Searching online for a Gen 3 NVMe SSD will surely lead you to the Samsung 970 EVO Plus and Crucial P2. There is a reason for this: both are quite affordable and very popular among average users.
Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a little expensive compared to the Crucial P2. But, at the same time, it also has some major advantages as well. We are going to cover all that here in this article.
Both of these SSDs are mid-range Gen 3 NVMe SSDs. But, Samsung 970 EVO Plus promises higher performance as compared to the Crucial P2. Crucial P2 is popular for its bad performance when it comes to reading and writing huge chunks of data. It isn’t considered a good gaming SSD either. But, there will be numerous use cases for this SSD in different scenarios.
The biggest drawback of the Crucial P2 is that it comes with the QLC NAND if you are going for a 500GB or higher variant. The second biggest drawback is that Crucial P2 is that it’s a DRAM-Less SSD.
So, in my opinion, right away, you should go for the Samsung 970 EVO Plus. the price difference is just 10 – 12 bucks. The Samsung 970 EVO Plus gives you a lot of advantages and better reliability.
But, still, let’s compare these both and see which one wins and which one is the best Gen 3 NVMe SSD for you.
Theoretical Specifications
| Specifications | Samsung 970 Evo Plus | Crucial P2 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Variants | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 Lanes | PCIe 3.0 x4 Lanes |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 3500 MB/s | Up to 2400 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 3300 MB/s | Up to 1900 MB/s |
| Random Read Read Speed | Up to 620K | Up to 170K (250GB) |
| Random Write Speed | Up to 560K | Up to 160K (250GB) |
| TBW | Up to 1,200 TBW | Up to 600 TBW |
| NAND Flash Type | TLC 3D | QLC at 500GB+ |
| NVMe Category | Prosumer NVMe SSD | Budget NVMe SSD |
| Warranty | 5- Years Limited Warranty | 5- Years Limited Warranty |
| Price | Check Amazon | Check Amazon |
Synthetic Benchmark Scores
The testbench has an Intel Core i5 12600K CPU along with a DDR5 4800MHz 16GB RAM kit. The motherboard is MSI Pro Z690-A. 1TB variants of both SSDs are used for the benchmark tests and both are 0% filled during the tests.
CrystalDiskMark Scores Comparison
CrystalDismMark is another simple-to-use storage benchmark software. It is generally used to run sequential and random system tests using different file sizes. The default sequential read/write test is 1M at Q8T1 and Q1T1. The default random read/write test is 4KB at Q32T1 and Q1T1. You can easily change these test types along with the total test file size.
DiskBench- Copy Transfer Rates
PCMark 10 Benchmarks
Anvil’s Storage Utilities Scores Comparison
Anvils Storage Utilities is our next benchmark software with a pretty simple interface. It runs all the tests automatically and gives you a final score. A higher number means better performance. It runs a wide array of tests including Seq 4MB, 4K, 4K QD4, 4K QD16, 32K, and 128K, in both read and write formats
Samsung 970 EVO is any day way better than the Crucial P2. I don’t think even this comparison is worth it. In terms of performance, Samsung 970 EVO Plus is one of the top PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs. However, the P2 can be placed pretty well near the bottom.
TBW and Endurance
| Version (Capacity) | Crucial P2 (TBW) | Samsung 970 EVO Plus(TBW) |
|---|---|---|
| 250GB | 150 | 150 |
| 500GB | 150 | 300 |
| 1TB | 300 | 600 |
| 2TB | 600 | 1,200 |
In terms of TBW and overall endurance, the 970 EVO Plus is coming with good things for you. In the 2TB variant, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus comes with double i.e. 1200 TBW.
Endurance and Warranty
| Parameter | Crucial P2 | WD Blue SN550 |
|---|---|---|
| MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) | 1.5 Million Hours | 1.5 Million Hours |
| Warranty Period | 5 Years | 5 Years |
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Crucial P2 | Samsung 970 EVO Plus |
|---|---|---|
| NAND Type | Micron TLC/ QLC | Samsung 3-bit MLC V-NAND |
| NAND Layers | 96 Layers | 92/96 |
| Controller | Phison E13T | Samsung Phoenix |
| Controller Configurations | Single-core, 4-ch, 8-CE/ch | Penta-core, 8-Channels |
| DRAM | No | Yes |
| T.R.I.M. | Supported | Supported |
| SMART | Supported | Supported |
| Encryption | No | AES 256-bit Encryption |
As we discussed earlier, the Crucial P2 comes with a big disadvantage of QLC NAND at 500GB+ variants. However, it lacks encryption and DRAM as well. The controller just has a single core which is actually enough to power its low specifications. So, technically, we can’t consider the Crucial P2 a good SSD for any purpose. However, for low-end users and for raw data storage, it can still be considered.
Price Difference
Which one to buy? Samsung 970 EVO Plus vs Crucial P2
Samsung 970 EVO Plus is the clear winner here in terms of performance and reliability. Whether you want to play games or install the SSD on your work computer, the 970 EVO Plus is the best pick for you.
Surprisingly, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is cheaper than the Crucial P2 on most online shopping platforms. So, it is definitely a good option for people looking for a great performance-to-price ratio. But, even if you found it expensive, the difference will be pretty acceptable considering the issues with the Crucial P2.
Samsung 970 EVO Plus comes with the advantage of amazing performance along with great reliability and Samsung’s trust. So, if you are confused, just go for it.
Thanks for reading!