XPG MARS 980 PRO
PCIe 4.0 NVMe · PassMark #12
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD
PCIe 5.0 NVMe · 14,900 MB/s read · PassMark #6
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, XPG MARS 980 PRO lands at 84 and KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD at 87. That puts KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
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
Pick KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD if…
- ✓PassMark Disk Score top-20 (92,587) — 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
TieSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | XPG MARS 980 PRO | KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD |
|---|---|---|
| PassMark Disk Score | 89,200 | 92,587 |
| PassMark rank | #12 of 100 consumer SSDs | #6 of 100 consumer SSDs |
| Form factor | — | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | — | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0d |
| Sequential read | — | 14,900 MB/s |
| Sequential write | — | 13,400 MB/s |
| Random read | — | 2,300,000 IOPS |
| Random write | — | 1,950,000 IOPS |
| Controller | — | Silicon Motion SM2508 (8-channel) |
| NAND | — | 218-layer Kioxia BiCS8 3D TLC |
| DRAM | — | yes (only DRAM model in Kioxia Gen5 lineup) |
| Endurance | — | 1,200 TBW |
| Warranty | — | 5 years |
| Spec basis | — | 2TB reference SKU — TBW/IOPS vary by capacity |
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
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD
- +PassMark Disk Score top-20 (92,587) — 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 PRO vs KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD
Which is better, XPG MARS 980 PRO or KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD? +
KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD scores 87 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is XPG MARS 980 PRO worth the price? +
At $200, XPG MARS 980 PRO delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Is KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD worth the price? +
At $200, KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD delivers a Specdex score of 87 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Does XPG MARS 980 PRO or KIOXIA-EXCERIA PRO G2 SSD 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.