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 8,
– Shadow of the Tomb Raider;
– Windows File Copy.
In order to obtain a precise result each test was performed three times.
CrystalDiskMark 8 – Read
CrystalDiskMark 8 – Write
ATTO Disk Benchmark Read
ATTO Disk Benchmark Write
Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Level Loading
Windows File Copy
With an ambient temperature of 26°C and under heavy usage, the Crucial P5 reached its maximum temperature of 100°C and started to thermal throttle. This was encountered in the worst possible scenario for an SSD: high ambient temperature, poor ventilation inside the system, no heatsink installed.
With a basic heatsink installed on the drive, and adequate airflow inside a closed system, the maximum temperature reached by the Crucial P5 was 71°C.
Final thoughts
The Crucial P5 1TB M.2 SSD is available for around 150USD or EUR.
The main advantage of this SSD is the real-world performance, with a total of 100GB of files, the speed of the Crucial P5 1TB remained constant at around 1.26GB/s.
The performance overall is good, however the P5 is still behind other M.2 SSDs in some tests and it is pretty close to the Crucial P2 and P1 models.
The main issue found with the Crucial P5 is the temperature, even without a heatsink and in heavy usage, reaching 100°C is not good. In this situation, the usage of a heatsink and proper airflow is recommended.
Micron offers a 5-year warranty and also the Crucial P5 is listed with an endurance of 600 TB written.
In conclusion, the Crucial P5 M.2 SSD is a good choice for both a gaming and workspace system. This is mainly thanks to its new Micron made controller and the 1GB DRAM chip used. The only inconvenient with this product apart from the temperature, is the price. At 150 USD it is priced above similar or even better performing M.2 SSDs.
