Kingmax has announced its new PQ4442 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD series, expanding its storage lineup with compact drives designed for systems that require the shorter M.2 2242 form factor. Measuring 42 mm in length, the new SSDs are suitable for devices such as handheld gaming PCs, mini PCs, compact laptops, and embedded systems that do not have enough room for standard M.2 2280 drives.
The PQ4442 series will be available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities. Kingmax has paired 3D QLC NAND flash memory with the Silicon Motion SM2268XT DRAMless controller across the entire lineup. Despite using a DRAMless design, all three models deliver sequential read speeds of up to 5,000 MB/s, making them suitable for everyday computing, gaming, and large file transfers.
Sequential write performance differs depending on the storage capacity. The 2TB version delivers write speeds of up to 4,400 MB/s, while the 1TB model reaches 4,300 MB/s. The 500GB variant is rated for up to 2,500 MB/s, which is expected for lower-capacity SSDs due to reduced NAND parallelism.
Kingmax has also shared the random performance figures for the PQ4442 lineup. The 1TB and 2TB models provide up to 400,000 IOPS for 4K random reads, while the 500GB model is rated for up to 350,000 IOPS. All three capacities support up to 500,000 IOPS for 4K random write operations.
The endurance ratings increase with storage capacity. The 500GB model is rated for 280 TBW, the 1TB version offers 560 TBW, and the 2TB drive reaches 960 TBW. Every model in the lineup is backed by a 3-year limited warranty.
Key Specifications
- M.2 2242 (42 mm) form factor
- PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe interface
- Available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities
- 3D QLC NAND flash memory
- Silicon Motion SM2268XT DRAMless controller
- Up to 5,000 MB/s sequential read speed
- Up to 4,400 MB/s sequential write speed (2TB)
- Up to 400,000 IOPS 4K random read performance
- Up to 500,000 IOPS 4K random write performance
- Endurance ratings of 280 TBW, 560 TBW, and 960 TBW
- Backed by a 3-year limited warranty
- Pricing has not been announced
The M.2 2242 SSD market continues to grow as more compact PCs and handheld gaming devices adopt the shorter form factor. With capacities reaching 2TB and PCIe Gen4 performance, the PQ4442 series gives users another storage option for upgrading systems that cannot accommodate larger SSDs.
Kingmax has not announced pricing or release dates for the PQ4442 SSD series. More information is expected to become available through regional retailers and distribution partners.
