Crucial’s new PCIe 5.0 SSD is the first high-performance drive I’m considering putting into a laptop

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At the Computex 2025 event, Crucial introduced a new T710 PCIe 5.0 SSD, suitable for both laptops and desktop computers. This release is accompanied by an external X10 portable SSD.

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According to Crucial, the T710 is their fastest Generation 5 drive on record, boasting sequential read speeds as high as 14,900 Megabytes per second and sequential write speeds of up to 13,800 Megabytes per second.

Crucial asserts that the Gen5 model will provide superior performance ideal for professional gaming, creative work, and demanding tasks such as Artificial Intelligence.

As an analyst, I’m excited to share that the new drive I’m analyzing is a successor to the Crucial T700 and T705 PCIe 5.0 models. The manufacturer claims that this new model, the T710, delivers “approximately 67% more IOPS per watt” efficiency compared to its predecessors. Translating this into real-world performance, we’re looking at impressive figures of around 2.2 million random read Input/Output Operations per Second (IOPS) and 2.3 million random write IOPS.

This drive operates significantly quicker than other Crucial drives and, importantly, it runs cooler as well. Given the amount of heat that PCIe 5.0 drives can generate, particularly in laptop configurations without a built-in heatsink, this is a significant advancement.

Essential now provides a space-saving heatsink (reduced by 47%) as an optional feature for the T710, making it ideal for desktop users who prioritize top-notch performance.

Moreover, this design is versatile enough for use with laptops. Its one-sided structure and significant power decrease make it ideal. As stated by Crucial, there’s a 67% drop in power usage during reading, and an impressive 80% decrease when writing.

As a delighted fan, I’d like to share my thoughts on the noticeable difference between the newer models and the T700/T705. Instead of sticking with Phison, Crucial opted for Silicon Motion’s SM2508 controller, which is more energy-efficient. This controller leverages Micron’s ninth-generation 276-layer TLC NAND technology, making it a great choice for performance and power savings.

If the enhancements, once verified upon T710’s launch in July 2025, indeed hold true for laptops, they would be ideal. Finding PCIe 5.0 drives that run cool and are compact enough remains a challenge. Given Crucial’s trusted reliability, this drive is likely to be among my choices for my computer.

This product comes in sizes of 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. Crucial provides a rating of 600 Terabytes Written (TBW) for every terabyte you use. In simpler terms, if you’re using the 4TB drive, you can theoretically write approximately 2,400 terabytes of data before potential failure may occur due to this rating.

1. For added peace of mind, Crucial provides a reliable five-year warranty to safeguard your investment. To ensure the security of your data, it features robust AES 256-bit encryption and is compatible with TCG Opal 2.0 version 1.01 or higher.

Crucial also has a new portable SSD headed our way soon

Crucial also announced today a new X10 portable external SSD.

This device connects using the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 standard, which boosts data transfer speed from the usual 10Gbps in standard USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 to a swift 20Gbps. However, it’s important to note that your computer needs a compatible port to achieve these high speeds. While such ports may not be common, they do exist.

The high-performance X10 model can achieve read speeds of up to 2,100MB/s, which is double the speed of its predecessor, the X9. Yet, it’s important to note that such speeds are only attainable on a computer equipped with USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) compatibility.

The standout feature of the latest Crucial X10 lies in its expansive storage options. While the X9 peaked at 4TB, the X10 series offers a range from 1TB to an impressive 8TB.

This durable drive is rated to withstand both water (IP65) and dust, and it can handle falls from heights of approximately 9.8 feet (or 3 meters). In terms of durability, it matches or even surpasses the Samsung T7 Shield that I previously reviewed and continue to use.

The 1TB X10 starts at $140, climbing all the way to $780 for the 8TB model.

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2025-05-20 19:39