Crucial T700 SSD Review
A Fast PCIe Gen 5 SSD for Enthusiasts Who Demand Maximum Speed
PCIe Gen 5 Performance | 12,400 MB/s Reads | 2,400 TBW
Introduction
The Crucial T700 is built for the performance elite: PC builders pushing the limits of DirectStorage gaming, 8K video editors who need instant timeline scrubbing, and overclockers who refuse to let storage become their bottleneck. This is Crucial's flagship entry into the PCIe Gen 5 NVMe space, targeting enthusiasts who need the absolute fastest sequential speeds available—and have both the hardware and budget to take advantage of it.
In the current market hierarchy, the T700 sits firmly in the Enthusiast tier. It's not for everyone, but if you're running a Gen 5-capable motherboard (AMD X670E/B650E or Intel Z790/Z690) and want to future-proof your rig with bleeding-edge performance, this is where Crucial plants its flag.
Product Overview
The Crucial T700 arrives in the standard M.2 2280 form factor with a PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe interface. This is the next-generation connection standard, doubling the bandwidth ceiling of PCIe 4.0 drives.
Under the hood, the T700 uses Micron's 232-layer TLC NAND paired with a Phison E26 controller—the same high-performance chipset powering many Gen 5 flagships. Crucially (pun intended), it includes DRAM cache, which matters significantly for sustained write performance and system responsiveness when handling complex workloads. You can purchase the drive with or without an integrated heatsink; the heatsink version features a substantial aluminum spreader designed to manage the intense heat Gen 5 drives produce.
Available capacities range from 1TB to 4TB, giving you flexibility based on your library size and budget.
Performance & "Real World" Speed
Crucial rates the T700 at up to 12,400 MB/s sequential read and up to 11,800 MB/s sequential write speeds—staggering numbers that make even flagship Gen 4 drives look sluggish on paper.
What does this mean in practice? For Windows boot times, you're looking at near-instant OS loading on a clean system. Game loading screens benefit most when titles are optimized for DirectStorage API (still emerging), but even without it, you'll notice snappier asset streaming in open-world games and faster level transitions. For creative professionals, the T700 excels at reading massive 8K RAW video files directly from the timeline without stuttering, and large Photoshop/Lightroom libraries open noticeably faster than on Gen 4 hardware.
The caveat: You'll only see these speeds if your motherboard, CPU, and workload can actually leverage Gen 5 bandwidth. For everyday web browsing and office work, the difference between this and a good Gen 4 drive is imperceptible.
Thermal Management & Durability
Gen 5 SSDs run hot—period. The T700 is no exception. Under sustained workloads, this drive can easily exceed 70°C, and thermal throttling becomes a real concern without proper cooling.
If you buy the heatsink version, Crucial's included aluminum spreader does a respectable job keeping temperatures manageable during burst workloads, though extended writes will still generate significant heat. If you buy the bare drive, you absolutely need a quality motherboard heatsink or aftermarket cooler—preferably with active airflow nearby. Some Gen 5 motherboards include robust M.2 heatsinks with thermal pads; make sure yours does before going bare.
The good news: Crucial rates the T700 with solid endurance warranties (600 TBW for the 1TB model, scaling up to 2,400 TBW for 4TB), and it's backed by a 5-year limited warranty, which is standard for flagship drives and signals confidence in long-term reliability.
Compatibility: PC, Mac & Consoles
The T700 works seamlessly with any modern Windows or Linux PC that has a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. It's also backward compatible with PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 systems, though you'll only get Gen 4 or Gen 3 speeds respectively.
For Mac users with Apple Silicon, this is irrelevant—Apple uses proprietary SSD modules. Intel-based Mac Pro users with PCIe slots can technically use it, but macOS won't fully leverage Gen 5 speeds, making this overkill.
The T700 meets Sony's speed requirements (5,500 MB/s minimum) and physical size specs for PS5 internal expansion. However, you must use the heatsink version or add your own heatsink—Sony mandates cooling for drives installed in the M.2 slot. Properly installed, this will dramatically expand your PS5's game library capacity and load games as fast as (or faster than) the internal SSD. Be aware Gen 5 drives will operate at Gen 4 levels in the PS5. The console's M.2 slot is PCIe 4.0, so while the T700 is fully compatible, you won't access its PCIe 5.0 performance on the console; instead, it will run at fast PCIe 4.0 speeds comparable to other high‑end Gen 4 SSDs.
Xbox Series X/S Compatibility: The T700 is NOT compatible with Xbox Series X/S internal expansion. Microsoft uses proprietary Seagate expansion cards for internal next-gen game storage. You cannot install this drive inside an Xbox console for playing Series X/S titles.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros:
Absolutely class-leading sequential speeds for Gen 5 systems
Includes DRAM cache for sustained performance consistency
Solid endurance ratings (up to 2,400 TBW) and 5-year warranty
PS5-compatible with proper heatsink installation
Available in bare or heatsink versions for flexibility
Cons:
Premium pricing—expect to pay 20–40% more than equivalent Gen 4 drives
Requires Gen 5 motherboard to justify the cost; wasted potential on older systems
Runs extremely hot; cooling is mandatory, not optional
Gen 5 real-world advantages are still niche for most consumer workloads
Stiff competition from Samsung 990 Pro (Gen 4) offering better value for most users
Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Buy this if you're building or upgrading a cutting-edge PC with a Gen 5-capable motherboard, work with enormous media files daily, or want the fastest possible PS5 expansion drive money can buy. If you're future-proofing a high-end rig and budget isn't a primary concern, the T700 delivers undeniable bragging rights and measurable performance gains in heavy workloads.
Skip this if you're on a Gen 4 system (it's wasted potential), your workload doesn't involve massive file transfers or professional creative apps, or you're simply looking for the best price-per-gigabyte. In those cases, the Samsung 990 Pro or WD Black SN850X offer 95% of the real-world performance at 60–70% of the cost.
The T700 is a technological showcase—Crucial proving they can compete at the absolute top tier. But unless you're pushing boundaries, you're likely better served by the previous generation's best.
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