Buying Guide
The Best SSDs for Legion Go
We weighed five SSDs on rated read speed and rated write speed; the MP600 Micro 1TB has the fastest rated read speed, and the MTE410S 256GB costs the least.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
The Lenovo Legion Go uses a short M.2 2242 SSD, which is shorter than the 2280 drives in most PCs and longer than 2230. Every pick here is a 2242 NVMe drive, and Transcend and Corsair list the Legion Go by name.
We ranked these SSDs on sequential read, sequential write and interface using manufacturer specifications; we did not test these SSDs ourselves, and where a maker leaves out sequential write, we say so.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Lowest Price Here
Transcend MTE410S 256GB (M.2 2242)
The cheapest way into this group, below the MTE410S 512GB.
Best for: Keeping the cost under $100.
Our take Check price for Transcend MTE410S 256GB (M.2 2242) (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
Transcend MTE410S 512GB (M.2 2242)
A 42mm single-sided design.
Best for: Buyers who want 42mm single-sided design.
Our take Check price for Transcend MTE410S 512GB (M.2 2242) (opens in a new tab)
Fastest Rated Read Speed
Corsair MP600 Micro 1TB (M.2 2242)
The fastest rated read speed here (7,000MB/s).
Best for: Buyers who put rated read speed first.
Our take Check price for Corsair MP600 Micro 1TB (M.2 2242) (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
KingSpec 2TB (M.2 2242)
A 42mm slim form factor.
Best for: Buyers who want 42mm slim form factor.
Our take Check price for KingSpec 2TB (M.2 2242) (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
Transcend MTE410S 2TB (M.2 2242)
The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a 42mm single-sided design.
Best for: Buyers who want a 42mm single-sided design and can spend more than the KingSpec 2TB 2242 costs.
Our take Check price for Transcend MTE410S 2TB (M.2 2242) (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Lowest Price Here1 of 5
Transcend MTE410S 256GB (M.2 2242) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
What the MTE410S 256GB brings to the table is a 42mm single-sided design, plus a DRAM-less, low-power design Transcend says extends battery life.
Best for
- Keeping the cost under $100.
Skip if
- Pass on it if slower 3,300MB/s rated reads rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It also offers a 3,300MB/s rated read speed and offers a 5-year warranty. Its 3,300MB/s rated read speed is the slowest in this group; the MP600 Micro 1TB leads at 7,000MB/s. You also get SLC caching and LDPC error correction and listed for the Lenovo Legion Go.
It is an M.2 2242 (42mm) drive, shorter than the 2280 drives in most desktops; check your device's documentation for the M.2 length it accepts before ordering. It has no bulky heatsink, which helps it fit under a handheld's SSD shield; move the original thermal pad or shielding across if your device uses one. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the MTE410S 512GB was the next step up.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 3,300MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242)
- DRAM cache: No (HMB)
- Warranty: 5-year
- Capacity: 0.25TB
Pros
- 5-year warranty
- 42mm single-sided design
- DRAM-less, low-power design Transcend says extends battery life
- SLC caching and LDPC error correction
Cons
- Slower 3,300MB/s rated reads
- Rated read speed trails the MP600 Micro 1TB (7,000MB/s)
Also Consider2 of 5
Transcend MTE410S 512GB (M.2 2242) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The MTE410S 512GB stands out for a 42mm single-sided design, and it adds a 2,000,000-hour MTBF rating.
Best for
- Buyers who want 42mm single-sided design.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when slower 5,000MB/s rated reads is a problem.
Why we like it
It also offers a 5,000MB/s rated read speed and offers a 4,300MB/s rated write speed. It matches the MTE410S 2TB on rated read speed (5,000MB/s). It also comes with Transcend SSD Scope software for health checks and cloning and listed for the Lenovo Legion Go.
It is an M.2 2242 (42mm) drive, shorter than the 2280 drives in most desktops; check your device's documentation for the M.2 length it accepts before ordering. It has no bulky heatsink, which helps it fit under a handheld's SSD shield; move the original thermal pad or shielding across if your device uses one. Its price falls between the MTE410S 256GB and the MP600 Micro 1TB, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 5,000MB/s
- Sequential write: 4,300MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242)
- DRAM cache: No (HMB)
- Warranty: 5-year
- Capacity: 0.5TB
Pros
- 5-year warranty
- 42mm single-sided design
- 2,000,000-hour MTBF rating
- Transcend SSD Scope software for health checks and cloning
Cons
- Slower 5,000MB/s rated reads
- Costs more than the MTE410S 256GB at the time of writing
Fastest Rated Read Speed3 of 5
Corsair MP600 Micro 1TB (M.2 2242) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The MP600 Micro 1TB is built around high-density 3D TLC NAND, with listed compatibility with the Lenovo Legion Go and thin PCIe 4.0 laptops on top.
Best for
- Buyers who put rated read speed first.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the MTE410S 256GB cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 7,000MB/s rated read speed and offers a 6,200MB/s rated write speed. Its 7,000MB/s rated read speed is the fastest here; the MTE410S 512GB comes next at 5,000MB/s. It also offers automatic fallback to PCIe 3.0 hosts at reduced speed.
It is an M.2 2242 (42mm) drive, shorter than the 2280 drives in most desktops; check your device's documentation for the M.2 length it accepts before ordering. It has no bulky heatsink, which helps it fit under a handheld's SSD shield; move the original thermal pad or shielding across if your device uses one. When we checked, only the MTE410S 512GB and cheaper picks cost less, and the KingSpec 2TB 2242 cost more.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 7,000MB/s
- Sequential write: 6,200MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242)
- Capacity: 1TB
Pros
- High-density 3D TLC NAND
- Listed compatibility with the Lenovo Legion Go and thin PCIe 4.0 laptops
- Automatic fallback to PCIe 3.0 hosts at reduced speed
- Fastest rated read speed of the picks (7,000MB/s)
Cons
- Costs more than the MTE410S 256GB at the time of writing
Strong Alternative4 of 5
KingSpec 2TB (M.2 2242) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
What the KingSpec 2TB 2242 brings to the table is a 42mm slim form factor, plus dynamic thermal throttling.
Best for
- Buyers who want 42mm slim form factor.
Skip if
- Pass on it if slower 3,500MB/s rated reads rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It also offers a 3,500MB/s rated read speed and offers a 5-year warranty. On rated read speed it sits mid-pack at 3,500MB/s: the MP600 Micro 1TB offers 7,000MB/s, and the MTE410S 256GB comes in at 3,300MB/s. No other pick in this guide offers a PCIe 3.0 x4 (M.2 2242) interface; compare the MP600 Micro 1TB, which has a PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242) interface.
You also get a 1.2M-hour MTBF rating. It is an M.2 2242 (42mm) drive, shorter than the 2280 drives in most desktops; check your device's documentation for the M.2 length it accepts before ordering. When we checked, only the MP600 Micro 1TB and cheaper picks cost less, and the MTE410S 2TB cost more. If you want a confirmed rated write speed, look to the MP600 Micro 1TB instead: it offers 6,200MB/s, while this one gives no figure.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 3,500MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4 (M.2 2242)
- Warranty: 5-year
- Capacity: 2TB
Pros
- 5-year warranty
- 42mm slim form factor
- Dynamic thermal throttling
- 1.2M-hour MTBF rating
Cons
- Slower 3,500MB/s rated reads
- Costs more than the MTE410S 256GB at the time of writing
Premium Pick5 of 5
Transcend MTE410S 2TB (M.2 2242) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The MTE410S 2TB is built around a 42mm single-sided design, with SLC caching and LDPC error correction on top.
Best for
- Buyers who want a 42mm single-sided design and can spend more than the KingSpec 2TB 2242 costs.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: slower 5,000MB/s rated reads.
Why we like it
On the spec sheet, it offers a 5,000MB/s rated read speed and offers a 5-year warranty. On rated read speed it ties with the MTE410S 512GB at 5,000MB/s. You also get listed for the Lenovo Legion Go.
It is an M.2 2242 (42mm) drive, shorter than the 2280 drives in most desktops; check your device's documentation for the M.2 length it accepts before ordering. It has no bulky heatsink, which helps it fit under a handheld's SSD shield; move the original thermal pad or shielding across if your device uses one. Only the KingSpec 2TB 2242 came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 5 picks. There is no published rated write speed figure, whereas the MP600 Micro 1TB offers 6,200MB/s.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 5,000MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242)
- DRAM cache: No (HMB)
- Warranty: 5-year
- Capacity: 2TB
Pros
- 5-year warranty
- 42mm single-sided design
- SLC caching and LDPC error correction
- Listed for the Lenovo Legion Go
Cons
- Slower 5,000MB/s rated reads
- Costs more than the MTE410S 256GB at the time of writing
How We Chose These SSDs for Legion Go
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- What we compared
- We lined up five drives on rated read speed, rated write speed, interface and DRAM cache as the makers state them. These are research figures, not bench results: 3 of 5 picks leave out rated write speed.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the MTE410S 256GB to the MTE410S 2TB, state rated read speed, interface and capacity.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The MTE410S 256GB, the KingSpec 2TB 2242 and the MTE410S 2TB give no rated write speed; the MP600 Micro 1TB and the KingSpec 2TB 2242 give no DRAM cache.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the MTE410S 256GB ($50 to $100) to the MTE410S 2TB ($500 to $1000).
What to Look for in an SSD for Legion Go
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Rated read speed
Here rated read speed runs from 3,300MB/s on the MTE410S 256GB to 7,000MB/s on the MP600 Micro 1TB, an 112% spread. The MTE410S 512GB comes second at 5,000MB/s, in the $150 to $250 tier against $250 to $500 for the MP600 Micro 1TB.
Rated write speed across these picks
Across these 2 picks rated write speed spans 4,300MB/s (the MTE410S 512GB) to 6,200MB/s (the MP600 Micro 1TB). If rated write speed is your first filter, the MP600 Micro 1TB sets the ceiling at 6,200MB/s. The MTE410S 256GB, the KingSpec 2TB 2242 and the MTE410S 2TB give no rated write speed figure, so 2 of 5 picks are compared here.
DRAM cache
The MTE410S 256GB, the MTE410S 512GB and the MTE410S 2TB go without. Sort out DRAM cache before price: it splits 3 stated picks into groups of 3.
Extras that separate them
The MP600 Micro 1TB: listed compatibility with the Lenovo Legion Go and thin PCIe 4.0 laptops. The KingSpec 2TB 2242: dynamic thermal throttling. The MTE410S 2TB: SLC caching and LDPC error correction.
Budget
$50 to $100 buys the MTE410S 256GB; $150 to $250 buys the MTE410S 512GB; $250 to $500 buys the MP600 Micro 1TB and the KingSpec 2TB 2242; $500 to $1000 buys the MTE410S 2TB at our last check.
How to Choose an SSD for Legion Go
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping the cost under $100 | MTE410S 256GB | The cheapest way into this group, below the MTE410S 512GB |
| Buyers who want 42mm single-sided design | MTE410S 512GB | A 42mm single-sided design |
| Buyers who put rated read speed first | MP600 Micro 1TB | The fastest rated read speed here (7,000MB/s) |
| Buyers who want 42mm slim form factor | KingSpec 2TB 2242 | A 42mm slim form factor |
| Buyers who want a 42mm single-sided design and can spend more than the KingSpec 2TB 2242 costs | MTE410S 2TB | The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a 42mm single-sided design |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The MP600 Micro 1TB leads on rated read speed at 7,000MB/s, ahead of the MTE410S 512GB at 5,000MB/s. "Not listed" marks rated write speed where the MTE410S 256GB, the KingSpec 2TB 2242 and the MTE410S 2TB leave the figure out.
| Drive | Sequential read | Sequential write | Interface | DRAM cache |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTE410S 256GB | 3,300MB/s | Not listed | PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242) | No (HMB) |
| MTE410S 512GB | 5,000MB/s | 4,300MB/s | PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242) | No (HMB) |
| MP600 Micro 1TB | 7,000MB/s | 6,200MB/s | PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242) | Not listed |
| KingSpec 2TB 2242 | 3,500MB/s | Not listed | PCIe 3.0 x4 (M.2 2242) | Not listed |
| MTE410S 2TB | 5,000MB/s | Not listed | PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242) | No (HMB) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The MTE410S 256GB was the lowest-priced pick ($50 to $100) and the MTE410S 2TB the highest ($500 to $1000) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Drives |
|---|---|
| About $50 to $100 | MTE410S 256GB |
| About $150 to $250 | MTE410S 512GB |
| About $250 to $500 | MP600 Micro 1TB, KingSpec 2TB 2242 |
| About $500 to $1000 | MTE410S 2TB |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the fastest rated read speed: the MP600 Micro 1TB or the MTE410S 512GB?
Between the top two, it is 7,000MB/s on the MP600 Micro 1TB against 5,000MB/s on the MTE410S 512GB, a 40% difference. The spread runs down to the MTE410S 256GB at 3,300MB/s.
Is the MP600 Micro 1TB ahead of the MTE410S 512GB on rated write speed?
The MP600 Micro 1TB tops rated write speed at 6,200MB/s; the MTE410S 512GB follows at 4,300MB/s, 44% apart. The MTE410S 256GB, the KingSpec 2TB 2242 and the MTE410S 2TB don't state a rated write speed figure, so they sit outside this comparison; 2 of 5 picks are ranked.
What does the MTE410S 2TB add over the MTE410S 256GB?
The spec sheets show rated read speed (5,000MB/s against 3,300MB/s) in its favour. On our last price check the MTE410S 256GB was in the $50 to $100 tier and the MTE410S 2TB in the $500 to $1000 tier, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if rated read speed decides your purchase.
Why is the MP600 Micro 1TB our Fastest Rated Read Speed pick?
The label rests on the fastest rated read speed here (7,000MB/s). On rated read speed it leads the MTE410S 512GB, 7,000MB/s against 5,000MB/s, a 40% margin. The MTE410S 256GB, the cheapest pick, sat in the $50 to $100 tier against $250 to $500 here, without out-ranking it on any listed spec. It makes sense for anyone who puts rated read speed first.
Do the MTE410S 256GB and the KingSpec 2TB 2242 differ on interface?
The MTE410S 256GB, the MTE410S 512GB, the MP600 Micro 1TB and the MTE410S 2TB use PCIe 4.0 x4 (M.2 2242); the KingSpec 2TB 2242 uses PCIe 3.0 x4 (M.2 2242).
What extras do the MTE410S 256GB and the MTE410S 512GB include?
The MTE410S 256GB: a 42mm single-sided design. The MTE410S 512GB: a 42mm single-sided design. The MP600 Micro 1TB: high-density 3D TLC NAND.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the MTE410S 256GB, chosen for the cheapest way into this group, below the MTE410S 512GB. Look at the MTE410S 512GB for a 42mm single-sided design, the MP600 Micro 1TB for the fastest rated read speed here (7,000MB/s) and the KingSpec 2TB 2242 for a 42mm slim form factor if those matter more to you.
Confirm the 2242 length on your own unit and Lenovo's guidance before buying, and do not mix up 2242 with the 2230 drives sold for other handhelds.