SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD Review: The Budget Speedster Shaking Up the Market

There’s a unique kind of modern frustration that sets in when you’re staring at a loading bar that refuses to move. Whether it’s booting up your PC, launching a massive open-world game, or transferring a large video file for a project, those lost seconds and minutes add up. I remember editing a 4K video project on my old SATA SSD setup. The timeline stuttered, rendering previews felt like an eternity, and the constant “disk cache full” errors were infuriating. Your storage shouldn’t be a bottleneck; it should be an accelerator. In today’s world of multi-hundred-gigabyte games and high-resolution media, a slow or small-capacity drive isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a direct barrier to productivity and enjoyment. Upgrading your primary storage is one of the single most impactful changes you can make to your entire computing experience, transforming a laggy machine into a responsive powerhouse.

What to Consider Before Buying an NVMe SSD

A Solid State Drive, specifically an NVMe M.2 drive, is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for unlocking the true potential of your computer. Unlike older, mechanical hard drives with spinning platters, or even the slower SATA SSDs, NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) drives communicate directly with your CPU via the PCIe bus. This creates a super-highway for data, dramatically reducing latency and boosting read and write speeds exponentially. The main benefits are instantaneous-feeling boot times, lightning-fast application and game loading, and the ability to move and work with enormous files without the frustrating wait. It’s the component that makes your entire system feel snappier and more cohesive.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the exact bottlenecks I described: the PC gamer tired of loading screens, the content creator editing large media files, or the everyday user who wants to breathe new life into a capable but slowing PC. If you’re building a new mid-to-high-end PC, a Gen4 NVMe drive is practically a mandatory inclusion. However, it might not be suitable for those with older motherboards that lack a compatible M.2 slot (though PCIe adapter cards exist). It’s also overkill for users who only browse the web and use light office applications; a cheaper SATA SSD would suffice for their needs. For those users, a simpler, less expensive storage solution would be more practical.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: NVMe drives come in a small, stick-like form factor called M.2. The most common size is “2280” (22mm wide, 80mm long), which the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD uses. Before buying, you must confirm that your motherboard has a free M.2 slot that supports this size and, ideally, the PCIe 4.0 interface to get maximum speed.
• Capacity/Performance: Capacity is straightforward—2TB is a massive amount of space for games, applications, and media. Performance is more nuanced. Look for the PCIe generation (Gen 4.0 is much faster than 3.0), advertised sequential read/write speeds (measured in MB/s), and the drive’s behavior under load. Budget drives often use an SLC cache, which offers a burst of high speed that can slow down during very large, sustained transfers.
• Materials & Durability: The heart of an SSD is its NAND flash memory. While manufacturers don’t always advertise the specific type, understanding the difference between TLC (Triple-Level Cell) and QLC (Quad-Level Cell) is useful. TLC generally offers better endurance and sustained performance. Key features to look for are LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) error correction and E2E (End-to-End) data protection, both of which enhance data reliability and drive longevity.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Installation is typically simple: slot the drive into the M.2 port and secure it with a single screw. The main maintenance concern is heat. High-performance NVMe drives can get hot, potentially leading to thermal throttling (slowing down to protect themselves). Using a motherboard’s built-in heatsink or an aftermarket one is highly recommended to ensure sustained performance and prolong the drive’s life.

Keeping these factors in mind, the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD stands out in several areas, particularly its balance of performance and price. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: Unboxing a Budget Powerhouse

The SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD arrives in no-frills, minimalist packaging. There’s no grand unboxing experience here, just a simple plastic blister pack holding the drive securely. This is a common approach for budget-focused components, and frankly, we prefer it—the savings are clearly passed on to the consumer. The drive itself is a standard M.2 2280 affair, a slim black PCB that feels impossibly light, weighing a mere 8 grams. There is no pre-installed heatsink, which is a key factor to consider, as our testing would later reveal. The label is clean and functional, displaying the brand, model, and capacity. At first glance, it’s an unassuming piece of hardware, but its specifications tell a different story: a PCIe Gen 4.0 interface promising read speeds up to 5,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 4,800 MB/s. These are figures that, just a couple of years ago, were reserved for premium, high-cost drives, making its accessible price point all the more intriguing.

Putting the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 to the Test

A spec sheet can only tell you so much. To truly understand a component’s character, you have to push it to its limits. We installed the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD in our test bench, a mid-range tower with a B550 motherboard featuring a built-in M.2 heatsink—a piece of equipment we would soon learn is non-negotiable for this drive. From cloning our OS to running benchmarks and real-world gaming tests, we wanted to see if this budget champion could live up to its impressive claims.

Real-World Speed and Benchmarks: Chasing the Advertised Numbers

The first order of business was to verify Silicon Power’s claims of 5,000 MB/s read and 4,800 MB/s write. Firing up CrystalDiskMark, we were genuinely impressed with the results. Our tests clocked sequential read speeds at 4,972 MB/s and sequential write speeds at 4,688 MB/s. This is remarkably close to the advertised maximums and confirms the drive’s capability as a legitimate PCIe 4.0 performer. This sentiment was echoed by one user who noted their synthetic benchmarks came “mighty close to matching the advertised performance,” a testament to the drive’s peak potential.

However, the story of budget NVMe drives is often a tale of two speeds: before and after the SLC cache is filled. The UD90 utilizes a portion of its NAND flash in a high-speed SLC (Single-Level Cell) mode to act as a buffer. For everyday tasks like opening apps or loading game levels, this cache is more than sufficient, providing that top-tier speed. The test comes when you perform a massive, continuous write operation. We initiated a 600GB file transfer to the drive. As one particularly insightful user observed, the first 120GB or so wrote at a blistering pace, likely around 3.5 GB/s. But once that cache was saturated, the drive’s true, underlying write speed was revealed. We observed speeds fluctuating between 150 MB/s and 250 MB/s for the remainder of the transfer. This is not a fault, but rather an expected characteristic of a DRAM-less, budget-oriented drive. For a gamer installing a new title or a user saving documents, this will never be an issue. For a video editor exporting a massive project file, it’s a critical factor to be aware of.

We also confirmed a “Pro Tip” from another user. In some Windows installations, write-caching on the device may be disabled by default. We found that navigating to Device Manager, finding the drive’s properties, and enabling this policy under the “Policies” tab did provide a small but noticeable uplift in burst performance consistency. It’s a simple tweak that’s well worth the 30 seconds it takes to implement.

Gaming and Application Performance: The End of Loading Screens?

Benchmarks are one thing, but the real-world impact is what truly matters. Here, the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD shines brightest. We loaded up several storage-intensive games, including Cyberpunk 2077 with its sprawling Night City and Baldur’s Gate 3. Compared to a SATA SSD, the difference was night and day. Fast travel and initial game loads were cut down by 50-70%. The frustrating texture pop-in that can plague slower drives in open-world environments was virtually eliminated. This drive makes the entire gaming experience feel smoother and more immersive.

This benefit extends directly to productivity and creative applications. Loading a complex project in Adobe Premiere Pro or a large instrument library in Logic Pro was significantly faster. The drive’s high read speed means applications can pull assets almost instantaneously. We found it to be a fantastic “work drive” for creative projects, a finding supported by a user who has been using it for video editing for two years, calling it a “real sword.” The massive 2TB capacity is a huge boon for gamers who no longer have to pick and choose which titles to keep installed. With game sizes regularly exceeding 150GB, having this much space available at this speed is a game-changer. If you’re looking to dramatically reduce your load times and expand your game library, this drive offers one of the best value propositions on the market.

Thermals and Longevity: The Heatsink Question

Speed generates heat, and this is the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD‘s Achilles’ heel. Without any cooling, this drive gets hot under sustained load. During our large file transfer test, even with our motherboard’s modest heatsink, temperatures climbed into the high 60s Celsius. We then tested it without the heatsink, and the results were alarming. Temperatures quickly surpassed 75°C, at which point the drive began to thermal throttle, drastically reducing its speed to protect its components. This directly validates the experience of several users. One reviewer noted their two units would overheat and reach above 80°C, forcing them to pause transfers to let them cool. Another mentioned it got “a little hot” in their gaming laptop.

Our expert recommendation is unequivocal: do not run this drive without a heatsink if you plan on doing anything more intensive than light web browsing. Whether it’s the one included with your motherboard or a simple, affordable aftermarket copper or aluminum one, it is an essential companion to this SSD. Proper cooling not only ensures you get the consistent performance you paid for but also contributes significantly to the drive’s long-term health and longevity.

On the topic of longevity, user feedback is mixed, which is common for budget components. Many users, like one who has trusted Silicon Power drives for years through hundreds of write cycles, report rock-solid reliability. The included 5-year warranty provides a significant safety net and peace of mind. However, it would be remiss not to mention the more critical reports. We saw a few cases of drives failing after less than a year of use or experiencing significant write speed degradation over time. These appear to be outliers, but they underscore the absolute importance of maintaining regular backups of your critical data, a best practice regardless of what storage hardware you use.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, the user consensus on the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD centers on its incredible value. Many buyers, even those initially “hesitant” about a brand that isn’t as mainstream as Samsung or Crucial, were won over by the sheer performance and capacity offered for the price. One user aptly stated that in its price bracket, it simply “has no competition.” The drive is frequently lauded by PC builders and gamers who are thrilled to get 2TB of Gen4 speed without breaking the bank.

However, the feedback isn’t universally glowing. The most consistent criticisms revolve around thermal performance and long-term reliability. One of the most pointed negative reviews came from a user who experienced two of these drives “overheating” constantly during file copies, reaching temperatures above 80°C and requiring manual pauses to cool down. An even more concerning report came from a creative professional whose drive “failed after less than a year of minor usage,” resulting in a significant loss of work. This serves as a stark reminder that while the drive offers fantastic performance for its price, it might not be the most robust choice for mission-critical data without a diligent backup strategy in place.

How Does the SP UD90 Compare to the Competition?

While the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD carves out a strong niche in the budget Gen4 market, it’s important to understand the alternatives. Depending on your system, budget, and specific needs, another option might be a better fit.

1. SP Silicon Power 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD

This is the UD90’s smaller, older sibling. As a PCIe Gen3 drive, its speeds are significantly lower, topping out around 2,200 MB/s read and 1,600 MB/s write. While no match for the UD90 in raw performance, its primary appeal is its rock-bottom price. For someone upgrading an older PC that only supports Gen3, or for a builder looking for an extremely cheap boot drive while using a larger hard drive for mass storage, this 512GB model makes a lot of sense. It’s a fantastic choice for breathing new life into a laptop or budget desktop, but those with Gen4-capable systems should stretch their budget for the UD90.

2. ORICO 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD

The ORICO drive presents an interesting middle-ground. It’s also a PCIe Gen3 drive, with speeds rated up to 3,100 MB/s, making it faster than the SP Gen3 model but still a step behind the UD90. Its key selling point is the inclusion of a pre-installed heatsink. For users whose motherboards lack built-in M.2 cooling, this is a significant value-add that solves the thermal issues we discussed earlier. If your budget is tight and you need a 1TB drive with out-of-the-box thermal management for a Gen3 system, the ORICO is a very compelling and practical alternative.

3. SABRENT EC-TFPE M.2 NVMe PCIe 5.0 AIC Adapter

This product is in a different category altogether—it’s not an SSD, but an adapter card. The Sabrent AIC (Add-in Card) allows you to install an M.2 NVMe drive into a full-size PCIe x16 slot on your motherboard. This is the perfect solution for two types of users: those who have run out of M.2 slots but still have a spare PCIe slot, or enthusiasts who want to install a bleeding-edge PCIe 5.0 SSD and ensure it gets maximum bandwidth and cooling. It’s not a direct competitor to the UD90 drive itself, but rather a potential companion piece or a solution for specific, high-end build scenarios.

Our Final Verdict: Is the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 Worth Your Money?

After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD is overwhelmingly positive, with a few important caveats. This drive represents a tipping point in the storage market, delivering a massive 2TB capacity and legitimate PCIe 4.0 performance at a price that makes it accessible to almost any builder. For gaming, general productivity, and even most creative work, the speed and responsiveness it provides are transformative.

We wholeheartedly recommend it to budget-conscious gamers, PC builders looking for maximum bang-for-your-buck, and anyone upgrading from an older SATA SSD or mechanical hard drive. The performance uplift is simply phenomenal for the cost. However, we must caution power users who frequently transfer hundreds of gigabytes at a time about the performance drop after the cache is full. More importantly, we consider a heatsink to be an absolutely essential, non-negotiable accessory for this drive to ensure its performance and longevity. If you understand its limitations and provide it with adequate cooling, the UD90 is an unbeatable value.

If you’ve decided the SP Silicon Power 2TB UD90 NVMe 4.0 SSD is the right fit for your rig, you can check its current price and purchase it here.