Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
Acer FA100 vs Silicon Power XPOWER XS90: Comparison
Acer FA100 vs Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 sequential read compared
The gap that matters here is sequential read: Acer FA100 3300 MB/s against Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 14300 MB/s, which puts Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 77% ahead. Sequential write runs the same way, 2700 MB/s on the Acer FA100 versus 13400 MB/s on the Silicon Power XPOWER XS90, another win for Silicon Power XPOWER XS90.
Which should you buy, Acer FA100 or Silicon Power XPOWER XS90?
Buy the Acer FA100 for everyday storage use where 3300 MB/s reads are fast enough. It also earns its place with budget laptop or desktop upgrades wanting 2000 GB on a PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slot. It is the wrong buy for buyers wanting PCIe 4.0 performance, as this drive is limited to 3300 MB/s reads. Take the Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 for buyers who already have a motherboard or laptop with a built-in M.2 heatsink and want top-tier Gen5 speed without paying for a redundant one. The same goes for content creators and AI/ML workstation builders who want DRAM-backed caching at the top of the Gen5 speed chart. Avoid it for buyers who need a confirmed TBW/endurance number before committing to a drive for heavy write workloads. Our rating of the Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 (7.2/10): strong headline speeds that land it firmly among the fastest Gen5 consumer drives on paper, but we're marking this down slightly from where the raw numbers alone would put it because pricing, TBW, and NAND type are all still unknown. Worth watching once it hits retail, not yet a slam-dunk recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Acer FA100 and Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 differ on bus interface?
Yes. Bus Interface reads PCIe 3.0 x4 on the Acer FA100 versus PCIe Gen 5 x4, NVMe 2.0 on the Silicon Power XPOWER XS90.
Is the Form Factor the same on the Acer FA100 and Silicon Power XPOWER XS90?
It is. Both are listed at M.2 2280, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Speed Score
- Acer FA100
- 6.4/10
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- –
Internal and portable SSDs are scored on separate scales, so these two scores can't be compared directly.
Brand
- Acer FA100
- Acer
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- Silicon Power
Model Number
- Acer FA100
- Acer FA100 (Micron B47R)
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- SP02KGBP54XS9005 (2TB SKU; series also sold as 1TB and 4TB)
Series
- Acer FA100
- FA100
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- XPOWER XS90
Bus Interface
- Acer FA100
- PCIe 3.0 x4
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- PCIe Gen 5 x4, NVMe 2.0
Form Factor
- Acer FA100
- M.2 2280
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- M.2 2280
Sequential Read
- Acer FA100
- 3300 MB/s-77%
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- 14300 MB/s
Sequential Write
- Acer FA100
- 2700 MB/s-80%
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- 13400 MB/s
Controller
- Acer FA100
- IG5216
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- TSMC 6nm-process controller (specific model number not disclosed in launch materials)
DRAM Cache
- Acer FA100
- DRAM-less (HMB)
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- LPDDR4 DRAM cache
NAND Type
- Acer FA100
- TLC
- Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
- Not officially disclosed at launch; unconfirmed, treat as unverified until Silicon Power or a teardown confirms TLC vs QLC
Which one should you pick?
Choose Acer FA100 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Silicon Power XPOWER XS90 if you want the higher sequential read (14300 MB/s vs 3300 MB/s) and the higher sequential write (13400 MB/s vs 2700 MB/s).
Verdict
Silicon Power XPOWER XS90
7.2 / 10 Expert Rating
Strong headline speeds that land it firmly among the fastest Gen5 consumer drives on paper, but we're marking this down slightly from where the raw numbers alone would put it because pricing, TBW, and NAND type are all still unknown.