# Silicon Power UD70 1TB QLC NVMe SSD Review (2026)

The Silicon Power UD70 1TB is a budget PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD built on Micron QLC NAND, offering 3,400 MB/s reads and a DRAM cache at a price point that undercuts most TLC alternatives.

Quick answer: The Silicon Power UD70 1TB is a budget QLC NVMe drive that reads fast (3,400 MB/s) and includes a DRAM cache, which are strong features at its price point. The QLC limitation is real: sustained writes after the SLC cache fills drop well below TLC levels, and overall write endurance is lower. For budget builders who primarily read from the drive — boot, application storage, game library — the UD70 1TB delivers good value. Anyone who writes large files regularly should invest in a TLC-based alternative like the Silicon Power P34A80 1TB or the Kingston A2000 1TB, which offer more consistent write performance for a modest price increase.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5012-E12S-32 |
| Memory type | Micron 3D QLC |
| DRAM cache | SLC Caching DRAM Buffer |
| Sequential read | 3400 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 3000 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 250000 |
| Random write IOPS | 650000 |
| Endurance | 260 TBW |
| MTBF | 1.8 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

The UD70 1TB is rated for 3,400 MB/s sequential reads and 3,000 MB/s sequential writes. In synthetic benchmarks that test within the SLC cache, the drive hits these numbers consistently. Real-world performance depends heavily on write pattern: short burst writes (OS operations, application saves, small file copies) complete at full speed within the cache. Sustained writes that exceed the 40–80 GB SLC cache expose native QLC write speeds of roughly 100–200 MB/s on the 1TB model.

Random read performance is adequate for a boot drive and handles OS and application loads without issue. Random write performance is lower than TLC alternatives, particularly as the drive fills and the SLC cache shrinks. For gaming, the UD70 loads titles at speeds comparable to other PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives because gaming is dominated by reads. Content creators who regularly move multi-gigabyte files should consider a TLC drive like the Silicon Power P34A80, which maintains consistent write speeds regardless of cache state.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Silicon Power covers the UD70 1TB with a five-year limited warranty. Silicon Power does not publish a specific TBW rating for the UD70 series in most documentation — a common omission for QLC drives. QLC NAND typically has approximately 1,000 program-erase cycles per cell, compared to 3,000 for TLC. For a read-heavy desktop workload, the drive should last well beyond the warranty period. Heavy sustained-write workloads will consume the write budget faster than on TLC drives. The warranty is processed through the retailer or Silicon Power's direct RMA portal.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 3,400 MB/s sequential reads on PCIe 3.0
- DRAM cache buffer at a budget price point
- Single-sided M.2 2280 fits laptops and desktops
- 1TB capacity at a competitive price per GB
- Five-year warranty coverage
**Cons:**

- QLC NAND — sustained writes drop after SLC cache fills
- No published TBW endurance rating
- QLC write endurance lower than TLC alternatives
- Not suitable for heavy sustained-write workloads
- SLC cache shrinks as drive fills


## Verdict

The Silicon Power UD70 1TB is a budget QLC NVMe drive that reads fast (3,400 MB/s) and includes a DRAM cache, which are strong features at its price point. The QLC limitation is real: sustained writes after the SLC cache fills drop well below TLC levels, and overall write endurance is lower. For budget builders who primarily read from the drive — boot, application storage, game library — the UD70 1TB delivers good value. Anyone who writes large files regularly should invest in a TLC-based alternative like the Silicon Power P34A80 1TB or the Kingston A2000 1TB, which offer more consistent write performance for a modest price increase.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Silicon Power UD70 1TB good for gaming?

The UD70 1TB delivers 3,400 MB/s sequential reads, providing game load times comparable to other PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives. Gaming is a read-heavy workload, so the QLC limitation has minimal impact during gameplay. The 1TB capacity holds 15–25 modern AAA titles. Game installations will be slower than on TLC drives once the SLC cache fills, but loading installed games is fast. For budget gaming builds, the UD70 offers good read performance at a low price.

### What is QLC NAND and should I avoid it?

QLC (quad-level cell) NAND stores four bits per memory cell, compared to TLC's three bits. This increases density and lowers cost but reduces write endurance and slows native write speed. QLC is not inherently bad — it is a trade-off. For read-heavy uses like boot drives and game storage, QLC performs well. For write-heavy workloads like video editing scratch disks, database servers, or continuous data logging, TLC is the better choice. The UD70 mitigates QLC's weaknesses with a DRAM cache and dynamic SLC caching.

### Does the Silicon Power UD70 1TB have a DRAM cache?

Yes. The UD70 includes a DRAM cache buffer alongside the SLC cache. The DRAM helps the Phison E12S controller manage the flash translation layer efficiently, which is particularly valuable on QLC drives where the mapping data is larger than on TLC. Having DRAM gives the UD70 an advantage over DRAM-less budget NVMe drives that rely on Host Memory Buffer.

### How fast is the UD70 1TB after the SLC cache fills?

Once the dynamic SLC cache on the UD70 1TB is exhausted — typically after 40–80 GB of sustained writing — write speeds drop to native QLC rates around 100–200 MB/s. This is slower than a good SATA SSD (450–500 MB/s). The exact drop-off point depends on how full the drive is, as the SLC cache shrinks with increasing fill level. For short writes and read-heavy workloads, the cache handles the load without exposing the QLC floor.

### Is the UD70 1TB better than the Crucial P1?

Both the UD70 and Crucial P1 are QLC NVMe drives on PCIe 3.0. The UD70 uses the Phison E12S controller with a DRAM buffer, while the Crucial P1 uses the Silicon Motion SM2263 controller with HMB (no DRAM). Peak read speeds are similar. The UD70's DRAM cache gives it an advantage in sustained random IO workloads. Pricing varies by region and promotion. Both drives share the same QLC limitation of slow writes after the SLC cache fills. Neither is ideal for heavy-write scenarios.

### Does the UD70 1TB work in a laptop?

The UD70 1TB uses a single-sided M.2 2280 form factor, which fits in most laptops with an M.2 NVMe slot. Single-sided drives are thinner than double-sided designs, making them compatible with slim ultrabooks. Power draw is moderate for a PCIe 3.0 drive, though battery impact will vary by laptop. Check that the laptop supports NVMe (not SATA-only M.2) before purchasing.

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Last updated: 2026-05-23. Source: https://ssdrive.net/silicon-power-ud70-1-tb