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T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD Review

Here in our T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review, we’re giving you another notable SSD you can consider. The Cardea Z44L is a unit that’s claimed to be a great performer thanks to the NVME 1.3 specification.

Also, it’s integrated with the PCIe Gen 4×4 interface which they say, makes it work even better.

TeamGroup also claims that the SSD has the best cooling around. They say it’s all thanks to a flexible, new, and ultra-thin graphene heatsink. 

It’s packed with other notable features which we’ll discuss further in our T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review.

But despite that, it’s one of the first budget-oriented SSDs that sports a graphene sheet. 

T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD Packaging

Before discussing the SSD’s details in this T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review, let’s talk about the product’s packaging. Also, let’s see if the company sneaked in a couple of inclusions to its container. 

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When the SSD arrived in our office, it came in a standard-looking cardboard box. The front showcases an image of the Cardea Z44L, T-Force’s branding, and the capacity of the SSD you got. In our case, we have the 1TB version. 

Inside, you’ll only find the Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD plus a graphene sheet. There are no other items present, so we were able to test it out immediately. 

T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD Review – Design and Functionality

The Cardea Z44L is just like every other M.2 2280 storage drive on the market. Why? Because it looks basic for its interface. 

Up front, you’ll find the Phison controller and NAND chips that make up the SSD’s 1TB capacity. It’s also the spot where you should position the graphene sheet. 

When it comes to the memories utilised by the Cardea Z44L, these are the 3D NAND TLC flash. They’re combined with the SLC cache technology and smart algorithm management tool. This can help optimise performance and guarantee the efficiency of the SSD. 

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Additionally, it sports a Physon P25019 controller too. 

For its design, it’s a simple-looking SSD but it’s entirely solid and durable which is good. Though it’s quite interesting since we received extra cooling from the graphene heat spreader. This feature is claimed to decrease temperatures by up to 9% if you compare it to the default option. 

The graphene sheet has almost the same length as the drive. For us, it doesn’t really have to be this long, unless this measurement contributes to optimised heat dissipation. 

When it comes to attaching it to the sheet, we find it pretty easy and straightforward. We only had to remove its protective tape before carefully setting the graphene in place using the pre-applied adhesive coating. 

Key Features of the T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD

What makes this SSD an ideal option for your system? Our T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review will discuss its different key aspects that make it a good choice. 

Enjoy the PCIe Gen4x4 Read and Write Performance

The Cardea Z44L supports the newest PCIe Gen4x4 with up to 3500 and 3000 MB/s read and write speeds. That means, this SSD offers superior performance that is faster by seven times compared to conventional SATA SSDs. Also, it’s downward compatible with PCIe 3.0 specifications.

Ultra-thin Graphene Heat Spreader

The ultra-thin graphene heat spreader used on the T-Force Cardea Z44L graphene is ideal for thermal conductivity. Also, this material makes DIY easier since it offers assembly flexibility. With that, it supports any motherboard heat spreader seamlessly and without interference.

Faster, More Stable, and Durable

Since the SSD supports smart algorithm management mechanism and SLC Cache technology, it can guarantee efficiency during operation. These features can maximise the SSD’s performance, making it a reliable and trustworthy product for storing your data.

Support for the Latest NVMe 1.4 Standard

The Cardea Z44L supports the latest NVMe 1.4 standard and optimises the work division of PLM and NM sets. As a result, it effectively reduces write loss and latency time while improving the system’s QoS. 

The SSD also utilises the latest Read Recovery Level (RRL) technology to improve its service life.

Smart Monitoring Software for TeamGroup’s SSDs

TeamGroup offers an exclusive smart software suite for monitoring your SSDs. It allows you to keep track of the Cardea Z44L’s status anytime. You can also monitor their quality and performance, as well as make quick and easy setup and testing

TeamGroup provides an exclusive SSD smart monitoring software. It can keep track of the status, quality, and performance of the drive. Also, the software allows you to do quick setup and testing based on the SSD’s status.

Five-year Warranty for Your Peace of Mind

The T-FORCE lab conducted strict and rigorous tests for the Cardea Z44L to ensure its durability and reliability. The company also provided it with a five-year warranty for all users’ peace of mind.

Specifications

Our T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review will now discuss the product’s different specifications. It makes use of the PCIe Gen 4×4 with NVMe 1.4 interface with a 1TB capacity. 

For its performance, its read goes up to 3,500 MB/s. Then, its write goes up to 3,000 MB/s, both for ATTO / Crystal Disk Mark. For IOPS, its read is 263K while write is 382K IOPS max. 

Lastly, the Cardea Z44L measures 80 x 22 x 3.7mm (L x W x H). 

Hands-on with the T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD

Now, we’re sharing our experience with the SSD in this section of the T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review. Was it good? Did it perform how it should? Are the claims about the SSD true? 

We’ll find out after discussing the S.M.A.R.T. software, which is used for monitoring the Cardea Z44L.

S.M.A.R.T. Software

This is downloadable software for TeamGroup’s storage devices. You aren’t required to get it. However, it’s a good thing to have to see minute details about the drive and its supported features.

The S.M.A.R.T. software also features an onboard benchmark which is similar to the Crystal Disk Mark. 

Overall, it’s a user-friendly software that is well-designed and organised enough for our liking. It’s easy to understand and isn’t cluttered with unnecessary information and elements that make a software interface confusing. 

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Now for the Cardea Z44L’s performance, we got to see it in action after installing it in our system. 

During our tests, it was able to provide us with good performance which is quite notable for its price. It was great in both reading and writing so we were happy about that. 

Its innovative graphene heatsink was helpful since it successfully enhanced the unit’s dissipation. This was while maintaining compatibility with our board’s thermal shields. It even simultaneously gave us all the optimisations available on the new PCIe interface which was great. 

We also noticed, while creating this T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review, that it made Windows boot really fast.

Basically, its factory cooling solution is great. However, we think it could be better with a few more upgrades to prevent thermal throttling with too much heat.

Of course, we tried it for gaming too. It performed well and the greatly improved game load speeds. We think it’s fantastic for anyone who uses a gaming SSD with reliable performance. 

T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD Review Summary

The Cardea Z44L is one of the best SSD options on the market today. It’s fast, provides support for high-performance interfaces, and comes with a reasonable price. What makes it unique is its graphene heatsink that effectively dissipates heat while maintaining compatibility with thermal shields of motherboards.

Additionally, this SSD lets you enjoy the exceptional PCIe Gen4x4 read and write performance. And with its 1TB capacity, you have adequate space to store large amounts of files and games. What’s great is you won’t have to pay the price of a high-end drive. 

When we tested the product for our T-Force Cardea Z44L 1TB NVMe SSD review, we were pleased with its performance. It operated seamlessly and delivered fast transfer speeds while keeping temperatures low. Plus, it was easy to install, thanks to its slim design and graphene heat spreader that offered flexibility.

Aside from its excellent features, design, and performance, we also appreciate that it comes with a five-year warranty. Since TeamGroup conducted rigorous tests for this product, we’re sure that this product is highly reliable in the long run.

Overall, the Cardea Z44L is a great NVMe SSD if you’re looking for budget-friendly storage options. It’s easy to use, and it offers an excellent price to performance ratio with its fast speeds and thermals. With that, we highly recommend this drive, especially for compact builds.

You can pickup the Cardea Z44L for $149 AUD from over at PC Case Gear.