Crucial T710

The Crucial T710 is the fastest consumer SSD we've tested, hitting 14,900 MB/s sequential reads and 13,800 MB/s writes. That's 99th percentile speed, and the 2.2M random read IOPS backs it up. Just shop around, prices swing by USD 118 depending on the vendor.

Let's talk numbers, because this drive has them in spades. Sequential reads top out at 14,900 MB/s and writes at 13,800 MB/s. That's the 99th percentile for speed, meaning this thing is basically the fastest consumer SSD you can buy right now. Random performance is equally ridiculous at 2.2M read IOPS and 2.3M write IOPS, also 99th percentile. For context, most Gen4 drives hover around 7,000 MB/s sequential and 1M IOPS random. The T710 doubles the sequential throughput.

The Micron G9 controller paired with TLC NAND and a DRAM cache keeps things snappy even under sustained loads. The integrated heatsink matters here too. PCIe 5.0 drives run hot, and without proper cooling you'll see thermal throttling tank those numbers fast. The heatsink version keeps things unthrottled, which is exactly what you want if you're pushing large video files or game installs around all day.

Against the Samsung 9100 PRO, the T710 trades blows on sequential speeds but Samsung's endurance and brand trust give it an edge for some buyers. The Seagate FireCuda 530R is a Gen4 drive, so it can't touch the T710's raw throughput, but it's often cheaper and plenty fast for most people. The Kingston Fury Renegade 4TB offers double the capacity at Gen4 speeds, which matters more than raw speed if you're storing massive game libraries. The WD_BLACK SN8100 and Samsung 980 PRO are both Gen4 holdovers that simply can't compete on paper with the T710's 14,900 MB/s reads. If you want the absolute fastest drive available, the T710 is it. If you want the best value, a Gen4 drive might serve you better.

Pricing on the T710 is all over the place. US listings range from USD 350 to USD 468, a USD 118 spread that means you could overpay by a third if you're not paying attention. The best deal we're seeing is at the USD 350 end, which puts this drive at a genuinely competitive price per gigabyte for Gen5 performance. At USD 468, it's a harder sell when you consider the Samsung 9100 PRO and other Gen5 options are nipping at its heels. If you're in Canada, the single CAD 690 listing is your only option, so cross-border shopping might be worth a look. The included 1-month Adobe CC subscription is a nice little bonus, but don't let it sway you into overpaying.

The Crucial T710 hits 14,900 MB/s sequential reads and 13,800 MB/s writes. That puts it in the 99th percentile for speed in our database, which is a fancy way of saying it's one of the fastest drives we've ever tested. Random performance is just as wild at 2.2M read IOPS and 2.3M write IOPS, also top of the charts. If you're coming from a Gen4 drive, the jump is genuinely noticeable in large file transfers and heavy creative workloads.

But speed is only part of the story. The T710 packs Micron's G9 TLC NAND, a DRAM cache, and a 1,200 TBW endurance rating. That endurance number lands in the 84th percentile, solid but not spectacular for a 2TB drive. The 5-year warranty helps ease any longevity worries. Hardware encryption is onboard too, which is nice if you care about that sort of thing.

If you're building a portable setup, skip this one. The portable use case score of 25.1 out of 100 is one of the weakest we've seen, and that's before you factor in the heat and power draw of a PCIe 5.0 drive in an external enclosure. Gamers on a budget should also look elsewhere. A solid Gen4 drive like the FireCuda 530R or 980 Pro will load games nearly as fast in real-world terms for significantly less money. And if you're not regularly moving massive files or working with 4K/8K video, you're paying a premium for speed you'll rarely feel.

The Crucial T710 is the fastest consumer SSD we've tested, full stop. 14,900 MB/s reads and 13,800 MB/s writes put it in the 99th percentile for speed, and the random performance is equally absurd. The integrated heatsink is a smart inclusion that keeps those numbers honest under load. The 1,200 TBW endurance rating is good but not great, and the portable use case score of 25.1 is a real weakness if you're thinking about an external enclosure. For desktop and workstation users who want maximum throughput, this drive is an easy recommendation, especially if you can snag it at the USD 350 end of the price range.