Transmission speed exceeds 2000MB/s-Experience ORICO Tai Chi M20 mobile SSD
2024-05-12 / tech
Nowadays, with the popularization of solid-state drives (SSDs), their compact size and high transfer speed features are increasingly welcomed by more and more users who assemble their own computers. It is for this reason that portable SSDs are also favored by high-performance individuals. Additionally, there are differences in the speed of portable SSDs; for example, high-speed portable SSDs that support the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 specification can have transfer speeds exceeding 2000MB/s. Of course, the price of such high-speed portable SSDs is not low, but the ORICO Tai Chi M20 is a rare high-cost-performance product in the market with a transfer speed that can exceed 2000MB/s.
Product Specifications:
Capacity: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Dimensions: 80mm × 45mm × 11mm
Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C
Chip: TLC
Cache: 30% simulated cache
Transfer Speed: Up to 2000MB/s
Material: Alloy + ABS plastic
Cable: 0.3m C to C/ALimited Warranty: 5 years
Reference Price: 689 yuan (1TB)
Compact and Lightweight
Less than half the size of a palm
The Orico Tai Chi M20 is a compact and lightweight portable solid-state drive (SSD) that is more miniaturized compared to other portable SSDs on the market. Its dimensions are only 80mm in length, 45mm in width, and 11mm in thickness, with a bare weight of just 50g, making it extremely portable. This drive is less than half the size of an adult's palm, fitting easily into pockets such as trouser or shirt pockets, and it carries an almost non-existent "presence" when taken out and about.
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The Orico Tai Chi M20 features a single data transfer USB Type-C interface on its body, which is based on the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (SuperSpeed USB 2000MB/s) specification. This is achieved by utilizing two channels in a high-speed USB Type-C cable or connector, with each channel operating at a speed of 1000MB/s, thus providing a data transfer speed of up to 2000MB/s. It is also compatible with USB 4.0, Thunderbolt 4 (Lightning 4), and Thunderbolt 3 (Lightning 3).
The Orico Tai Chi M20 comes with a 0.3m C to C/A combo data cable, eliminating the need to purchase additional adapters. I noticed that next to the interface of the portable SSD and on the C/A end of the cable, there is a special marking of the number "20," representing its ability to support high-speed data transfer at 2000MB/s. There is also a status indicator light on the other side of the interface; a solid green light indicates that the device is connected, while a flashing light indicates that data is being transferred.We understand that hard drives can heat up when reading and writing data. To provide good heat dissipation for the Tai Chi M20, Orico has used an alloy material at the interface end that accounts for about one-third of the overall body, which quickly dissipates internal heat and prevents overheating and speed reduction issues. The rear half of the body is made of ABS plastic, which makes the body more lightweight.
Using TLC NAND and SM2320 Controller
The Orico Tai Chi M20 series offers three capacity versions: 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, priced at 429 yuan, 689 yuan, and 1299 yuan, respectively. Additionally, it uses TLC NAND, which has better performance than QLC. The main difference between these two types of NAND is the density of the storage cells. TLC uses three storage cells to store one byte of data, with each cell capable of storing 2 bits of data. Therefore, TLC has a lower storage density, but its read and write speeds are faster, making it suitable for most application scenarios. QLC, on the other hand, uses four storage cells to store one byte of data, with each cell only able to store 1 bit of data. QLC has a higher storage density, but its read and write speeds are slower. Moreover, because each storage cell needs to withstand higher voltage and current, QLC has a shorter lifespan. This is also why many solid-state drives with TLC NAND are more expensive than those with QLC.
The NAND of a solid-state drive is only one of the factors affecting performance; the controller is also very important. The Orico Tai Chi M20 uses the SMI SM2320 controller, which has been on the market for a while and is relatively mature and reliable. This controller combines the bridge chip and the main controller into one, which not only significantly reduces the size of the PCB but also lowers production costs and heat issues. This is why the Orico Tai Chi M20 can be so compact and lightweight. Furthermore, the SMI SM2320 controller supports 4 NAND flash channels and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interfaces, with a maximum supported capacity of 4TB, suitable for both TLC and QLC NAND. We will test the performance of this controller later.
It is worth mentioning that to ensure faster transfer speeds, the Orico Tai Chi M20 also specially configures 30% of its space as an SLC cache. Currently, there are mainly two types of cache technologies for consumer-grade solid-state drives: independent cache and simulated SLC cache. Independent cache is achieved by adding an additional SDRAM chip, which is not affected by the remaining space of the solid-state drive, offering more stable performance. Simulated SLC cache, on the other hand, is an area within the solid-state drive that simulates the performance of SLC flash memory to enhance the read and write speeds of other flash memory, but its performance may be affected by the remaining space on the drive. Compared to many products without cache, simulated cache can more efficiently store and read data during data transfer, thereby increasing overall transfer speeds. Additionally, in terms of warranty, the Orico Tai Chi M20 series offers an extended warranty period of up to 5 years. It is important to note that many similar products with higher prices typically only offer a 3-year warranty, which also demonstrates Orico's confidence in the quality of its products.We Test This Way
Next, we conduct a detailed test on the Orico Tai Chi M20. The testing platform I chose is the Honor MagicBook Pro 16 laptop with the appropriate interface, which can fully utilize the Orico Tai Chi M20's maximum data transfer performance of up to 2000MB/s. In the test, we not only used benchmark software such as CrystalDiskMark and AS SSD BENCHMARK to test the benchmark performance of the Orico Tai Chi M20, but also examined its performance in software and game applications through actual file transfers and tests with PCMark and "Final Fantasy XIV". The Orico Tai Chi M20 has excellent system compatibility, and it can be used plug-and-play with Windows PCs, Apple Mac OS, iPhone, HUAWEI HarmonyOS, Android devices, and Linux devices without the need for driver installation or reformatting.
Benchmark Performance Test
Achieving USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Performance Level
We first tested the performance of the Orico Tai Chi M20 using three benchmark software tools: CrystalDiskMark, AS SSD BENCHMARK, and Anvil's Storage Utilities.
Benchmark Software Default 1GB Capacity Test
The Orico Tai Chi M20 portable solid-state drive showed very impressive performance in the default 1GB capacity test. According to the results from CrystalDiskMark, its sequential read speed reached 2049.36MB/s, which is significantly higher than the claimed 2000MB/s data transfer rate. Additionally, the sequential write speed also reached 1822.97MB/s, which is clearly superior compared to USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable solid-state drives that have a maximum transfer speed of only around 1000MB/s.
This portable solid-state drive excels when handling single large-capacity files, especially in reading and writing ISO files, video files, and compressed files. Its high-speed read and write speeds ensure that users can quickly transfer and store files. Whether dealing with large video files or decompressing archives, the Orico Tai Chi M20 can provide excellent performance and efficiency.In addition to the CrystalDiskMark test, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 has also performed exceptionally well in the AS SSD Benchmark and Anvil's Storage Utilities tests. Compared to ordinary portable solid-state drives, its performance is even more outstanding. Generally speaking, USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSDs typically score under 1000 points in the AS SSD Benchmark test, and around 4600 points in Anvil's Storage Utilities. However, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 achieved scores of 1109 and 6347.32 respectively in these two testing software, significantly higher than the average.
Maximum Capacity Benchmark Test
Even at its maximum capacity, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 portable SSD maintains impressive performance. According to the results from CrystalDiskMark, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 achieved sequential read speeds of 2051.86MB/s and write speeds of 1821.19MB/s at the highest 64GB capacity. Compared to the test results with 1GB of data, there is no significant difference, demonstrating its stable and reliable performance. Whether handling large or small files, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 can provide excellent read and write speeds, ensuring users can quickly transfer and store files.
In addition to the CrystalDiskMark test, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 also achieved excellent results in the AS SSD Benchmark and Anvil's Storage Utilities tests. In the AS SSD Benchmark test, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 scored over 1000 points. In Anvil's Storage Utilities test, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 scored over 6000 points, once again proving its outstanding performance.
Actual File Transfer Test
Breaking the 2000MB/s Speed Barrier
For portable SSDs, benchmark tests can only provide a general idea of performance and do not fully reflect the real-world user experience. To more accurately test the performance of the ORICO Tai Chi M20 in actual use, we conducted a series of real-world file transfer speed tests. These tests covered files of various sizes and types, as well as simulating various data transfer needs that users may encounter in their daily work. Our testing platform used a laptop's built-in PCIe 4.0×4 SSD, which ensures that the ORICO Tai Chi M20 can fully utilize its data transfer speed without any bottlenecks.In a folder transfer test with a capacity of 49.9GB containing 72 video files, the Orico Tai Chi M20 performed exceptionally well. Its actual sequential read speed reached an impressive 2022MB/s, even surpassing its advertised speed of 2000MB/s, and completed the entire transfer process in just 26.5 seconds. When writing the same video folder to the Orico Tai Chi M20, its speed also reached 1553MB/s. Although this speed is slightly lower compared to the benchmark test results, it is still very fast in practical use. The entire writing process took only 34.5 seconds, which for most users, is a speed that can meet their daily needs.
When testing the transfer of a "Shadow of the Tomb Raider" game folder composed of 398 files with a total capacity of 63GB, the mobile solid-state drive's read speed reached 2043MB/s, exceeding its advertised maximum speed, and took only 33.1 seconds. At the same time, its writing speed also reached 1541MB/s, and it could complete the writing operation of the entire game folder in less than 44 seconds. For users, when using the Orico Tai Chi M20, the total waiting time is only a matter of tens of seconds, and they can easily transfer such a large game from one computer to a mobile storage device. What's more convenient is that many games no longer need to be reinstalled, but can be directly relocated and find the game installation files through game platform software such as STEAM and UBI Connect, and quickly start on another computer. Therefore, a mobile solid-state drive with fast read and write capabilities for small files can greatly enhance the user experience in such application scenarios. Whether it is gamers who frequently switch game devices, or professional users such as photographers and designers who need to quickly back up and transfer a large number of small files, the Orico Tai Chi M20 can provide them with an efficient and convenient storage solution.
As a professional group with very high requirements for data storage speed and stability, photographers have naturally become one of the main target user groups for the Orico Tai Chi M20. In order to be closer to the actual needs of this user group, we conducted a detailed test of the performance of the Orico Tai Chi M20 when transferring a large number of photos. In the test, we selected a folder containing 2524 high-quality photos, with a total capacity of 15.2GB. Such data volume is a considerable challenge for any mobile hard drive.
From the test results, the Orico Tai Chi M20 performed excellently in this test, with a read speed of an astonishing 1699MB/s, and the writing speed also reached 912.8MB/s. At the same time, when transferring a 15.2GB photo folder, the Orico Tai Chi M20 completed the reading task in only 9.6 seconds, and the writing process only took 17.9 seconds. It can be imagined that the Orico Tai Chi M20 can write more than 2500 photos in less than 20 seconds. This speed far exceeds that of ordinary flash drives, and is even faster than many similar USB 3.2 Gen 2 solid-state mobile hard drives. For photographers who often need to process a large number of photos in a short time, such performance can undoubtedly save more time.
Application and Game Testing
We also tested the performance of the Orico Tai Chi M20 in applications and games. In the PCMark 8 storage performance test that simulates actual applications, the Orico Tai Chi M20 made good use of the high bandwidth advantage of the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, achieving a total score of 4987 points. Through a detailed analysis of the test results, we found that the Orico Tai Chi M20 can complete read and write tasks of common design software such as Photoshop, After Effects, and InDesign at a relatively fast speed. Especially in the heavy load test of Adobe Photoshop, the performance of this hard drive was excellent, with the total time for reading and writing more than 6000MB of files being only 354.2 seconds. This score is usually between 350 seconds and 352 seconds in the same test for high-performance built-in PCIe 3.0 x4 SSDs on notebook computers. In other words, the performance gap between the Orico Tai Chi M20 and these high-performance built-in SSDs is minimal, with a difference of only 4 seconds at most. Considering that the Orico Tai Chi M20 is an external mobile solid-state hard drive, it is quite rare to achieve such close results to built-in SSDs.
In the actual game startup test, we chose the Benchmarks of the three games "Final Fantasy XIV: Return to Ivalice," "Final Fantasy XIV: The Far Edge of Fate," and "Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers" to simulate the real game scene loading process. The test results show that the loading times for these three games are 12.984 seconds, 13.874 seconds, and 14.11 seconds, respectively. Although this time is slightly longer than the 6 to 7 seconds loading time of the built-in PCIe SSD on notebook computers, it is still completely acceptable for players who need to frequently switch gaming experiences between different devices. After all, compared to reinstalling the game or waiting for a long cloud synchronization process, using the Orico Tai Chi M20 to load quickly undoubtedly greatly improves the convenience for players. In addition, for users with limited computer storage space, installing some applications and games on the Orico Tai Chi M20 is also a wise choice. Doing so can not only free up valuable local storage space on notebook computers but also ensure fast access and smooth operation of games and applications.
Working Temperature TestWe tested the heat generation of the ORICO Tai Chi M20 under long-term full-load conditions. To do this, we used the TxBENCH software to perform a full-disk write operation on it and detected its shell temperature with a FLIR thermal imaging camera. In a test environment with a room temperature of about 23°C, after about 30 minutes of full-disk write operation, we observed that the highest temperature of the front plastic shell (the part with the ORICO logo) of the ORICO Tai Chi M20 reached 55°C. At the same time, the highest temperature of the back plastic shell reached 62.8°C.
It is worth noting that due to the smooth surface characteristics of the metal shell part of the ORICO Tai Chi M20, the thermal imaging camera could not accurately measure its actual temperature. I could clearly feel by touch that the temperature of the metal shell part was significantly higher than that of the plastic shell part, with a burning sensation. This difference in temperature sensation is because the metal shell part is exactly below the position of the main control chip. The reason why the ORICO Tai Chi M20 adopts a design that combines a metal shell with a plastic shell may be precisely because it considers the large amount of heat that may be generated during the data writing process. Therefore, it uses a metal shell at the main control chip part to improve its thermal conductivity, thereby ensuring its stability and performance are not affected by heat accumulation. Some readers may ask: Why not use a metal shell entirely, wouldn't the thermal conductivity be better? In fact, if the entire shell were made of metal, it would be easy to get burned if touched by hand, while the combination of metal and plastic can solve this problem.
In conclusion, through the above comprehensive tests, it can be seen that the performance of the ORICO Tai Chi M20 is commendable. Whether it is the read and write of large video files or the transmission of folders composed of small files such as games and photos, its transmission speed is good and significantly better than that of ordinary portable solid-state drives. At the same time, it also performs well in the startup speed of applications, and it is entirely possible to use applications on it in emergencies. It also provides a rare 5-year warranty in its class, allowing users to use it with confidence. Especially its price is very competitive, less than 700 yuan can get a 1TB portable solid-state drive with a transmission speed of over 2000MB/s, TLC particles, and SM2320 main control from Phison, which has a very high cost-performance ratio. Overall, the ORICO Tai Chi M20 is very suitable for users with limited budgets and high read and write speed requirements for portable hard drives.
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