XPG MARS 980 BLADE
PCIe 5.0 NVMe · 14,000 MB/s read · PassMark #17
XPG MARS 980 PRO
PCIe 4.0 NVMe · PassMark #12
XPG MARS 980 PRO takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, XPG MARS 980 BLADE lands at 83 and XPG MARS 980 PRO at 84. That puts XPG MARS 980 PRO ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick XPG MARS 980 BLADE if…
- ✓PassMark Disk Score top-20 (88,359) — sustained-write class-leading
- ✓Current street price around $721
Pick XPG MARS 980 PRO if…
- ✓PassMark Disk Score top-20 (89,200) — sustained-write class-leading
- ✓Pro-tier controller and DRAM cache for sustained throughput
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testValue for money
XPG MARS 980 PROSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
XPG MARS 980 PRO more score per dollar ($200 vs $300).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | XPG MARS 980 BLADE | XPG MARS 980 PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | M.2 2280 (passive, heat-spreader label) | — |
| Interface | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 | — |
| Sequential read | 14,000 MB/s | — |
| Sequential write | 13,000 MB/s | — |
| Random read | 2,000,000 IOPS | — |
| Random write | 1,650,000 IOPS | — |
| Controller | Silicon Motion SM2508 (TSMC 6nm) | — |
| NAND | 232-layer Micron 3D TLC | — |
| DRAM | yes (DRAM cache buffer) | — |
| Endurance | 1,480 TBW | — |
| Warranty | 5 years | — |
| PassMark Disk Score | 88,359 | 89,200 |
| PassMark rank | #17 of 100 consumer SSDs | #12 of 100 consumer SSDs |
XPG MARS 980 BLADE
- +PassMark Disk Score top-20 (88,359) — sustained-write class-leading
- +Current street price around $721
- −DRAM-less controllers on lower-tier variants may throttle under sustained writes
XPG MARS 980 PRO
- +PassMark Disk Score top-20 (89,200) — sustained-write class-leading
- +Pro-tier controller and DRAM cache for sustained throughput
- −DRAM-less controllers on lower-tier variants may throttle under sustained writes
- −Pricing varies — confirm current retail before purchase
FAQ: XPG MARS 980 BLADE vs XPG MARS 980 PRO
Which is better, XPG MARS 980 BLADE or XPG MARS 980 PRO? +
XPG MARS 980 PRO scores 84 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is XPG MARS 980 BLADE worth the price? +
At $300, XPG MARS 980 BLADE delivers a Specdex score of 83 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Is XPG MARS 980 PRO worth the price? +
At $200, XPG MARS 980 PRO delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Does XPG MARS 980 BLADE or XPG MARS 980 PRO last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is the better value, XPG MARS 980 BLADE or XPG MARS 980 PRO? +
XPG MARS 980 PRO — more score per dollar ($200 vs $300). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.