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Every once in a while, a product comes along that causes you to do a double-take. Oh, another high-end SSD, but wait! It delivers a record 3.3 million IOPS? It’s how power-efficient? The relatively plain-looking Corsair MP700 Pro XT knows how to surprise by turning the existing order of things on its head. In a time when we finally have some great high-end drives, it manages to raise the bar even further in a way that previously seemed improbable. Almost 15 GB/s with truly zero compromises? That reality is here.
Many of our expectations are built around Phison’s original high-end PCIe 5.0 SSD controller, the E26 . This was an incredible innovation for its time, but it locked in a certain perspective on drives in this class – they are power-hungry, high-running storage solutions made only for enthusiasts. It’s hard to find a tech forum where users haven’t complained about the need for active cooling, even though it is not strictly required. That is, until SMI’s SM2508 controller arrived. When combined with the right flash it delivered new levels of performance with far less power consumption. Our sample didn’t even come with a heatsink. In retail, the SanDisk WD Black SN8100 in particular set the new baseline. Phison was, for once, not the one to make the first move, but taking the time to optimize its hardware has really paid off. The MP700 Pro XT proves that beyond any doubt.
Excellent 4KB random read performance? Check. Solid sustained write performance? Also check. Fantastic power efficiency so that the drive can be used anywhere? You know it. Even the launch pricing is reasonable, although current market turbulence makes that more difficult to judge. This drive has no weaknesses, and it impresses us across the board. Sure, there’s no 8TB model yet available, but if you want it at any other capacity, it is probably the best choice right now. We’re certainly eager to see what the competition brings out with this new hardware, but for now, diving into the MP700 Pro XT is an exciting prospect.
Corsair MP700 Pro XT Specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally Product 1TB 2TB 4TB Pricing $159.99 $249.99 $459.99 Form Factor M.2 2280 M.2 2280 M.2 2280 Interface / Protocol PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 Controller Phison E28 Phison E28 Phison E28 DRAM LPDDR4x LPDDR4x LPDDR4x Flash Memory Kioxia/Sandisk 218-Layer TLC (BiCS8) Kioxia/Sandisk 218-Layer TLC (BiCS8) Kioxia/Sandisk 218-Layer TLC (BiCS8) Sequential Read 14,900 MB/s 14,900 MB/s 14,900 MB/s Sequential Write 14,200 MB/s 14,500 MB/s 14,700 MB/s Random Read 1,500K IOPS 2,700K IOPS 2,700K IOPS Random Write 3,300K IOPS 3,300K IOPS 3,300K IOPS Active Power 6.2W 6.2W 6.5W Endurance (TBW) 700TB 1,400TB 2,800TB Part Number CSSD-F10GBMP700PXNH CSSD-F20GBMP700PXNH CSSD-F40GBMP700PXNH Warranty 5-year 5-year 5-year
The Corsair MP700 Pro XT is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities for $159.99, $249.99, and $459.99. This is MSRP pricing, but the cost per terabyte isn’t unreasonable. Currently, the Crucial T710 is less expensive at 4TB; the Samsung 9100 Pro remains the best and only 8TB retail option; and the SanDisk WD Black SN8100 sets the price basis for high-end, Gen 5 SSDs. We think the MP700 Pro XT is compelling against the Black SN8100 at current pricing. However, given current market conditions, we can’t assume where these prices will go. Our only complaint here is that the MP700 Pro XT and its Phison E28 controller are a bit late to the market.
The drive is capable of hitting up to 14,900 / 14,700 MB/s for sequential reads and writes and up to 2,700K / 3,300K random read and write IOPS. This stands out for a few reasons. First, this pushes the limits of the PCIe 5.0 interface to the extreme, and it’s clear Phison really wanted the fastest drives possible on paper. Second, sequential performance at 1TB remains excellent, which is usually a problem with high-end drives. Previously, we’ve recommended the Crucial T710 at 1TB for its unusually high performance from six-plane flash, but Phison proves with the MP700 Pro XT’s numbers that it can push bandwidth with any flash. Third and lastly, the IOPS ratings are through the roof with the highest specifications we’ve ever seen on a drive. To put it bluntly, this is a powerhouse of a drive at any capacity.
It’s also backed by a standard five-year, 700TB of writes per TB of capacity warranty. This is nothing special, but we’re glad that no compromises are necessary. Phison’s E28 can support hardware encryption through TCG Opal, and the Corsair MP700 Pro XT states AES 256-bit encryption support. Corsair also provided power consumption numbers for this drive, which are excellent and even better than what the SMI SM2508 can deliver on the best drives. Compare the Kingston Renegade G5 – the MP700 Pro XT fits into a much tighter power envelope, which equates to fantastic power efficiency.
Corsair MP700 Pro XT Software and Accessories
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