TeamGroup MP44S 2230 - M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD - 1TB

The TeamGroup MP44S is a compact M.2 2230 Gen4 NVMe drive designed for devices that can't accept the standard 2280 length. It uses a Phison E21T controller with Micron 176-layer QLC NAND and Host Memory Buffer (no DRAM). Sequential speeds reach 5,000/3,500 MB/s in both the 1TB and 2TB capacities.

2230 Form Factor

The M.2 2230 form factor (22mm wide, 30mm long) is used in the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Microsoft Surface devices, and some ultracompact laptops. Standard 2280 drives physically don't fit these devices. The MP44S fills that gap with Gen4 speeds in the smaller package.

QLC in 2230

The MP44S uses QLC NAND despite the MP44 family otherwise being TLC. The 2230 form factor's space constraints make QLC's higher density per die a practical necessity for fitting 1-2TB in a 30mm module. This means sustained write performance will drop once the SLC cache is exhausted, though for the handheld and ultraportable devices this drive targets, that scenario is uncommon.

Endurance

250 TBW (1TB), 450 TBW (2TB). Five-year limited warranty.

Best for: Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Surface device storage upgrades. Any device requiring the M.2 2230 form factor where Gen4 speeds are supported.

Avoid if: Your device accepts standard 2280 drives. Full-size Gen4 drives offer better performance, TLC NAND, and typically better pricing per GB.