Testing
The following system was used to test the SSD
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Ballistix Tactical Tracer 16GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio
– SSD: Crucial MX500
– HDD: WD 1 TB Blue
– CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240
– PSU: Seasonic Snow Silent 750W Platinum
– Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe White
To test the SSD, the following software was used:
– ATTO Disk Benchmark,
– CrystalDiskMark 7,
– Windows File Copy.
In order to obtain a precise result each test was performed three times.
CrystalDiskMark 7 – Read
CrystalDiskMark 7 – Write
ATTO Disk Benchmark Read
ATTO Disk Benchmark Write
Windows File Copy
Final thoughts
The Crucial P2 NVMe M.2 500GB is a good and affordable SSD, thanks to its performance and competitive price of 60USD or EUR.
The performance is good for the price; however, it could have been better. For some reason, Crucial decided that the P2 does not require DRAM, which was a mistake, especially since the memory chips use the TLC technology which has issues with speed once the cache is filled.
In terms of reliability, this being a Micron made product, we can assume that it will last a good while, and the SSD is offered with a 5-year warranty.
The main issue of the P2 500GB SSD is the same as with the P1 500GB model, the price, while it is affordable, other brands are offering similarly priced NvMe SSDs for a lower price. In addition, competing SSD models have a higher speed, or at least use DRAM to mitigate the speed drop encountered with TLC memory.
The temperature of the SSD is good, and it remained at a constant 64 Degrees Celsius, which is good, especially since this SSD has no heatsink included. This temperature was achieved with an ambient temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, and with a storage benchmark running on the SSD.
In conclusion, the Crucial P2 NVMe M.2 500GB is a good and affordable SSD. It provides a good performance, while maintaining a good temperature, even without a heatsink. The main issue of this drive is the lack of DRAM usage, which would have helped with the TLC cache.
