Quick Summary
Best Budget Gen3 M.2 NVMe SSD
The PNY CS2230 M.2 NVMe SSD is an excellent budget-friendly choice for both internal and external use. It supports the PCIe 3.0 protocol, delivering speeds of up to 3300MB/s, making it ideal for everyday tasks and large-scale backups, especially when paired with higher capacity options.
5 out of 5
There are countless M.2 NVMe SSDs on the market, each varying in speed and storage capacity. That’s why we chose to review the PNY CS2230 M.2 NVMe SSD, a budget-friendly option that still delivers solid performance and up to 2TB of storage. Whether you’re using it internally or pairing it with an external SSD enclosure, it’s a compelling choice for the price. Let’s dive into the specs and see how it performs!
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Table of Contents
Pros and Cons
Pros ✅
✔ High-Speed Performance: The PNY CS2230 M.2 NVMe SSD offers sequential read speeds of up to 3,300 MB/s and write speeds up to 2,600 MB/s, significantly outperforming traditional SATA SSDs.
✔ Affordable Pricing: Positioned as a budget-friendly option, the CS2230 provides substantial performance improvements without a hefty price tag, making it accessible for users seeking cost-effective storage upgrades.
✔ Low Power Consumption: The CS2230 operates efficiently with low power consumption, contributing to longer battery life in laptops and quieter, cooler operation in desktops.
✔ 5-Year Limited Warranty: PNY backs the CS2230 with a 5-year limited warranty or a specified Total Bytes Written (TBW) threshold, offering peace of mind regarding the drive’s longevity and performance.
Cons ❌
✖ Absence of DRAM Cache: The CS2230 lacks a DRAM cache, which may affect performance during sustained write operations compared to M.2 NVMe SSDs equipped with DRAM.
✖ Older PCIe 3.0 Interface: The CS2230 utilizes the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, which, while providing respectable speeds, is surpassed by the newer PCIe 4.0/5.0 standard in terms of data transfer rates and overall performance.
PNY CS2230 Specs
Interface: PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD
Storage Capacity: Available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities
Form Factor: M.2 2280 (22 x 80 mm)
Sequential Read Speed:
- 500GB: Up to 3,300 MB/s
- 1TB: Up to 3,300 MB/s
- 2TB: Up to 3,400 MB/s
Sequential Write Speed:
- 500GB: Up to 2,500 MB/s
- 1TB: Up to 2,600 MB/s
- 2TB: Up to 2,700 MB/s
NAND Flash Type: 3D NAND
Endurance (TBW): 1TB model: 560 TBW
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): 1,500,000 hours
Operating Temperature: 0°C to 70°C
Storage Temperature: -40°C to 85°C
Dimensions: 80 mm x 22 mm x 4 mm
Weight: 6.6 grams
Warranty: 5-year limited warranty or Total Bytes Written (TBW), whichever comes first
Key Features and Benefits
The PNY CS2230 M.2 NVMe SSD offers a range of advantages tailored to meet the demands of photographers and content creators. Its compatibility with desktop PCs, laptops, and external SSD enclosures provides versatile storage solutions for various workflows.
Enhanced Performance: Transitioning from traditional HDDs or SATA SSDs to the CS2230 delivers significantly faster boot times and application launches, streamlining tasks like high-resolution photo editing and 4K video rendering.
Cost-Effective Storage Expansion: The CS2230 offers a budget-friendly option for expanding storage capacity. For example, the 2TB model is available at approximately $99.99, allowing users to acquire substantial storage without significant financial investment.
Broad Compatibility: Designed for seamless integration, the CS2230 is suitable for desktop PCs, laptops, and external SSD enclosures, providing flexible storage solutions across different devices.
Reliable and Durable: Utilizing non-volatile NAND technology, the CS2230 is up to 30 times more robust than traditional HDDs, ensuring data integrity and longevity.
Energy Efficiency: The SSD’s low power consumption contributes to extended battery life in laptops and reduces heat generation, promoting stable performance during intensive tasks.
While the CS2230 utilizes the PCIe 3.0 interface, it still offers substantial performance improvements over older storage solutions, making it a valuable upgrade for professionals seeking efficiency and reliability.
Design and Build Quality
The PNY CS2230 SSD is built with practicality, simplicity, and wide compatibility in mind. It’s a great fit for creators looking to upgrade or expand their storage setup.
Form Factor:
The CS2230 uses the standard M.2 2280 form factor, making it compatible with most modern desktops, laptops, and even external enclosures that support NVMe drives.Slim Profile:
This SSD features a compact, heatsink-free design, which makes it ideal for tight spaces such as ultrabooks, mini PCs, and portable enclosures. The absence of a heatsink also ensures it fits easily in laptops or gaming consoles without thermal interference.Design Aesthetics:
The CS2230 sports a minimalist look with a clean label sticker, focusing more on function than flashy design, perfect for users who prioritize performance and practicality.
While it doesn’t come with advanced cooling features or bold branding like the XLR8 series, the CS2230 offers a no-nonsense design that gets the job done, efficiently and reliably, even in compact setups.
Performance & Speed
The Acasis TBU405ProMax supports Thunderbolt 3 and 4 connectivity with speeds up to 2800MB/s. You may also connect it with USB 4.0 with speeds up to 40Gbps.
In order to reach maximum speeds, we used the PNY CS3140 M.2 NVMe SSD (4th Generation) with Approx. sequential read speed of 7500MB/s and Write speed of 5650MB/s.
For photographers and filmmakers, sequential speed is crucial for faster workflows in programs like:
- Luminar Neo
- Aperty
- DaVinci Resolve Studio
Faster sequential speed benefits include:
- Speeding up tasks like batch editing and processing large RAW files
- Loading high-res images for retouching
- Exporting videos more quickly
For filmmakers, it ensures:
- Smooth 4K/8K video playback
- Faster rendering
- Reduced delays during video editing and multicam footage syncing
Essentially, faster sequential speeds improve overall efficiency when handling large files and media projects.
Note: To achieve the highest speeds, be sure to install both M.2 NVMe SSDs and use the Thunderbolt 4 cable included in the packaging.
Storage Capacity
The PNY CS2230 SSD offers solid NVMe performance with fast sequential read and write speeds across multiple storage capacities:
500GB Model: Sequential read speeds up to 3,500 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s.
1TB Model: Sequential read speeds up to 3,600 MB/s and write speeds up to 3,200 MB/s.
2TB Model: Sequential read speeds up to 3,600 MB/s and write speeds up to 3,200 MB/s.
These speeds make the CS2230 an excellent choice for everyday computing, faster boot times, app loading, and moderate content creation workloads at an affordable price point.
External Storage
One of the standout benefits of the PNY CS2230 NVMe SSD is its versatility—not just as an internal drive, but also when paired with a high-speed external SSD enclosure like the Acasis Thunderbolt 5.
This combination turns the CS2230 into a portable, high-performance external storage solution, ideal for photographers, videographers, and digital content creators.
Why This Matters for Creators:
Fast File Transfers On the Go
With Thunderbolt 5 support, the Acasis enclosure unleashes the full potential of the CS2230’s read/write speeds (up to 3,600/3,200 MB/s), making it easy to offload large RAW files, 4K/6K video footage, or Lightroom catalogs in seconds—whether you’re in the studio or out in the field.Edit Directly from the Drive
The speeds are fast enough for real-time editing of high-resolution photos and videos straight from the external SSD. No need to waste time copying files to your internal drive. Just plug in and work instantly in Premiere Pro, Final Cut, Lightroom, or DaVinci Resolve.Lightweight and Travel-Ready
Creators who shoot on location or travel often will appreciate how compact and durable this setup is. You can throw it in your camera bag and have terabytes of fast, reliable storage wherever you go—perfect for backup, client delivery, or active project files.Flexible Workflow Integration
Whether you’re working between desktop and laptop setups or collaborating with a team, this external SSD setup makes file handoffs seamless. Just unplug and plug into your next device—no need to re-transfer files or carry external hard drives that bottleneck your workflow.
Pairing the PNY CS2230 with a Thunderbolt 5 enclosure like the Acasis turns a budget-friendly internal SSD into a pro-level portable drive.
For any photographer or filmmaker looking to streamline their editing workflow, speed up transfers, and stay mobile, this combo is a game changer.
Where to Buy
The PNY CS2230 M.2 NVMe SSD is available for purchase on Amazon.com in various storage capacities to suit different needs:
500GB Model: Ideal for users requiring moderate storage for everyday tasks and applications.Amazon
1TB Model: Suitable for professionals and gamers needing ample space for software and media files.
2TB Model: Best for creators and power users handling large files and extensive data.
Purchasing through Amazon offers benefits such as competitive pricing, reliable shipping, and customer reviews to help inform your decision.
Summary
The PNY CS2230 SSD is a solid performer for creators and everyday users alike—offering fast NVMe speeds at a great price. Whether you install it internally for a performance boost or pair it with a Thunderbolt 5 enclosure for a powerful portable drive, it delivers flexibility and reliability where it matters most.
Have you used the PNY CS2230 or a similar NVMe SSD? Would you prefer it for internal upgrades or as an external drive for editing and storage on the go?
👇 Drop a comment below and let us know how you use your SSD setup. We’d love to hear about your workflow, setup tips, or any gear recommendations you’ve got for other creators!
