Corsair MP700 PRO

Introduction

The Corsair MP700 PRO targets enthusiasts who want bleeding-edge PCIe Gen 5 performance with the flexibility to choose their cooling approach. This flagship M.2 NVMe drive positions itself at the premium end of the storage market, competing directly with drives like the Crucial T700 and MSI Spatium M570 Pro. Corsair offers the MP700 PRO in three distinct variants: a bare drive without heatsink, a model with integrated active air cooling, and a Hydro X water-cooled version for custom loop enthusiasts. If you're building a high-end gaming rig around Intel Z790 or AMD X670 platforms and want sequential speeds that absolutely demolish older SATA and Gen 4 drives, the MP700 PRO promises to deliver—with or without Corsair's bundled cooling solutions.

Product Overview

The Corsair MP700 PRO arrives in standard M.2 2280 form factor, giving you options based on your cooling needs and budget. The bare version measures just 2.3mm thick, fitting directly into motherboard M.2 slots and remaining compatible with existing motherboard heatsinks. The air-cooled variant bundles an integrated active cooling solution that pushes the drive's total height to approximately 30mm, while the Hydro X model integrates directly into custom water cooling loops for maximum thermal management.

Under the cooling (or lack thereof) sits Phison's PS5026-E26 controller, an eight-channel design that has become the de facto standard for first and second-generation Gen 5 consumer drives. The controller pairs with Micron's 232-layer 3D TLC NAND flash memory running at 2000 MT/s—faster than the original MP700's 1600 MT/s configuration. This NAND balances performance with endurance better than cheaper QLC alternatives. Corsair equips the drive with DRAM cache—2GB for the 1TB model and 4GB for the 2TB variant—ensuring swift access times for frequently accessed data rather than relying on slower Host Memory Buffer techniques.

The air-cooled model distinguishes itself with a unique cooling approach. Unlike most actively cooled drives that mount fans on top pushing air downward, Corsair positions a small 20mm fan at one end of the heatsink, forcing air horizontally across aluminum fins covering both sides of the drive. This creates a larger air chamber and reduces turbulence noise, though it requires a SATA power connection that runs the fan at 100 percent speed with no software control.

The MP700 PRO ships in three capacities: 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, with all three cooling configurations available across these capacities (though the Hydro X initially launched only in 2TB).

Performance & Real World Speed

Corsair rates the 2TB MP700 PRO at up to 12,400 MB/s sequential read and up to 11,800 MB/s sequential write, regardless of which cooling configuration you choose. The 1TB model offers slightly lower performance, hitting up to 11,700 MB/s read and up to 9,600 MB/s write. For random operations, the 2TB drive claims up to 1,500K IOPS read and 1,600K IOPS write, while the 1TB version manages up to 1,400K and 1,500K IOPS respectively.

Translating those numbers to real-world benefits requires some context. Compared to SATA SSDs capped around 550 MB/s, the MP700 PRO moves large files at roughly 20 times the speed—meaning a 50GB game installation that took two minutes on SATA completes in about six seconds. Against PCIe Gen 4 drives topping out around 7,000 MB/s, you're looking at approximately 75 percent faster sequential transfers.

For gamers, Windows boot times shrink noticeably compared to SATA, though the difference between this Gen 5 drive and a good Gen 4 alternative becomes harder to perceive in everyday loading scenarios. The MP700 PRO truly flexes its muscles when moving massive video project files, installing 100GB+ game downloads, or handling DirectStorage-enabled titles that can leverage the additional bandwidth to communicate directly with your graphics card. Microsoft's DirectStorage API requires a DirectX 12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support, and while game adoption remains limited as of early 2025, future titles should increasingly benefit from these extreme speeds.

The drive employs SLC caching, writing incoming data to fast pseudo-SLC (single-bit) flash before migrating it to native TLC storage. While sustained write performance eventually drops after the cache fills during prolonged transfers, the transition remains far less jarring than budget drives without DRAM cache. In testing, the air-cooled model maintains peak writing performance above 11,500 MB/s throughout extended 15-minute stress tests without thermal throttling.

Thermal Management

PCIe Gen 5 drives generate substantial heat—the 2TB MP700 PRO draws approximately 11.5W under load, with the 1TB model pulling around 11W. Without adequate cooling, thermal throttling kicks in around 76 degrees Celsius, slashing performance to protect the components. Your choice of MP700 PRO variant determines how you'll address this thermal reality.

The bare drive relies entirely on your motherboard's M.2 heatsink or an aftermarket cooling solution. High-end motherboards with substantial aluminum heatsinks can handle Gen 5 heat reasonably well, though thermal throttling becomes likely under sustained heavy workloads. Budget motherboard heatsinks with thin aluminum construction simply can't dissipate the heat effectively, making the bare drive a risky choice unless you're adding a third-party cooler. For PlayStation 5 internal expansion, the bare drive opens the door to low-profile aftermarket heatsinks that meet Sony's 11.25mm total height requirement, though you'll need to verify the drive's 12,400 MB/s speed exceeds Sony's 5,500 MB/s minimum (which it does handily).

The air-cooled model addresses thermal challenges head-on with an integrated active cooling system. A small 20mm fan mounted at one end of the heatsink pushes air horizontally across aluminum fins covering both sides of the drive. This end-mounted approach proves more effective and quieter than top-mounted fans pushing air downward, creating a larger air chamber and reducing turbulence noise. In testing environments, the MP700 PRO maintains reasonable temperatures even under heavy sustained workloads, with the active cooler preventing thermal throttling during benchmark runs and large file transfers—temperatures plateau around 64 degrees Celsius during extended stress tests.

However, the air cooler introduces trade-offs. The 30mm total height creates clearance challenges in compact builds and completely eliminates PlayStation 5 compatibility. The fan connects via SATA power connector rather than a standard 3-pin or 4-pin motherboard header, meaning it runs at 100 percent speed continuously with no software control. While not deafening, it produces a subtle high-pitched whine that silence-focused builders may find irritating, though larger case fans typically drown it out in gaming systems.

The Hydro X model integrates into custom water cooling loops, offering the most comprehensive thermal solution for extreme enthusiasts already running liquid cooling. This variant eliminates active fan noise entirely while maintaining the lowest possible temperatures, though it requires the infrastructure of a custom loop—a narrow use case even among high-end builders.

For most users, the decision comes down to this: if your motherboard has a robust M.2 heatsink and you're not planning marathon file transfer sessions, the bare drive saves money. If you need guaranteed sustained performance without thermal throttling and can accommodate the height, the air-cooled version delivers. If you're already running custom water cooling, the Hydro X makes sense. Otherwise, consider whether a third-party cooler offers better value than Corsair's air-cooled premium.

Compatibility

The MP700 PRO requires a PCIe Gen 5 compatible M.2 slot (Key M) to reach its advertised speeds, which means Intel Z790, B760, or AMD X670/X670E motherboards with Gen 5 M.2 support. The drive maintains backward compatibility with PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 systems, though you'll be limited to those generations' respective bandwidth ceilings—defeating the purpose of paying Gen 5 pricing.

Modern UEFI/BIOS implementations handle NVMe boot drives without issue, supporting Windows 10, Windows 11, and most Linux distributions. macOS compatibility exists if you're building a Hackintosh, though Apple's ecosystem doesn't officially support PCIe Gen 5 as of early 2025.

For console gaming, the situation requires careful consideration and depends heavily on which MP700 PRO variant you're evaluating.

PlayStation 5 Internal Expansion: The bare MP700 PRO can potentially work for PS5 internal storage expansion with an appropriate low-profile heatsink. The drive meets Sony's speed requirement (5,500 MB/s minimum read speed, with the MP700 PRO delivering 11,700-12,400 MB/s), uses the correct M.2 2280 form factor, and employs PCIe 4.0 (backward compatible with PS5's Gen 4 interface). However, you must add a heatsink that keeps total height under 11.25mm—Sony requires a heatsink for any internal expansion drive, and the bare MP700 PRO doesn't include one. Aftermarket low-profile options exist, but you'll need to research carefully to ensure dimensional compliance.

The MP700 PRO with Air Cooler is NOT compatible with PlayStation 5 internal storage expansion due to its 30mm height exceeding Sony's 11.25mm limit by a massive margin. The physical dimensions make installation impossible regardless of the drive's excellent speed specifications.

Xbox Series X/S Internal Expansion: Neither variant of the MP700 PRO works for Xbox Series X/S internal storage expansion. Microsoft's consoles require proprietary Seagate Storage Expansion Cards exclusively for internal storage expansion. Standard M.2 NVMe drives like the MP700 PRO simply won't work for that purpose, period. You could house this drive in a USB enclosure for external storage of Xbox One backward-compatible games, but that defeats the performance advantage and wastes the Gen 5 premium.

The air-cooled model's 30mm height fits most enthusiast motherboards without issue for PC builds, though you'll want to verify clearance if installing the drive near a graphics card or bulky CPU air cooler. Small form factor builds might struggle with the added bulk. The fan's SATA power cable adds another routing consideration during installation.

Power supply requirements pose no concern—M.2 drives draw power directly from the motherboard's slot, and even with the MP700 PRO's higher consumption, any modern power supply handles this without breaking a sweat.

Strengths & Weaknesses

The MP700 PRO delivers on its promise of exceptional sequential performance, reaching speeds that genuinely impress when moving large files or installing massive game downloads. The inclusion of dedicated DRAM cache ensures responsive random read/write operations, giving the drive a snappy feel that DRAM-less alternatives can't match. Corsair's flexible approach to cooling addresses different user needs—bare for those with existing solutions, air-cooled for guaranteed performance, and Hydro X for custom loop enthusiasts.

The air-cooled model effectively prevents thermal throttling, maintaining sustained performance during extended workloads where passively cooled Gen 5 drives would falter. Testing shows it maintains over 11,500 MB/s write speeds throughout 15-minute stress tests while keeping temperatures around 64 degrees Celsius. For users without adequate motherboard cooling, this bundled solution removes thermal management uncertainty.

Endurance ratings inspire confidence for long-term use. The 1TB model carries a 700 TBW (terabytes written) rating while the 2TB variant offers 1,400 TBW, backed by a five-year warranty. These figures suggest the drive should outlast typical consumer use patterns by a comfortable margin, especially for gaming and general productivity where write volumes remain moderate compared to professional video editing or database workloads.

However, the drive's strengths come with notable caveats. The air-cooled model's SATA-powered fan represents a baffling design choice—the inability to control fan speed via software or motherboard headers means you're stuck with 100 percent operation and its accompanying high-pitched whine. Even a basic 3-pin connector would have allowed resistor cables for speed reduction. The 30mm height creates clearance challenges in compact builds and completely eliminates PS5 compatibility for this particular variant.

The bare drive saves money but demands you have adequate cooling already in place or budget for a quality aftermarket heatsink. Many budget motherboard heatsinks simply can't handle Gen 5 thermal loads, making the cost savings illusory if you experience thermal throttling. For PS5 users specifically, the bare drive requires careful heatsink selection to meet Sony's dimensional requirements, adding complexity to what should be a straightforward upgrade.

Price positioning remains aggressive even for Gen 5 territory. When this drive launched in late 2023, the bare 1TB model commanded around $180 while the 2TB variant asked $300. The air-cooled versions added roughly $10-20 to those figures. Market conditions have improved somewhat, but you're still paying a significant premium over Gen 4 flagships like the Samsung 990 Pro or WD SN850X that deliver 95 percent of the real-world performance for 30-40 percent less money. The Crucial T700 and TeamGroup Z540 occupy similar pricing tiers with comparable performance, making the MP700 PRO a strong contender but hardly a runaway value proposition.

Real-world performance gains over high-end Gen 4 drives remain difficult to perceive in most gaming scenarios. Synthetic benchmarks show massive sequential speed advantages, but game loading times and Windows boot sequences show diminishing returns. DirectStorage API support promises future benefits, but as of early 2025, few games leverage it meaningfully. For professional workflows involving large file transfers—4K/8K video editing, 3D rendering assets, scientific data sets—the speed advantage becomes tangible and worth the premium. For typical gaming use, it's harder to justify unless you're chasing benchmark bragging rights or building a no-compromise flagship system.

Verdict: Should You Buy It?

Buy this if:

• You're building a high-end gaming or workstation PC around PCIe Gen 5 compatible motherboards (Intel Z790/B760 or AMD X670/X670E) and want maximum sequential performance

• You regularly move massive files (50GB+ game installations, 4K video projects, large datasets) where the speed advantage translates to real time savings

• Your motherboard has a substantial M.2 heatsink and you want to save money with the bare drive model

• You need guaranteed sustained performance without thermal throttling and the air-cooled model's clearance requirements work for your build

• You're running a custom water cooling loop and the Hydro X variant fits your aesthetic and thermal management goals

• You want the peace of mind that comes with DRAM cache, robust endurance ratings, and Gen 5 speeds

• You're investing in DirectStorage API readiness for upcoming games that will leverage Gen 5 bandwidth

• You're expanding PlayStation 5 storage with the bare drive and an appropriate low-profile aftermarket heatsink

Skip this if:

• You're building or upgrading a PlayStation 5 and considering the air-cooled model (physically incompatible with PS5's 11.25mm height limit)

• You already own a high-quality PCIe Gen 4 drive like the Samsung 990 Pro or WD SN850X (the upgrade won't deliver proportional performance gains for the cost)

• You need Xbox Series X/S internal storage expansion (requires proprietary Seagate cards only—neither MP700 PRO variant will work)

• Budget constraints make the 30-40 percent price premium over Gen 4 alternatives unjustifiable for your use case

• You're building a silence-optimized system where the air-cooled model's SATA-powered fan would prove irritating

• Your motherboard lacks adequate clearance near the M.2 slot to accommodate the air-cooled version's 30mm height

• You're buying the bare drive without having adequate motherboard cooling or budget for a quality aftermarket heatsink

• You primarily game casually and won't meaningfully benefit from Gen 5's sequential speed advantage in typical loading scenarios

• The TeamGroup Z540 or other Gen 5 alternatives offer better value at your capacity tier