Lexar PLAY X 1TB 2230 review: blazing fast PCIe Gen4x4 gaming SSD for PC and consoles by Steven Parker Lexar reached out to us asking if we were interested in taking a look at the Lexar PLAY X SSD. This drive is mostly (but not strictly) intended for handhelds and consoles as a means to expand storage for gaming, but you can use it however you like. In our case we were sent the 2230 1TB variant, so we plopped it into the bracket that's included in the box and installed it in our test PC. Before we get underway, Lexar provided a free sample without any editorial input or review pre-approval. Below are its specifications: Lexar PLAY X Interface PCIe Gen4x4 with NVMe Form Factor M.2 2030, M.2 2230, M.2 2280 Capacity 512GB, 1TB, 2TB Speed 512GB: Sequential read speed up to 7200MB/s, sequential write speed up to 4500MB/s, random read up to 900K IOPs, random write up to 900K IOPs 1TB: Sequential read speed up to 7400MB/s, sequential write speed up to 6400MB/s, random read up to 1000K IOPs, random write up to 1000K IOPs 2TB: Sequential read speed up to 7400MB/s, sequential write speed up to 6500MB/s, random read up to 1000K IOPs, random write up to 1000K IOPs DRAM Cache No TB written 512GB: 300TBW, 1TB: 600TBW, 2TB: 1200TBW Operation temp 0° to 70°C (32°F to 158°F) Storage temp - 40° to 85°C (- 40°F to 185°F) Durability Shock Resistance: 1500G, duration 0.5ms, Half Sine Wave Vibration resistenence: 10~2000Hz, 1.5mm, 20G, 1Oct/min, 30min/axis (X, Y, Z) MTBF 1,500,000 Hours Dimensions 80 x 22 x 2.45 mm / 3.15”x0.87”x0.10” Weight 9.5g / 0.02lbs Part nr LNMPLYX001T-RNNNG Warranty 5 years Price £119.99, €119.99, / £218.99, €249.99 First a few notes about the specs. The Lexar PLAY X SSD does not come with a (graphene) heatsink so you will have to ensure you have a thermal pad or something that can be used with this drive, and secondly it says in the specs that it does not have a DRAM Cache, as it makes use of: Basically what this means is that HMB handles finding files, while the Dynamic pseudo-SLC cache handles writing them. The Lexar PLAY X uses TLC NAND flash memory, which stores three bits of data per cell. Writing three bits requires checking multiple voltage levels, which takes time. It's a trade off for the drive size too, as it would be difficult to place DRAM cache onto the 2230 format. What's in the box Lexar PLAY X (1TB) 2280 Bracket 2230 and 2280 Sticker Quick Installation Guide Our test system consists of the following: Lian Li O11 Dynamic Mini V2 Flow (Amazon|Newegg) ASUS ProArt Z890-CREATOR WiFi (Amazon|Newegg) Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus (Amazon|Newegg) Thermal Grizzly KryoSheet - 44x37 (Amazon|Newegg) 2x 16GB G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB (7200 MT/s in XMP) (Amazon|Newegg) Sabrent Rocket4 Plus 2TB SSD (Amazon) Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (Build 26100.8655) Benchmarks With that out of the way, we ran some benchmarks comparing (historic) data with a couple of other drives on a system that is up to date with the latest June Patch Tuesday updates. Aside from the clear difference between the PCIe 4x4 and PCIe 5x4 results, it is also clear that applying correct thermal conditions, in this case the DARK AirFlow I, makes a difference with the outcome of the score as can be seen on the TeamGroup Z540. (hsf = heatsink & fan, hs = heatsink) WD SN850X Lexar PLAY X Z540 with DARK AirFlow I In our 3DMark Storage benchmark test (images above), which measures access times and bandwidth for gaming scenarios, the Lexar PLAY X was the fastest. Even compared to the actively cooled TeamGroup Z540, this one was 23% faster, despite being on PCIe Gen4; and it was doing so while running cool too, as you will see later in our temperature stress test. The Lexar PLAY X supports DirectStorage like other NVMe drives, and here, the SSD was a lot better with DirectStorage enabled on our 3DMark DirectStorage feature test. With GDeflate especially, the improvement is tremendous. Overall, the test result says that the Lexar PLAY X was nearly three times faster while running with DirectStorage. (hsf = heatsink & fan, hs = heatsink) Z540 with DARK AirFlow I Lexar PLAY X WD SN850X Next we ran the default CrystalDiskMark test (images above) and measured the disk temperature. Even with the motherboard M.2 heatsink applied to the top of it, the drive managed to reach a peak of 70C, which is well within specification. Also, another positive is that it exceeded its advertised sequential write speed of 6,400 MB/s in our testing, which is rare and deserves praise. Z540 with DARK AirFlow I Lexar PLAY X WD SN850X The second test is of six passes at 16GB (images above), meant to stimulate a heavier, longer transfer session, and it reached the same max temp of 70~71C. This indicates that the PLAY X is performing exceptionally well even under heavy loads. It is not as chill as the WD_BLACK SN850X, but 70-71 C is completely safe. Usage Although Lexar generally markets anything stamped with "Play" for handhelds and consoles, on the official product page and Amazon listing, the PLAY X is definitely marketed as an all-rounder with the company claiming that it is: This is exactly what we did, as our sample was placed into the 2280 bracket and installed in the M.2_1 slot on our ASUS ProArt Z890-CREATOR WiFi. CrystalDiskInfo Idle temp as shown above is also pretty decent at 28C. Lexar DiskMaster Lexar also provides a disk utility that can read the disk information and benchmark it. S.M.A.R.T info can be viewed above and it loads automatically in the program, I also ran the "Performance testing" which gave a better result than we saw in CrystalDiskMark v9.0.2. Conclusion I have to say I came out very impressed with the PLAY X, especially seeing how well it did in the 3DMark gaming test. That was surprising for sure, in a good way of course. Hence, as the name suggests, the PLAY X can be a great drive for gaming rigs. The drive ran fairly cool as well, although you will want to make sure it's properly cooled, seeing how it was reaching its maximum recommended operating temperature; but there was no noticeable throttling. The 600 TBW rating of the 1TB variant seems pretty good as well for this gaming-orientated storage where writes will be happening more frequently for game saves and what-not, but even so, you should see years of use without any problems and even if you do run into problems, the five year warranty should have you covered. A bit of a downer for our U.S. readers though, Lexar told me that the PLAY X is not yet available to purchase in the United States, but it can be ordered if you're in the UK. I asked when they plan to release it there and was told: In addition, although the initial review documentation and official website suggests there is also a 2 TB variant, Lexar have stated that "The 2TB version has not been launched yet." As you can see from the links below, the 1 TB variant is also selling a bit above the RRP in the UK, and the 512 GB version aligns with Lexar's RRP. Lexar PLAY X 1 TB for £241.99 on Amazon UK Lexar PLAY X 512 GB for £119.99 on Amazon UK We hope the 2TB variant becomes available soon, considering how well the drive did in our game data tests. We feel the higher capacity will be popular for sure, though at this time, the lack of it is not hard to understand why, given the shortage and the shift in focus for a lot of companies. Sayan Sen contributed to this review. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This seemed like a fake news story, or AI generated. Nope, apparently true. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-45414022

Weekend PC Game Deals: GTA, Borderlands, Kingdom Come, Stray and more by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Weekend PC Game Deals is where the hottest gaming deals from all over the internet are gathered into one place every week for your consumption. So kick back, relax, and hold on to your wallets The Epic Games Store has two more games to claim this week as part of its ongoing freebie offers. Nova Lands and Tattoo Tycoon are the latest titles you can grab. Nova Lands is an open-world factory-building experience that has players exploring its lands, fighting back against alien critters that oppose the mass resource usage. Meanwhile, Tattoo Tycoon has you taking over a rundown shop and slowly building it and a customer base up in the tattoo industry. The giveaways end on July 16, which is when Echo Generation and Luto will become the next freebies. The July Humble Choice offer was revealed earlier this week, bringing another refreshed eight-game selection to jump into. The July selection is carrying Sea of Stars: Sunset Edition, TUNIC, Neon White, Police Simulator: Patrol Officers, Drop Duchy - Complete Edition, Sledders, Dicefolk, and Our Adventurer Guild to keep as Steam keys. The $15 bundle gives you all eight games from this month's Choice selection. The month-long promotion will come to an end on August 4, giving you ample time to decide on whether you want the titles. Humble also brought out a couple of regular game bundles this week. Up first is the simply named Narrative Bundle, this carries 12 games with a $10 price tag. The games include Roadwarden, White Shadows, Gone Home, Neo Cab, The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark, The Stillness of the Wind, and The Procession to Calvary. At the same time, made for co-op fans, Squad Goals bundle carries PlateUp, TMNT Splintered Fate, Murky Divers, KeyWe, Kitchen Wars, Phogs, Human Fall Flat, Content Warning, and Kirtter: Defend Together for $10. Big Deals The summer sales are mostly over, but plenty of publishers aren't taking any brakes when it comes to discounts. Here's our hand-picked big deals for the weekend: Borderlands 4 – $34.99 on Steam ENDLESS Legend 2 – $29.99 on Steam MENACE – $29.99 on Steam Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – $23.99 on Steam Xenonauts 2 – $19.99 on Steam Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader – $19.99 on Steam Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced – $19.79 on Steam Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition – $19.79 on Steam Homeworld 3 – $19.79 on Steam Cryptmaster – $16.24 on Steam Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – $14.99 on Steam Red Dead Redemption 2 – $14.99 on Steam Stray – $14.99 on Steam Total War: WARHAMMER – $14.99 on Steam Total War: WARHAMMER II – $14.99 on Steam Outer Wilds – $14.99 on Steam Dune: Spice Wars – $13.99 on Steam After Inc: Revival – $13.49 on Steam Darkest Dungeon II – $12.39 on Steam BioShock: The Collection – $11.99 on Steam Total War: THREE KINGDOMS – $11.99 on Steam Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition – $11.99 on Steam ARK: Survival Ascended – $11.24 on Steam Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition – $9.99 on Steam Alpha Protocol – $9.99 on Steam Old World – $9.99 on Steam NBA 2K26 – $9.79 on Steam Northgard: Definitive Edition – $9.79 on Steam Wartales – $9.79 on Steam Against the Storm – $8.99 on Steam Marvel's Midnight Suns – $8.99 on Steam Total War: WARHAMMER III – $8.99 on Steam Thronefall – $8.44 on Steam Total War: PHARAOH – $7.99 on Steam Aliens: Colonial Marines Collection – $7.49 on Steam Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition – $5.99 on Steam L.A. Noire – $5.99 on Steam Max Payne 3 – $5.99 on Steam Bayonetta – $5.99 on Steam Vanquish – $5.99 on Steam Shenmue I & II – $5.99 on Steam Total War: SHOGUN 2 – $5.99 on Steam Total War: ROME REMASTERED – $5.99 on Steam Bully: Scholarship Edition – $5.24 on Steam American Truck Simulator – $4.99 on Steam Euro Truck Simulator 2 – $4.99 on Steam Rebel Inc: Escalation – $4.49 on Steam Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! – $3.99 on Steam Kingdom Two Crowns – $3.99 on Steam Manhunt – $3.49 on Steam XCOM 2 – $2.99 on Steam Watch_Dogs 2 – $2.49 on Steam Planet Zoo – $2.24 on Steam Bendy and the Ink Machine – $1.99 on Steam Tattoo Tycoon – $0 on Epic Store Nova Lands – $0 on Epic Store DRM-free Specials The GOG store's own DRM-free summer store-wide sales are over, with standard specials also returning. Here are some highlights from this weekend: Songs of Conquest - $14.99 on GOG Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered - $13.49 on GOG Alien: Isolation - $11.99 on GOG Disco Elysium - The Final Cut - $9.99 on GOG Kerbal Space Program - $9.99 on GOG EVERSPACE 2 - $9.99 on GOG Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew - $9.99 on GOG Dorfromantik - $9.79 on GOG Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft - $8.99 on GOG Pillars of Eternity: Hero Edition - $7.99 on GOG ATOM RPG: Post-apocalyptic indie game - $7.49 on GOG Return to Monkey Island - $7.49 on GOG Geneforge Saga - $5.99 on GOG The Age of Decadence - $5.99 on GOG Prey - $5.99 on GOG Legend of Grimrock 2 - $4.79 on GOG B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th - $4.79 on GOG Door Kickers - $3.99 on GOG NEO Scavenger - $3.75 on GOG Loop Hero - $3.75 on GOG Avernum: The Complete Saga - $3.59 on GOG Children of Morta - $3.29 on GOG Legend of Grimrock - $2.99 on GOG Master of Magic Classic - $2.99 on GOG Avadon: The Black Fortress - $2.99 on GOG Shelter - $2.99 on GOG Blasphemous - $2.49 on GOG Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth - $1.99 on GOG Stories Untold - $1.99 on GOG Blackguards Special Edition - $1.19 on GOG Blackguards 2 - $0.99 on GOG Keep in mind that availability and pricing for some deals could vary depending on the region. That's it for our pick of this weekend's PC game deals, and hopefully, some of you have enough self-restraint not to keep adding to your ever-growing backlogs. As always, there are an enormous number of other deals ready and waiting all over the interwebs, as well as on services you may already subscribe to if you comb through them, so keep your eyes open for those, and have a great weekend.

Thanks for reminding me that I need to cancel the subscription.