ADATA 1TB SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

The ADATA Legend 860 is a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD with 6000 MB/s reads and a built-in heatsink. It's a great budget pick for gaming and PS5 upgrades, though the DRAM-less design means random performance is just average. Shop around, prices swing from USD 158 to USD 189 in the US.

Sequential reads hit 6000 MB/s and writes come in at 5000 MB/s, which is exactly what ADATA advertises. In practice, that means game load times, OS boots, and large file transfers all feel snappy. You won't notice a difference between this and a 7000 MB/s drive unless you're running benchmarks or moving massive video files around all day. The SMI SM2264 controller is a proven design, and it handles the DRAM-less configuration well thanks to HMB (Host Memory Buffer) support.

Random performance is where the Legend 860 shows its budget roots. It lands at the 62nd percentile in our random I/O testing, which is about average. For gaming and general desktop use, that's fine. But if you're doing heavy database work, video editing with lots of small file reads, or running a busy home server, you'll feel the lack of DRAM more. The 320 TBW endurance rating also tells you this isn't built for constant heavy writes. For a boot drive or game library, it's plenty.

The Samsung 990 PRO is the obvious step up. It's faster across the board, has DRAM, and carries a 5-year warranty. But it also costs more, and for gaming you won't feel the difference. The WD Black SN850X is another strong alternative, often priced close to the Legend 860 when it's on sale, and it brings DRAM plus better random performance. If you're building a PS5, the SN850X is a safer pick for sustained performance.

The Team Group MP44 is probably the closest direct competitor in terms of price and specs. It's also DRAM-less and hits similar speeds, so it really comes down to which one is cheaper on the day you buy. The Crucial T700 and Lexar NM1090 PRO are Gen5 drives, so they're in a different league entirely. Unless you have a Gen5 motherboard and a specific need for 10,000+ MB/s, they're overkill and overpriced for most people.

Pricing on the Legend 860 is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, we're seeing it range from USD 158 to USD 189 across five listings, so it pays to shop around. Newegg and Amazon tend to have the sharper prices, while Best Buy sometimes runs it higher. In Canada, the spread is even wider, from CAD 215 to CAD 318, which is a CAD 103 gap. If you're in Canada, definitely compare before you buy. At the low end of those ranges, this drive is a genuinely good deal. At the high end, you're getting close to Samsung 990 PRO territory, and that's a tougher sell.

The ADATA Legend 860 is a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that sits in the budget-to-midrange bracket for Gen4 drives. It's rated for 6000 MB/s reads and 5000 MB/s writes, which puts it a step below the flagship Gen4 drives but still way ahead of anything Gen3. You're getting TLC NAND, a heatsink, and hardware encryption, all in a standard M.2 2280 form factor. No DRAM cache though, which is the main corner ADATA cut to hit this price point.

If you're searching for a PS5-compatible SSD or just a solid upgrade for a gaming PC, this drive checks a lot of boxes. It's not the fastest Gen4 drive out there, but for most people the difference between 6000 MB/s and 7000 MB/s is invisible in daily use. The heatsink is a nice touch if you're dropping it into a console or a motherboard without built-in M.2 cooling.

Our database shows this drive landing at the 87th percentile for features and 78th for speed. That's a strong showing for a drive that often sells in the USD 158 to USD 189 range. The endurance rating of 320 TBW is middle of the pack, and the 3-year warranty is shorter than what Samsung or WD offer on their premium drives, but it's reasonable for the price.

Skip the Legend 860 if you're doing heavy video editing, running a database, or using it as a scratch disk for content creation. The DRAM-less design and average random I/O performance will hold you back in those workloads. Also skip it if you want a drive that'll outlive multiple system upgrades, the 3-year warranty and 320 TBW endurance are fine for casual use but not for write-heavy environments. In those cases, spend more on the Samsung 990 PRO or WD Black SN850X. And if you're a portable drive user, our testing shows this drive scores poorly there, so look elsewhere for external enclosures.

Should you buy the ADATA Legend 860? If you're looking for a budget 1TB Gen4 SSD for gaming, a PS5 upgrade, or a general-purpose boot drive, yes. It delivers solid sequential speeds, includes a heatsink, and undercuts the big names on price when you find a good deal. The DRAM-less design is the main compromise, and it shows in random workloads, but for the typical user that's a non-issue.

If you do heavy content creation, run a server, or just want the peace of mind of a longer warranty, spend a bit more on the Samsung 990 PRO or WD Black SN850X. But for everyone else, the Legend 860 is a smart buy that won't leave you wishing you'd spent more.