Lexar NS100 256GB vs TeamGroup CX2 256GB
At least one of these has no price the site currently tracks, so what follows weighs specifications alone.
| Specification | LexarNS100 256GB | TeamGroupCX2 256GB |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity (GB) | 256 | 256 |
| Sequential read (MB/s) | 520 | 520 |
| Sequential write (MB/s) | 500better | 430 |
| Current best price | — | — |
| Price per TB | — | — |
| Endurance (TBW) | 128better | 80 |
| Warranty (years) | 3 | 3 |
| DRAM cache | — | No |
| NAND type | tlc | tlc |
| Controller | Marvell 88NV1120 | — |
How these two compare
Sequential throughput
Lexar NS100 256GB reads at 520 MB/s and writes at 500 MB/s; TeamGroup CX2 256GB reads at 520 MB/s and writes at 430 MB/s. Both ride the SATA bus, which caps sequential transfer near 550 MB/s in either direction — the ceiling every SATA drive works against — so what more decisively separates them is sustained and random behaviour, the DRAM cache, and endurance.
Endurance
Lexar NS100 256GB is rated for 128 TBW and TeamGroup CX2 256GB for 80 TBW — the total the maker warrants you can write over the drive's life. A typical desktop writes only a few terabytes a year, so either rating is many years of headroom; the figure matters mainly as a relative signal of how hard each is built to be driven.
DRAM cache
On the cache question: the catalog does not state whether Lexar NS100 256GB carries a DRAM cache, and TeamGroup CX2 256GB is DRAM-less. The DRAM keeps the flash-translation table close, sparing a lookup on nearly every access; a drive without it leans on host memory or its own flash, which usually shows as slower sustained random writes rather than in the headline sequential numbers.
NAND, controller and warranty
On the flash itself: Lexar NS100 256GB uses TLC, and TeamGroup CX2 256GB uses TLC. NAND tiers count bits per cell — more bits pack more capacity into the same silicon but shorten write endurance and slow sustained writes, which is why QLC sits below TLC on lasting performance even when the sequential numbers match. Controller: Lexar NS100 256GB uses the Marvell 88NV1120 and TeamGroup CX2 256GB's controller is not stated. The controller runs wear-levelling, error correction and the mapping table, so it shapes sustained and random behaviour as much as the flash does — though the model name alone predicts little without testing. Lexar NS100 256GB carries a 3-year warranty and TeamGroup CX2 256GB carries a 3-year warranty — the length the maker will stand behind the drive, and usually a proxy for the endurance it is rated to.
Which to buy
The site holds no current price for at least one of these, so it cannot call the buy on cost. Judge them on the specifications above — at the same capacity and interface, two drives usually part on things like the DRAM cache, the NAND tier, endurance and warranty, so weigh whichever of those the sections above report.
Common questions about this pair
- Which is faster, Lexar NS100 256GB or TeamGroup CX2 256GB?
- Lexar NS100 256GB reads at 520 MB/s and writes at 500 MB/s; TeamGroup CX2 256GB reads at 520 MB/s and writes at 430 MB/s. Both ride the SATA bus, which caps sequential transfer near 550 MB/s in either direction — the ceiling every SATA drive works against — so what more decisively separates them is sustained and random behaviour, the DRAM cache, and endurance.
- Should you buy Lexar NS100 256GB or TeamGroup CX2 256GB?
- The site holds no current price for at least one of these, so it cannot call the buy on cost. Judge them on the specifications above — at the same capacity and interface, two drives usually part on things like the DRAM cache, the NAND tier, endurance and warranty, so weigh whichever of those the sections above report.