# Team Group Cardea A440 Pro Special 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Specifications (2026)

Team Group Cardea A440 Pro Special 1TB pairs a Phison E18 controller, Micron 176-layer 3D TLC NAND, and DDR4 DRAM cache for PCIe Gen4 reads and writes of 7,000 MB/s.

Quick answer: The Team Group Cardea A440 Pro Special 1TB delivers flagship-level PCIe 4.0 performance with the Phison PS5018-E18 controller, Micron 176-layer 3D TLC NAND, and 1GB DDR4-2666 DRAM cache. At 7,000 MB/s read and write, it approaches the practical ceiling of the Gen4 interface.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5018-E18 |
| Memory type | Micron 176L 3D TLC |
| DRAM cache | 1GB DDR4-2666 |
| Sequential read | 7200 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 6000 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 1000000 |
| Random write IOPS | 1000000 |
| Endurance | 700 TBW |
| MTBF | 3 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

The 1TB A440 Pro Special delivers 7,000 MB/s sequential read and 7,000 MB/s write throughput over PCIe 4.0 x4. These figures place it at the upper echelon of Gen4 performance, approaching the practical limit of what the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface can deliver.

Random 4K performance reaches 1,000,000 IOPS for both reads and writes, reflecting the Phison E18 controller architecture combined with the 1GB DDR4-2666 DRAM cache. In desktop use this translates to near-instant system boot times, rapid application launches, and excellent responsiveness under heavy multitasking workloads.

Under sustained heavy writes the conservative SLC caching design eventually exhausts and write speeds drop to the native TLC pace of the Micron 176-layer NAND. Team Group tuned the SLC cache conservatively to maintain consistent performance rather than maximizing burst speeds at the cost of sustained throughput.

The included graphene heat spreader provides effective passive cooling for the E18 controller, which runs warm under sustained load. The ultra-thin graphene design keeps the drive profile low while maintaining adequate thermal dissipation for most desktop environments. For content creators working with high-bitrate 4K or 8K video footage, the flagship Gen4 bandwidth enables smooth timeline scrubbing, faster render exports, and efficient handling of large media file transfers.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Team Group backs the Cardea A440 Pro Special 1TB with a five-year limited warranty from the date of original purchase. The endurance rating stands at 700 TBW, meaning Team Group guarantees the drive can handle at least 700 terabytes of total data written before the warranty expires, whichever limit is reached first. This works out to approximately 383 GB of writes per day sustained over five years of continuous use. Team Group global support network handles warranty claims through authorized retailers and regional service centers. The five-year warranty and 700 TBW endurance are consistent with other flagship Phison E18 platform drives, reflecting confidence in the durability of Micron 176-layer 3D TLC NAND under demanding consumer workloads.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 7,000 MB/s reads and writes approach PCIe Gen4 practical limits
- Micron 176-layer 3D TLC NAND for proven reliability
- 1GB DDR4-2666 DRAM cache for sustained random IOPS
- Ultra-thin graphene heatsink compatible with tight M.2 clearances
- Five-year warranty with 700 TBW endurance rating
**Cons:**

- Graphene heatsink less effective than bulky aluminum solutions under extreme loads
- Gen4 platform facing increasing competition from PCIe 5.0 entry drives
- Conservative SLC cache tuning limits sustained write burst performance
- Premium flagship pricing over mid-range Gen4 alternatives


## Verdict

The Team Group Cardea A440 Pro Special 1TB delivers flagship-level PCIe 4.0 performance with the Phison PS5018-E18 controller, Micron 176-layer 3D TLC NAND, and 1GB DDR4-2666 DRAM cache. At 7,000 MB/s read and write, it approaches the practical ceiling of the Gen4 interface.

The included graphene heat spreader is a clever thermal solution that provides effective cooling without the bulk of traditional aluminum heatsinks. The 700 TBW endurance and five-year warranty from Team Group provide solid long-term confidence. If you want near-maximum Gen4 performance with a low-profile cooling solution, the A440 Pro Special 1TB is a compelling flagship option.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does the Cardea A440 Pro Special 1TB have DRAM?

Yes, it includes a 1GB DDR4-2666 DRAM cache chip for efficient NAND mapping table management, improving sustained random performance over DRAMless HMB designs.

### What is the TBW endurance of the A440 Pro Special 1TB?

The 1TB model is rated at 700 TBW, backed by Team Group five-year limited warranty. This translates to roughly 383 GB of writes per day over five years.

### What is the graphene heatsink on the Special variant?

It is an ultra-thin graphene heat spreader that adheres directly to the drive PCB. It provides effective passive cooling while maintaining a low profile compatible with tight M.2 clearances.

### What controller does the A440 Pro Special use?

It uses the Phison PS5018-E18, an eight-channel PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4 controller that powered many flagship Gen4 SSDs from multiple manufacturers.

### Is the A440 Pro Special compatible with PCIe 5.0 motherboards?

Yes, the drive works in PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots at its native Gen4 speeds of 7,000 MB/s. It cannot utilize the extra Gen5 bandwidth but functions normally.

### What is the difference between A440 Pro and A440 Pro Special?

The Special variant includes a bundled graphene heat spreader instead of the standard aluminum heatsink, offering a lower-profile thermal solution compatible with more motherboard and laptop configurations.

---

Last updated: 2026-06-05. Source: https://ssdrive.net/team-group-cardea-a440-pro-special-1-tb