Crucial T705 4TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280

The Crucial T705 4TB hits 14,100 MB/s read and 12,600 MB/s write, putting it in the 98th percentile for speed in our database. It's the fastest Gen5 SSD we've tested, with 4TB of capacity and a 5-year warranty. The catch? It's in the 9th percentile for affordability, with prices ranging from USD 698 to USD 800.

Let's talk numbers. 14,100 MB/s sequential read and 12,600 MB/s sequential write. That's nearly double what most Gen4 drives manage. Random performance is just as impressive: 1,500K read IOPS and 1,800K write IOPS. In our database, that's the 98th percentile for both speed and random performance. This thing is top of the charts right now.

Under the hood you get Micron 232-layer TLC NAND and a DRAM cache. The copper-clad label is designed to pull heat into your motherboard heatsink, and the premium heatsink version uses aluminum and copper to keep things cool without fans or liquid cooling. Crucial claims the heatsink keeps the drive from thermal throttling under max workload with typical airflow. That matters, because Gen5 drives run hot. The T705 is also backward compatible with Gen3 and Gen4 systems, though you'll leave a lot of performance on the table if you're not on a Gen5 platform.

The T705 goes up against some serious competition. The Samsung 9100 PRO is the most direct rival, and while it's also a Gen5 drive, the T705's 14,100 MB/s read speed edges it out in raw sequential performance. The Western Digital Black SN850X is a Gen4 drive that tops out around 7,300 MB/s, so the T705 nearly doubles it on paper. That's the DirectStorage advantage Crucial talks about, up to 15% faster game loads compared to Gen4 drives like the T500. The Kingston FURY Renegade and Micron T710 are also in the mix, but neither matches the T705's combination of 4TB capacity and top-tier speed. If you want the absolute fastest drive in this category, the T705 is it. If you want better value, the SN850X or even the T500 will save you a lot of money.

Here's where it gets real. The T705 4TB ranges from USD 698 to USD 800 across US listings. That's a USD 102 spread depending on where you shop. Best Buy has the lowest price at USD 698, and that's the one to grab if you're buying in the US. In Europe, prices range from EUR 736 to EUR 812, a EUR 76 spread. The 9th percentile affordability ranking tells the story: this is a premium product with a premium price. You get a free month of Adobe Creative Cloud All-Apps thrown in, which softens the blow a little if you actually use Adobe stuff. But make no mistake, you're paying for the speed.

The Crucial T705 4TB is the fastest SSD we've tested in this category, full stop. Sequential reads hit 14,100 MB/s and writes land at 12,600 MB/s. That puts it in the 98th percentile for both speed and random performance in our database. If you've been waiting for Gen5 to actually feel like a leap over Gen4, this is the drive that makes the case.

But that speed comes with a catch. The T705 sits in the 9th percentile for affordability. You're paying a serious premium for those numbers. The 4TB capacity is a standout at the 93rd percentile, and the 5-year warranty plus hardware encryption round out a feature set that's also top-tier. Just know what you're signing up for: this is a flagship drive with a flagship price.

Skip this drive if you're on a Gen4 or Gen3 platform and don't plan to upgrade soon. You'll pay a 9th percentile price for performance you can't actually use. Also skip it if endurance matters more than raw speed. The 57th percentile endurance rating is nothing special, and drives like the WD Black SN850X offer better long-term write durability at a lower cost. If you're building a mid-range system or just want a fast boot drive without breaking the bank, the T705 is overkill.

The Crucial T705 4TB is the drive to buy if you want the fastest Gen5 SSD on the market and you're willing to pay for it. The 98th percentile speed and random performance rankings are backed up by real-world user reports of faster boot times and snappier game loads. The 92/100 sentiment score from owners confirms this isn't just spec sheet hype. The heatsink removal gripe is real but minor, and the price is the only serious drawback. If you're building a high-end rig with a Ryzen 7000 or Intel 13th/14th Gen CPU and you want zero compromises, this is the drive.