Intending to get a Crucial NVMe SSD? I know both Crucial P2 and P5 are highly suggested SSDs on the internet. So, it is easy to get confused between them both. Investing a few minutes reading the article will help you get rid out of this confusion.
The Crucial SSDs are reliable and durable but choosing the right one can be tough because there are a lot of options to choose from. After comparing the features and prices of Crucial P2 and Crucial P5 Variants, I have got a clear answer for the question of which one is best between the both.
While P5 is clearly a winner when it comes to the TBW and overall durability, most of the P2 variants are available at comparatively lower price tags. So, you would surely find it confusing to get the right one for your system. But, by the end of this article, I am sure you will go for the perfect one.
Crucial P2 vs Crucial P5 (Which one is the Best Choice?)
1. Storage Space
Both Crucial P2 and Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs include 4 different variants: 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB. The Crucial brand hasn’t yet introduced a higher variant other than 2 TB.
In case, if you’re intending to get a Crucial NVMe SSD just to boost up the speed of the Operating System, then you can rely on 250 GB or 500 GB. Though the higher variants are good enough and get you effective R/W speed, they’re costlier ones.
2. Sequential Read/Write Speed
Check out the Read/Write for different variants of Crucial P2 and Crucial 5 NVMe SSDs. Here, the read speed of the Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs is the same “3,400 MB/s” for all the variants. Whereas, in Crucial P2 NVMe SSD, the Read Speed increases depending on higher variants.
The Crucial P2 is a DRAM-Less SSD. But, since its having the HMB (Host Memory Buffer), it can use the main system’s memory for caching purposes.
While the P5 has a faster DRAM cache which makes it really fast. The speed of both SSDs is different (i.e. Speed = P2<P5) even though both are working on the same x4 lanes of PCIe 3.0
Let’s compare both of them below.
Theoretical Read/Write Speed of Crucial P2
| 250GB Variant | 500GB Variant | 1TB Variant | 2TB Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read Speed: 2100MB/s | Read Speed: 2300MB/s | Read Speed: 2400MB/s | Read Speed: 2400MB/s |
| Write Speed: 1150MB/s | Write Speed: 940MB/s | Write Speed: 1800MB/s | Write Speed: 1900MB/s |
By referring to the table above, we can say that the read speed of lower storage variants of Crucial P2 is slower than the higher variants. Also, the write speed of the 250GB variant is just 1150MB/s while the write speed of the 2TB variant is 1900MB/s.
Theoretical Read/Write Speed of Crucial P5
| 250GB Variant | 500GB Variant | 1TB Variant | 2TB Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read Speed: 3400MB/s | Read Speed: 3400MB/s | Read Speed: 3400MB/s | Read Speed: 3400MB/s |
| Write Speed: 1400MB/s | Write Speed: 3000MB/s | Write Speed: 3000MB/s | Write Speed: 3000MB/s |
With this table, we can see that the Crucial P5 has the same read speed i.e. 3400MB/s on its all storage variants. While the write speed is lower with the 250GB and highest at the 2TB model. But, it is still way better than the Crucial P2.
As you can see above the slab, it indicates that Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs are dominating the R/W speed of Crucial P2 NVMe SSDs.
So, if you are looking for an SSD with a better good read/write speed, P5 should be your pick. But, if you are OK with around 1000MB/s write speed and 2000MB/s read speed, you can go with the Crucial P2 as well.
Crucial P2 NVMe SSDs (2TB) Read: 2,400 MB/s |Write: 1,900 MB/s
Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs (2TB) Read: 3,400 MB/s |Write: 3,000 MB/s
Note: The upgraded version of Crucial P5 is now Crucial P5 Plus. The performance is almost similar but the prices may vary. We will update the article when possible.
3. Input/Output Operations Per Second (4KB Random Read/Write Speed)
Comparing the IOPS R/W speed of different variants “Crucial P2 vs Crucial P5” it’s understandable that Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs is reliable one.
Random IOPS R/W Speed of Crucial P2
| 250GB Variant | 500GB Variant | 1TB Variant | 2TB Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read IOPS: 170,000 | Read IOPS: 95,000 | Read IOPS: 295,000 | Read IOPS: 295,000 |
| Write IOPS: 260,000 | Write IOPS: 215,000 | Write IOPS: 430,000 | Write IOPS: 430,000 |
Random IOPS R/W Speed of Crucial P5
| 250GB Variant | 500GB Variant | 1TB Variant | 2TB Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read IOPS: 210,000 | Read IOPS: 390,000 | Read IOPS: 430,000 | Read IOPS: 430,000 |
| Write IOPS: 355,000 | Write IOPS: 500,000 | Write IOPS: 500,000 | Write IOPS: 500,000 |
With this comparison, it is clear that the P5 has a better ability to process random requests. Hence, it can perform better when it comes to random read/write. The 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB variants of Crucial P5 dominate this niche with a massive 500,000 IOPS speed.
4. Benchmark Scores
I have tested both SSDs using the CrystalDiskMark Software on my Intel i5 8th Generation laptop with 8 GB 3000MHz RAM. The results are as follows. These tests were done only on 1TB variants and the SSD storage was 0% filled. The results may vary on your system depending on its specs, total storage filled, and various other factors.
| Results | Crucial P2 (1TB) | Crucial P5 (1TB) |
|---|---|---|
| Sequential Read (Average) | 2105 MB/s | 2307 MB/s |
| Sequential Write (Average) | 1504 MB/s | 2101 MB/s |
| Random 4K Read (Average) | 245 MB/s | 445 MB/s |
| Random 4K Write (Average) | 337 MB/s | 559 MB/s |
With these results, you can clearly see that the P5 has a better sequential and random read/write speed. However, the sequential read speed is somewhat similar in both.
5. Endurance/Terabytes Written (TBW)
It’s better to know the TBW of an SSD before investing in it. Terabytes Written indicate the lifespan of the Solid-State Drive. I have stated the TBW for each variant of Crucial P2 and Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs. Have a look at it.
Crucial P2 TBW (Tera-bytes Written)
| 250GB Variant | 500GB Variant | 1TB Variant | 2TB Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 TBW | 150 TBW | 300 TBW | 600 TBW |
Crucial P5 TBW (Tera-bytes Written)
| 250GB Variant | 500GB Variant | 1TB Variant | 2TB Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 TBW | 300 TBW | 600 TBW | 1200 TBW |
Comparing both the Crucial NVMe SSDs, it’s pretty clear that Crucial P5 SSDs are better than Crucial P2. The TBW of Crucial P2 Solid-State Drives is half of Crucial P5 SSDs. Hence, Crucial P5 SSDs are a more durable and better choice to invest in when it comes to endurance.
6. Price Difference between P2 and P5
Considering the Price, Crucial P5 SSDs are a bit more expensive compared to Crucial P2. But the Crucial P5 is suitable for hardcore users as well. P2 is great for those who do not want those huge data read/write speeds.
Price Comparison Table
Other Important Information
1. Bus Type
Crucial P2 and Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs include the same Bus Type (Interface) PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.3
2. Controller Type
Crucial P2 NVMe SSD is equipped with the Phison E13T (Single-core, 8-Channel) Controller. Whereas, the Crucial P5 NVMe SSD has the Micron DM01B2 (Dual-Core R5 + M3, 8-Channel Controller.
3. NAND Type
The NAND Type for both these SSDs is the same. They are using Micron’s 3D TLC NAND with 64-layers of NAND.
Note: Some sources say that the Crucial P2’s NAND is changed to QLC in its 500GB variant.
The P2 is considered as the Budget SSD whereas the P5 is known as a consumer-level SSD.
What is the warranty period for these SSDs?
Well, buyers can obtain 5 Years Warranty Period for both Crucial P2 and Crucial 5 NVMe SSDs.
Software for SSD Routine Health Check-up
Crucial Storage Executive Software helps users to have a routine health check-up for their Crucial NVMe SSDs. Using it, you check for New Firmware Updates, perform Secure Erase, Fix Minor Bugs, Check System temperature, Drive Details, Disk Test, S.M.A.R.T Diagnostic, and so on.
Moreover, the software will help you to reset the NVMe SSD’s encryption password.
Download: Crucial Storage Executive
My Views on Both NVMe SSDs (Which one should you buy?)
Investing in Crucial P5 NVMe SSDs won’t be in vain. Though the price is a bit more compared to the Crucial P2 SSDs, it would give you a lot more advantages as well.
Crucial P5 SSD serves with better Read/Write Speed (~3400MB/s read and ~3000MB/s write speed with >250GB storage variants) and more TBW, hence I would recommend you to settle down with a favorable variant of Crucial P5 NVMe SSD.
However, going for the P2 is also a good option when you have a tight budget but huge storage space requirement along with moderately fast NVMe speed (i.e. ~2000MB/s read and ~1000MB/s write).
Conclusion
Explore the features, Prices, and other info for different variants of the Crucial SSDs. Once you go through the whole article, you will be able to decide on the Best Crucial NVMe SSD to invest in. In case, if you have any queries related to the topic kindly, note them in the given comment section. I’ll look into it and revert.