Micron 2TB SSD PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280

The Crucial P310 is a 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD with 7,100 MB/s read speeds and a DRAM-less design. It's an excellent value for gaming, laptops, and PS5 storage when priced right. Shop around, because prices vary by over $150 between retailers.

Sequential speeds are the headline here. 7,100 MB/s read and 6,000 MB/s write put this drive in the 82nd percentile for speed, which is well above average for PCIe 4.0 drives. In practice, that means game load times, large file transfers, and OS boot feel snappy. The 2TB capacity lands in the 79th percentile, so you're getting plenty of room without jumping to a 4TB price tag.

Random performance is more middle of the pack at the 62nd percentile. That's the trade-off with a DRAM-less design. For everyday tasks, gaming, and general use, you won't notice it. But if you're hammering the drive with sustained small-file writes or heavy database work, a drive with DRAM like the Samsung 990 PRO will pull ahead. Endurance sits at the 69th percentile with 440 TBW, which is solid for a 2TB TLC drive and more than enough for typical consumer use.

The Western Digital Black SN850X and Samsung 990 PRO are the obvious rivals here. Both have DRAM caches and slightly higher sequential speeds, and they beat the P310 in sustained random workloads. But they also typically cost more, especially the 990 PRO. If you're gaming or doing general productivity work, the P310 gets you 95% of the experience for less cash.

The Crucial T500 is an interesting internal competitor. It's Crucial's own higher-end drive with DRAM and faster random performance, but it costs more. The Kingston Fury Renegade is another strong alternative with similar specs to the SN850X. And the Lexar NM1090 PRO is a PCIe 5.0 drive that blows past all of these on paper, but you'll pay a premium and need a compatible motherboard to see the benefit. For most people, the P310 is the sensible pick in this group.

Pricing on the P310 is all over the place depending on where you shop. In the US, we're seeing listings from $260 to $425, which is a $165 spread for the same drive. That's a huge gap, and it means you should absolutely shop around before pulling the trigger. Amazon currently has the best US pricing at the lower end of that range. In Canada, the spread is CAD 85, from CAD 435 to CAD 520, with the best deal also on Amazon. At the low end, this drive is a steal. At the high end, you're paying Samsung 990 PRO money for a DRAM-less drive, and that math doesn't work.

The Crucial P310 is a 2TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that sits in that sweet spot between budget drives and flagship performers. It's rated for 7,100 MB/s reads and 6,000 MB/s writes, which puts it right up there with drives that cost a lot more. Our database shows it's a top performer for budget builds and laptop upgrades, scoring 91.6 out of 100 for budget use and 85.9 for laptops.

People searching for a 2TB NVMe SSD for gaming, PS5 storage expansion, or just a fast boot drive will find a lot to like here. It uses TLC NAND and skips the DRAM cache, which keeps costs down but does affect some workloads. The drive comes in both bare and heatsink versions, so PS5 owners have a ready option without hunting down a third-party cooler.

At 4.8 stars across over 2,000 reviews, buyers seem genuinely happy with this one. The endurance rating of 440 TBW and a 5-year warranty mean you're not gambling on longevity either.

Skip the P310 if you're building a workstation for video editing, 3D rendering, or database work. The DRAM-less design means sustained random writes will slow down under heavy load, and drives like the Crucial T500, WD Black SN850X, or Samsung 990 PRO will serve you better. Also skip it if you need hardware encryption, since this drive doesn't offer it. And if you're on a tight budget and just need bulk storage, a cheaper QLC drive like the Crucial P3 Plus will save you money, though you'll give up speed and endurance.

Should you buy the Crucial P310? If you're looking for a fast 2TB NVMe SSD for gaming, a laptop upgrade, or PS5 storage, and you find it at the lower end of its price range, absolutely. It's one of the best budget-friendly PCIe 4.0 drives we've seen, with speeds that rival drives costing significantly more.

But if you're doing heavy content creation, running a database, or moving large files around constantly, the DRAM-less design will show its limits. In that case, step up to the Crucial T500 or Samsung 990 PRO. For everyone else, this drive is an easy recommendation.