Netac NV7000-Q 1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD Review

The Netac NV7000-Q 1TB PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD is a new QLC-based SSD from Netac offering value for money with high-end PCIe Gen4 NVMe throughput performance of 7,100MB/s read and 6,200MB/s write. This particular SSD was shown at Computex 2024, and now we have it in our hands to perform a full review with testing and benchmarks.

While this SSD is currently not available for purchase yet in the US, it will be coming soon for retail in the US and Netac quotes pricing at around $79 for the 1TB model. However, prices are not necessarily solidified yet, so keep an eye out for the final pricing. This review should at least allow us to examine what its performance is like so that you can make an informed buying decision when prices are finalized and it is available.

Netac is not a new brand to us, we have previously reviewed two other Netac SSD storage devices with the Netac NV7000 2TB PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe SSD and the Netac NV7000-t 1TB PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe SSD. In our testing, both of those SSDs performed as specified, and did well in our benchmarks.

If you are not familiar with Netac, Netac has operated for more than two decades in China and is known as the world’s first creator of USB flash drives. Netac is a supplier of products and solutions in the field of global flash application with a focus on manufacturing flash memory such as solid state drives, Portable SSD, DDR, and mobile storage products.

The Netac NV7000-Q is a compact M.2 2280 SSD with a slim profile, low power consumption, and high density geared for the likes of laptops, desktop PCs, and the PS5 console. Netac specifies it is able to cope with various types of data including file transfer, large-size gaming, and video editing made for PC enthusiasts. You will find the Netac NV7000-Q with the model name NV7000-Q-1TB and NT01NV7000Q-1T0-E4X which is the model we are reviewing today.

The Netac NV7000 was released in 2022 and introduced Netac’s PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD lineup. The NV7000’s components were changed over time, with either the 8-channel InnoGrit IG5236 controller or the 8-channel Phison E18 and with either Micron 176-layer TLC NAND flash or 128-layer SK Hynix flash. The NV7000 did have a DRAM cache and an integrated tall aluminum heatsink and was a TLC 3D NAND flash SSD.

Later came the Netac NV7000-t in 2023. The Netac NV7000-t ditched the tall aluminum heatsink and DRAM cache and opted for a more affordable 4-channel Maxio MAP1602 controller with 232-Layer 3D TLC YMTC Xtacking 3.0 3D NAND.

The new Netac NV7000-Q follows in the same line as Netac’s other NV7000 model drives, which means it runs at PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe performance, but the “Q” denotes something different. The NV7000-t and NV7000 SSDs were TLC (3-bit per cell) SSDs, while the NV7000-Q is Netac’s new QLC (4-bit per cell) offering, and based on the same 4-channel Maxio MAP1602 controller that the NV7000-t is based on.

Since the NV7000-Q is a value-based SSD it does not have a DRAM cache and instead uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) and an SLC cache. The NV7000-Q also does not have a large aluminum heatsink, but rather a thin heat spreader similar to the NV7000-t and is a one-sided SSD. It utilizes intelligent temperature control technology to reduce hard drive degradation and throttling.

The QLC nature is based on the 232-Layer QLC 3D NAND flash that it uses from YMTC with its YMTC Xtacking technology, also the same brand of NAND flash the NV7000-t utilizes, though QLC NAND flash is cheaper in cost. The YMTC NAND flash reads YMC8G004Tb74CA100. Uniquely, the YMTC QLC 3D flash is bumped up to run at 2400MT/s which boosts the throughput performance of this SSD right up to the latest generation of PCIe Gen4 x4 performance.

Endurance and write cycles are also improved with YMTC’s QLC 3D NAND flash, with an endurance rating of 640 TBW this SSD matches the same endurance as the NV7000-t TLC-based SSD’s endurance for 1TB. It is also only 60 TBW shy of the Netac NV7000’s 1TB 700 TBW endurance rating. Right now, Netac will only have a 1TB model available, but there is room on the SSD to add more flash memory if they want to produce higher capacities in the future.

It sits perfectly in our desktop PC’s M.2 2280 slot, and with the low profile makes for a slim installation and cool running controller and low power where an external heatsink is not required for operation.