Crucial P310

The Crucial P310 is a 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD with fast sequential reads up to 7,100 MB/s and a budget-friendly price. It's a solid upgrade for laptops and desktops, but QLC NAND and no DRAM cache limit sustained performance. Shop around, because prices vary by nearly USD 200 between vendors.

Sequential reads hit 7,100 MB/s and writes reach 6,000 MB/s in our testing, which puts this drive at the 79th percentile for speed. That's well above average for PCIe 4.0 drives, especially at this price point. In practice, that means Windows boots in seconds, games load noticeably faster than on a Gen3 drive, and copying a 50GB game folder doesn't feel like a coffee break.

Random performance is more middle of the pack at the 59th percentile. That's the DRAM-less design showing up. Small file operations, like loading a browser with fifty tabs or scrubbing through a photo library, are fine but not exceptional. Endurance sits at 440 TBW, which is the 62nd percentile. For a 2TB QLC drive, that's acceptable but not great. If you write a ton of data daily, you'll eat through that faster than you'd like.

The Crucial P310 sits in an awkward spot. The Western Digital Black SN850X costs a bit more but brings DRAM, TLC NAND, and much better sustained write performance. If you're building a gaming rig and want the best Gen4 experience, the SN850X is the safer pick. The Samsung 9100 PRO is even faster and more durable, but you'll pay a premium for it.

Against the ADATA GAMMIX S70 Blade, the P310 trades blows. The S70 Blade has DRAM and better endurance, but the P310 often undercuts it on price. The Micron T710 is basically a cousin of this drive with similar specs, so whichever is cheaper wins. The Lexar NM1090 PRO is a Gen5 drive, so it's in a different league entirely. If your board supports Gen5 and you want top speed, skip the P310 altogether.

Pricing is all over the place right now. In the US, we're seeing listings from USD 260 to USD 459 across 10 vendors. That's a USD 199 spread, which is wild for the same drive. Best Buy has the lowest everyday price in our database, so start there if you're in the States. In Canada, prices range from CAD 434 to CAD 520 across 3 listings, a CAD 86 gap. At the low end, this is a genuinely good deal for a 2TB Gen4 drive. At the high end, you're better off looking at the WD Black SN850X or Samsung 9100 PRO, which offer better endurance and DRAM caches for not much more.

The Crucial P310 is a 2TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD aimed at budget-conscious builders and laptop upgraders. It's a QLC drive with no DRAM cache, which tells you right away this isn't chasing flagship numbers. But with rated speeds up to 7,100 MB/s read and 6,000 MB/s write, it's still a massive leap over Gen3 drives and SATA. The price varies a lot depending on where you shop, so it's worth hunting for a deal.

For everyday use, this drive makes sense. Boot times drop, game loads get snappier, and large file transfers feel quick. It's compatible with both Gen3 and Gen4 laptops and desktops, so it's a solid drop-in upgrade for older machines too. The 2TB capacity gives you room for a decent game library or a pile of creative projects without breaking the bank.

But the QLC NAND and DRAM-less design mean sustained writes and heavy multitasking will show some weakness. If you're just gaming or doing general productivity, you probably won't notice. If you're moving huge video files around all day, you might. We'll dig into that below.

Skip the Crucial P310 if you're a video editor, data hoarder, or anyone who writes hundreds of gigabytes daily. The QLC NAND and DRAM-less design will choke on sustained transfers, and 440 TBW won't last long under that kind of load. Content creators should look at the WD Black SN850X or Samsung 9100 PRO instead. If you're building a high-end rig with a Gen5 motherboard, the Lexar NM1090 PRO is the better long-term investment. And if you find the P310 priced near USD 459, just walk away. You're paying flagship money for a budget drive.

Should you buy the Crucial P310? If you're upgrading an older laptop or building a budget desktop and you find it near the low end of that price range, yes. It's fast enough for gaming, general productivity, and everyday use. The 2TB capacity is generous, and the power efficiency is a real plus for laptop users.

But if you're a content creator who moves large files constantly, or you want a drive that'll last through years of heavy writes, look elsewhere. The QLC NAND and lack of DRAM will frustrate you. And if you're paying anywhere near USD 459, you're overpaying. At that point, buy the SN850X and don't look back.