Today we are reviewing the T-FORCE Z540 1TB Gen5 NVMe SSD from TEAMGROUP. Earlier, we tested the T-FORCE G70 Pro, which was based on the Gen4 standard. Now, TeamGroup has sent us one of their latest Gen5 NVMe drives.
The T-FORCE Z540 comes in the M.2 form factor with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface. It is available in sizes from 1TB up to 4TB. For this review, we are using the 1TB model. It offers very fast speeds of up to 11,700 MB/s read and 9,500 MB/s write.
TEAMGROUP has also sent us the optional Dark AirFlow I SSD Cooler. This cooler is made for better temperature control. We will test the Z540 1TB together with the T-FORCE DARK AirFlow I SSD Cooler. Our focus will be on performance under heavy and long workloads.
We will check its speed in different scenarios. We will monitor heat levels. We will also see if the cooler keeps performance stable. This will help us decide if the Z540 is a good choice in today’s competitive Gen5 SSD market.
Unboxing
The T-FORCE Z540 comes in a black box. On the front, there is an image of the SSD along with the model and storage size. The T-FORCE branding is placed neatly in the corner. On the back, you can see the specs, links, and a QR code from the brand. There is also a small cut-out window that shows the information sticker on the SSD.
Opening the box, the SSD is packed safely in a plastic tray holder. A graphene heat spreader is also provided separately inside the box. The overall presentation is simple and secure, with all important details included.
The T-FORCE DARK AirFlow I cooler comes in a similarly practical box. The front features the logo and product name, along with PCIe Gen5 support and an image of the dual cooler, complete with its 40mm fan. On the back, the box lists all the main specifications, including 13 aluminium fins, two heat pipes, and an aluminium alloy construction. It also shows fan details, size, and weight.
Inside the lid, installation instructions are printed clearly for quick access. The package also includes a compact screwdriver and two thermal pads that help improve heat transfer on both sides of the SSD. All parts are well-organised in the box, making the setup process straightforward and hassle-free.
T-FORCE Z540 specifications
A closer look
The T-FORCE Z540 uses the M.2 2280 form factor. The PCB is black, and the graphene heat spreader does not come pre-installed. It weighs 13g and measures 80.0 x 22.0 x 3.7 mm. On the back, there is a label with the part number, serial number, and storage size. Removing this label will void the warranty.
The SSD runs on the Phison PS5026-E26-52 controller. This is a redesigned ARM-based controller with five cores. It has two Cortex R5 cores built on a 12nm TSMC process running up to 1 GHz. The other three cores use the AndesCore RISC-V design to handle small tasks and save power. This controller is also found in other premium SSDs like the Adata Legend 970, Corsair MP700, and Sabrent Rocket 5.
This T-FORCE Z540 supports up to eight channels with a bus speed of 2400 MT/s, and each channel can connect to four dies, for a total of 32. The Z540 also includes an SK Hynix LPDDR4 DRAM cache chip and Micron 3D TLC NAND for storage. Together, these parts allow the drive to hit very high transfer speeds, up to 11,700 MB/s read and 9,500 MB/s write in theory. The graphene sticker on top also helps with heat transfer.
The T-FORCE DARK AirFlow I cooler is designed for M.2 2280 drives. It uses two 4 mm copper heat pipes and 13 aluminium fins for better heat transfer. A small 40 mm fan sits in the middle with nine blades and spins up to 7,500 RPM. It connects with a 4-pin PWM cable and comes with a 30 cm wire for easy placement.
The cooler has a direct-contact layout, where the heat pipes touch the SSD through a thermal pad. The SSD is held in a slim black tray with four mounting holes, and the full model name is printed at the bottom.
Testing setup
The TEAMGROUP T-FORCE Z540 1TB Gen5 SSD was tested in the main Gen5 M.2 slot of the MSI MPG Z790 CARBON MAX WIFI II motherboard. It was paired with an Intel Core i7-12700K processor. This slot connects directly to the CPU and gives full PCIe 5.0 x4 bandwidth, so there is no risk of speed loss through the chipset.
The system was built inside the GameMax Leader 2 case. Cooling included three intake fans at the front, one exhaust fan at the back, and three fans on the radiator of a Valkyrie AIO cooler mounted at the top.
Tests included both synthetic benchmarks. This way, we could measure maximum throughput as well as everyday use. All tests were done under controlled conditions with stable cooling for consistent results.
TEAMGROUP S.M.A.R.T Software
With TEAMGROUP’s own S.M.A.R.T. tool, the T-FORCE Z540 showed very strong results. The drive reached 11,664 MB/s read and 10,214 MB/s write in sequential tests, which is close to the CrystalDiskMark scores. In the 128 KB block test, it still managed 10,437 MB/s read and 9,832 MB/s write, proving it can keep high speed even under heavy use.
For random 4K tests, the SSD hit 5,884 MB/s read and 4,975 MB/s write at high queue depth, while single-thread 4K reached 90 MB/s read and 283 MB/s write. This means faster loading times for programs, games, and the operating system.
Even in Q1T1 testing, the Z540 gave 4,415 MB/s read and 10,052 MB/s write, showing not only very high peak speed but also stable day-to-day performance.
CrystalDiskInfo
Before starting the benchmarks, the drive details were confirmed using CrystalDiskInfo. The TEAMGROUP T-FORCE Z540 showed firmware version EQFM22.3, running on the NVMe 2.0 interface with PCIe 5.0 x4 speeds enabled. It also supports key functions such as S.M.A.R.T., TRIM, and Volatile Write Cache. The 1TB model provides 931GB of usable storage, and all tests were performed on a freshly formatted drive.
Thermal monitoring revealed idle temperatures around 39°C with the T-FORCE DARK AirFlow I SSD Cooler installed, compared to 45°C without it. During heavy loads, the cooler kept peak temperatures at 60°C, while the drive reached up to 65°C without additional cooling.
This controlled setup ensured reliable results, giving a clear picture of the SSD’s raw speed, sustained performance, and thermal behaviour under demanding workloads.
CrystalDiskMark Benchmark
In CrystalDiskMark, the TEAMGROUP T-FORCE Z540 went beyond expectations, hitting sequential read speeds of 11,711.39 MB/s and write speeds of 10,203.41 MB/s. These results not only meet but also surpass the rated specifications, which is very impressive for a Gen5 SSD.
ATTO Disk Benchmark
The ATTO Disk Benchmark also showed strong and steady performance across different block sizes. With Direct I/O enabled, a 256 MB test size, and a queue depth of 4, the Z540 peaked at 10.88 GB/s for reads and 9.50 GB/s for writes at larger block sizes. Even at the smallest 4 KB blocks, it managed 160.07K IOPS for reads and 136.57K IOPS for writes, proving that the drive delivers consistent speed whether handling small files or heavy data transfers.
Overall, the benchmarks showed that the T-FORCE Z540 performed exactly as promised, with very high read and write speeds across all tests. The drive kept stable results without slowdowns, even in long workloads. Thermal control was also good, as the T-FORCE DARK AirFlow I cooler worked efficiently to keep the SSD within safe limits. This makes the T-Force Z540 a reliable Gen5 SSD for both speed and stability.
Overall thoughts on the T-FORCE Z540 1TB Gen5 SSD
The TEAMGROUP T-FORCE Z540 1TB Gen5 SSD is a powerful storage drive that delivers excellent speed and stability. With read speeds going beyond 11,700 MB/s and write speeds crossing 10,000 MB/s, it easily meets the demands of heavy users, gamers, and content creators. During testing, it handled both synthetic benchmarks and real-world tasks smoothly, showing consistent results without any major drops.
Thermals are always a concern with Gen5 drives, but the optional T-FORCE DARK AirFlow I cooler did a great job keeping temperatures under control. Even under stress, the SSD stayed within safe levels, proving that the cooler is a valuable add-on for long-term performance.
Overall, the T-FORCE Z540 stands out as one of the best Gen5 SSDs available, combining cutting-edge speed, solid stability, and efficient cooling support. If you are upgrading to a PCIe 5.0 system and want a drive that can fully use the new standard, the Z540 is an easy recommendation.
Want more details on the T-FORCE Z540 SSD? Head over to the TEAMGROUP website. Want to buy it for yourself? You can find it on Amazon. Want to read more hardware reviews? Just click here.
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