XPG MARS 980 BLADE Review
PCIe 5.0 NVMe · 14,000 MB/s read · PassMark #17
Specdex verdict The XPG MARS 980 BLADE is a competent mid-range pick when the price is right — see our cheaper-and-better alternatives below for context.
The XPG MARS 980 BLADE scores 88,359 on PassMark Disk Score (rank #17 of ~100 consumer SSDs benchmarked). Score sourced from PassMark Disk Score (July 2026 snapshot).
Specdex doesn't run benchmarks in-house. The verdict is an editorial assessment based on manufacturer specs and public reviewer consensus. See methodology.
XPG MARS 980 BLADE versus its closest rivals
- +PassMark Disk Score top-20 (88,359) — sustained-write class-leading
- +Current street price around $721
- −DRAM-less controllers on lower-tier variants may throttle under sustained writes
Who's the XPG MARS 980 BLADE for?
Quick verdicts for the most common buyer profiles, derived from the sub-scores above.
Compute scores trail current top-tier — look at our step-up alternatives below if performance is the priority.
Mid-tier pricing at $300 — review whether the score-per-dollar lines up against the cheaper alternatives we recommend.
In the box
What you get when you unbox the XPG MARS 980 BLADE.
- SSD
- M.2 mounting screw
- Heatsink (where applicable)
- Software activation key (Pro tier)
Standard contents — region/SKU may vary; confirm at retailer.
Sources & benchmarks
Cited, not generatedSpecdex does not run benchmarks in-house. We're rolling out cited public benchmark data category by category — PassMark for CPUs and GPUs is wired today; DXOMark, RTINGS, Geekbench, and NotebookCheck will follow.
Sources we use when available: PassMark for CPU/GPU, Geekbench Browser for synthetic, DXOMark for camera scores, RTINGS for TVs, monitors, and headphones. See methodology.
Specifications
Source · www.kitguru.net/components/ssd-drives/simon-crisp/adata-xpg-mars-980-blade-2tb-ssd-review| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| DRAM | yes (DRAM cache buffer) |
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Sequential read | 14,000 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 13,000 MB/s |
| Random read | 2,000,000 IOPS |
| Random write | 1,650,000 IOPS |
| NAND | 232-layer Micron 3D TLC |
| Endurance | 1,480 TBW |
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Form factor | M.2 2280 (passive, heat-spreader label) |
| Interface | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 |
| Controller | Silicon Motion SM2508 (TSMC 6nm) |
| PassMark Disk Score | 88,359 |
| PassMark rank | #17 of 100 consumer SSDs |
Cheaper alternatives to the XPG MARS 980 BLADE
Same category, at least 20% cheaper, best-scoring picks from our catalog.
Step up from the XPG MARS 980 BLADE
Higher-scoring ssds if you've got more to spend.
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Also consider
Where the XPG MARS 980 BLADE appears on Specdex
Curated lists, spec rankings, and buying guides where this product is mentioned or ranked.