Sandisk Optimus GX 7100M NVMe SSD evaluation – stellar storage at a excessive worth

When you’re trying to improve the storage capability of your handheld in 2026, actually, you could not have picked a worse time. Due to the continuing disaster surrounding {hardware} elements, notably RAM, costs are excessive – thanks, AI. Nonetheless, that does not imply you haven’t any choices, and not too long ago I used to be lucky sufficient to obtain the Sandisk Optimus GX 7100M NVMe SSD from the producer. I do not wish to spoil the remainder of this evaluation right here, however this SSD may be the right instance of top quality with a excessive worth level to match.

Let’s begin with the positives. For me, the largest spotlight is that the Optimus GX 7100M may be very simple to put in, or not less than it was with my Steam Deck OLED, which is smart, because the 2230 SSD format is designed for handhelds and small laptops. As somebody who’s not a really assured tinkerer, I have been laying aside upgrading my Steam Deck’s storage for years, however now that I’ve accomplished it, I am questioning why I wasted that point. I think about the identical applies to any of the opposite PC picks from our information to the finest handheld consoles, together with the likes of the Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go. It is a few 15-minute job, and actually, the software program facet takes longer than the precise SSD set up.

With the SSD fitted, I went about putting in a few of my favourite picks from our information to the finest Steam Deck video games, together with Baldur’s Gate 3, a recreation with some notoriously lengthy load instances. That is the place the Optimus GX 7100M’s quick learn and write speeds, that are as much as 7,250 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s, respectively, on suitable gadgets, kicked into gear, even when they did not fairly attain these numbers because of the Steam Deck’s personal limitations.

I seen that loading screens have been quicker, usually by a few seconds. Do not get me mistaken, they’re nonetheless not as fast as I’ve seen on a completely decked-out gaming PC, however for the Deck, they’re clearly higher. Primarily, the improved storage is the massive win, however the very delicate efficiency enhancements are a pleasant bonus.

I had some preliminary issues about battery life and thermal administration, given the Optimus GX 7100M’s 3.5-4.0W energy draw, however I needn’t have been anxious. Up to now, I have never noticed any heat-related points past what I am used to with the Steam Deck’s default drive, even when downloading chunky recordsdata, and I’ve had no battery life points both. So far as I am involved, that is a win, as I’ve heard horror tales about Steam Deck customers switching out elements and tanking their battery life or having to spend money on an exterior fan to maintain issues cool.

The very last thing value noting earlier than we transfer on to pricing is that the Optimus GX 7100M comes with a five-year guarantee, which I believe is kind of beneficiant. These 5 years equate to 600TB of writes per terabyte of capability, so it might be 1,200TB for the 2TB drive I am utilizing, however that is in all probability solely value making a notice of should you’re shifting round some critical knowledge – I doubt I am going to ever even come near that quantity.

Now, sadly, it is time for the worth caveat, and it is a reasonably large one. The Sandisk Optimus GX 7100M NVMe SSD is pricey. The 1TB model begins at $229.99 / £205.99, whereas the 2TB model I’ve spent the final week or so testing is $449.99 / £409.99. For context, that makes this storage possibility value about the identical as a complete Nintendo Swap 2. I like having extra storage to play with, however when it is nearly as costly as a complete console, I am not fully certain I might be keen to half with that type of money.

What’s value stating, although, is that many of the options aren’t less expensive – or not less than, in the event that they have been, they don’t seem to be now. As we talked about proper at first of this text, storage and RAM elements are scarce and costly proper now, which is the rationale we have not too long ago seen a considerable worth hike for the Steam Deck OLED, with a smaller bump in worth for the Nintendo Swap 2 scheduled for September. What I am saying is, you’ll be able to’t blame Sandisk all that a lot for prime costs.

When you’ve made it this far, my opinion might be fairly clear by now, however I am going to lay it out merely: should you’ve obtained the cash to improve your handheld’s storage, the Sandisk Optimus GX 7100M NVMe SSD is value it. It is a user-friendly storage resolution, even for individuals who aren’t tech fans, beating many of the competitors when it comes to write and skim speeds, with none points within the effectivity division.