Klevv CRAS C930 2TB Gen4 SSD Review

1. Introduction2. Klevv CRAS C930 2TB3. Testing Methodology4. CrystalDiskMark5. ATTO Disk Benchmark6. AS SSD7. 128KB Sequential Performance8. 4K Random Read v QD Performance9. 4K Random Write v QD Performance10. 4K 70/30 Mixed Performance11. 4K Random Performance QD1-QD812. Throughput13. PCMark 10 Full System Drive Benchmark14. 3DMark Storage Benchmark 15. Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker Official Benchmark16. Temperatures17. Real Life File Testing18. Closing Thoughts19. View All Pages

Klevv's CRAS C930 Gen 4 SSD is aimed at the mainstream end of the market and sits in between the company's C925 and C910 models. Interestingly, all three SKU use different controllers. The C925 uses a Maxio MAP1602, the C910 a Realtek RTS5772DL (or InnoGrit IG5220) and the C930, an InnoGrit IG5236. At the time of writing this review, only two capacities make up the C930 product line: 1TB and 2TB, the latter being the focus of this review.

InnoGrit's IG5236 8-channel PCIe 4.0 x4 controller is built on a 12nm process using ARM 32-bit Cortex-R5 architecture and supporting NVMe 1.4. It supports up to 8TB of SLC, MLC, TLC, and QLC NAND flash with either ONFI 4.1 or Toggle 2.0/3.0/4.0 with an interface running at up to 1200MT/s, which equates to a maximum Sequential performance of up to 7,400MB/s and 6,400MB/s for reads and writes, respectively. For the CRAS C930, Klevv has combined the IG5236 with Essencore-branded 176-layer 3D TLC NAND, the 2TB drive using two NAND packages along with a 2GB DDR4-4266 DRAM cache IC.

Klevv rates the maximum Sequential performance of the 2TB CRAS C930 as up to 7,400MB/s for reads and 6,800MB/s for writes, while random 4K performance is quoted as up to 1000K IOPS for both reads and writes.

Using the ATTO benchmark, we couldn't quite hit either Sequential maximums with test results of 6,950MB/s for reads and 6.500MB/s for writes. Switching over to the CrystalDiskMark 8, we could confirm both Sequential figures with test results of 7,459.78MB/s for reads and 6,970.83MB/s for writes. Using the compressible data test saw no real difference in the scores, so it seems the InnoGrit controller doesn't have a preference when it comes to the type of data it's being asked to handle.

When it came to random performance, we couldn't get close to the official figures with our 4-threaded tests. The peak read figure we achieved was 366,909 IOPS (QD16) with peak writes at 324,401 IOPS at QD32. Switching over to the default Peak Performance Profile in CrystalDiskMark 8, we still couldn't confirm the official random figures; the best we saw using these tests were 772,590 IOPS for reads and 668,375 IOPS for writes.

To help keep the CRAS C930 cool, Klevv uses enhanced thermal management, including thermal throttling, and a DIY stick-on thin aluminium heatsink option that is bundled with the drive. The drive did get hot under heavy and prolonged benchmarking but we didn't see any sign of thermal throttling

The Klevv CRAS C930 comes with a useful official license for Acronis True Image HD which is downloadable from the Klevv website.

To put another fly in the ointment, we haven't found it for sale anywhere in the UK. We did see it listed on Amazon US for $125.99, but that's not much help to those of us on this side of the Atlantic. Klevv also confirmed to us that the US MSRP for the 1TB model is $79.99, while the 2TB model MSRP is $143.99.

Pros

• Reasonable performance.
• Endurance.
• Bundled aluminium heatsink.

Cons

• Write speeds in some benchmark tests.
• Got hot under certain benchmarking tests.
• UK availability is scarce.

KitGuru says: Klevv's 2TB CRAS C930 isn't the fastest Gen4 drive we've seen overall by a long way but it does have its moments. Unfortunately, the 2TB Gen4 drive market segment is a very crowded one and there are better performing options than the C930.

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