physically single-sided and lower-power than DRAM-equipped drives, which benefits laptop battery life and slim-form-factor compatibility.

Silicon Power rates the 256GB model at 2,200 MB/s sequential reads and 1,600 MB/s sequential writes. These numbers are lower than DRAM-equipped PCIe 3.0 drives like the P34A80 (3,200/3,000 MB/s), reflecting the SM2263XT's cost-saving architecture. The P34A60 range also includes 512GB and 1TB capacities, with the larger models offering the same peak speeds but larger SLC caches and better sustained write performance.

At 256GB and 150 TBW, the P34A60 targets budget builders who need a basic NVMe boot drive — faster than SATA, cheaper than DRAM-equipped NVMe. Competitors include the Kingston NV2 250GB and the Team MP33 256GB, both also DRAM-less designs.

Storage Comparisons:

Top PCIe 3.0 SSD Drives Best Deal of 1 TB SSDs NVME Top 2 TB SSDs

P34A60 Performance & Benchmarks

The P34A60 256GB is rated for 2,200 MB/s sequential reads and 1,600 MB/s sequential writes. These are the entry-level speeds for PCIe 3.0 NVMe — faster than SATA SSDs (550 MB/s ceiling) but well below DRAM-equipped NVMe drives that hit 3,200 MB/s. The DRAM-less architecture means the controller relies on HMB (Host Memory Buffer) for mapping data, which adds a small latency penalty on random IO operations.

Performance comparison

Silicon Power P34A60 256 GB 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.

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
Silicon Power P34A60 256 GB (this drive): 2,200 MB/s read, 1,600 MB/s write

Random performance is rated at 240K read IOPS and 250K write IOPS — adequate for a boot drive but below the 390K/450K figures of the DRAM-equipped P34A80. In real-world desktop use — OS boot, application launches, web browsing — the P34A60 feels noticeably faster than a SATA SSD but may feel slightly less responsive than a DRAM-equipped NVMe drive under heavy multitasking. For gaming, read speed is the primary factor and 2,200 MB/s provides ample headroom. The 256GB capacity limits the drive to OS and a few applications.

Silicon Power P34A60 vs Competitors

See how the P34A60 stacks up against other M.2 3.0 x 4 drives in our database:

Compare with rival drives:

Kingston A2000 256 GB ADATA XPG Gammix S5 256 GB Crucial P2 250 GB

Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Silicon Power rates the P34A60 256GB at 150 TBW with a five-year limited warranty. At a typical boot-drive workload of 10–15 GB per day, the endurance budget covers 27 to 41 years. The drive includes LDPC error correction and end-to-end data protection. Warranty service is handled through the retailer or Silicon Power's direct RMA process.

Silicon Power P34A60 256 GB Specifications

Category	Value
Capacity [?]	256 GB
Interface [?]	M.2 3.0 x 4
Controller [?]	Silicon Motion 2263XT
Memory type [?]	Intel 3D TLC
DRAM [?]	HMB
Read speed (MB/s) [?]	2200
Write speed (MB/s) [?]	1600
Read IOPS [?]	240000
Write IOPS [?]	250000
Endurance (TBW) [?]	150
MTBF (million hours) [?]	2000000
Warranty (years) [?]	5

Verdict: Is the P34A60 Worth It in 2026?

The Silicon Power P34A60 256GB is a straightforward budget NVMe boot drive that delivers 2,200 MB/s reads — roughly four times faster than SATA — at a price point that undercuts DRAM-equipped alternatives. The DRAM-less design and lower write speeds are acceptable trade-offs for a read-heavy boot drive. The limitation is capacity: 256GB is tight for anything beyond the OS and a few applications. Budget builders who can stretch to the 512GB model gain more usable space and a larger SLC cache. Those who want consistent write performance should consider the DRAM-equipped Silicon Power P34A80 instead. For the price, the P34A60 256GB does exactly what it promises.

+ Pros

2,200 MB/s reads — four times faster than SATA
Single-sided M.2 2280 fits all laptops and desktops
Low power draw benefits laptop battery life
Intel TLC NAND with LDPC error correction
Budget-friendly pricing

- Cons

DRAM-less — relies on Host Memory Buffer
1,600 MB/s writes, lower than DRAM-equipped NVMe
256GB fills quickly beyond OS use
240K/250K IOPS — entry-level random performance
SM2263XT controller is slower than Phison E12 alternatives

3.4 / 5 · 68 votes

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Video Review

Silicon Power P34A60 M.2 NVMe Review and Installation! CHEAP & AMAZING PERFORMANCE!

Frequently Asked Questions

The P34A60 256GB delivers 2,200 MB/s reads, which is fast enough for gaming. Game load times are significantly better than SATA SSDs. However, the 256GB capacity limits the drive to the OS plus 3–5 AAA games. For a budget gaming boot drive, it works well. For a dedicated game library drive, the 512GB or 1TB model provides more space.

DRAM-less means the drive has no dedicated DRAM chip for flash translation layer mapping. Instead, the Silicon Motion SM2263XT controller uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) to borrow a small portion of the system's RAM. This saves cost and reduces power draw but adds a small latency penalty on random IO operations. In everyday desktop use, the impact is modest. Under heavy sustained random writes, DRAM-equipped drives perform more consistently.

No heatsink is needed. The DRAM-less SM2263XT controller runs cooler than higher-performance controllers with DRAM. The P34A60's modest 2,200 MB/s read speed and low power draw mean thermal throttling is unlikely in typical desktop or laptop use. The single-sided PCB also contributes to lower thermal density.

The P34A80 uses the Phison E12 controller with DRAM cache and Toshiba TLC, delivering 3,200/3,000 MB/s read/write speeds. The P34A60 uses the DRAM-less Silicon Motion SM2263XT with Intel TLC, delivering 2,200/1,600 MB/s. The P34A80 is faster across the board, particularly in sustained random writes where DRAM makes a difference. The P34A60 is typically priced lower. For a budget boot drive, the P34A60 is sufficient. For any write-heavy workload, the P34A80 is worth the price increase.

Yes. The P34A60 reads at 2,200 MB/s versus SATA's 550 MB/s ceiling — roughly four times faster in sequential reads. Random IO is also significantly better thanks to the NVMe protocol. OS boot times and application launches are noticeably faster. The P34A60 is the minimum viable NVMe upgrade from SATA, delivering the expected speed improvement at a budget price point.

The P34A60 256GB is rated at 150 TBW (terabytes written), covered by a five-year limited warranty. At a typical boot-drive workload of 10–15 GB per day, the endurance budget covers 27 to 41 years. As a primarily read-driven OS drive, endurance is not a concern within the warranty period.