Micron's new 64-layer 3D NAND is the key component that should improve the picture on both fronts.Īll four capacities feature the same performance specifications. The same controllers often deliver better performance with Toshiba flash. We've also tested Micron's first-gen 32-layer 3D NAND paired with several different controllers over the last year, but it was very difficult to recommend any of the SSDs. We've tested several products with the SM2258 controller paired with various types of NAND, but they weren't that impressive. The controller is an older model, but Crucial says its LDPC (Low-Density Parity-Check) error correction algorithms are powerful enough for the new 64-layer 3D NAND. We wrote a detailed preview of the SM2258's capabilities back in August of 2016. The MX500 uses the SMI SM2258 controller.

The 2TB model will only ship in the 2.5' form factor while the 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB models will come in both 2.5' and single-sided M.2 2280. The Crucial MX500 will eventually come in four capacities and two form factors, but only the 1TB model will be available at launch.

It isn't just the performance that links Crucial SSDs to products from companies you most likely have never heard of in some cases, the components inside the drives are identical. Some of Crucial's products even have similar performance to SSDs coming from tier-two and tier-three manufacturers.

Since then, Crucial's consumer SSDs have trailed the competition, and the performance gap between Crucial and other tier-one manufacturers has grown. We've felt let down by the company that introduced us to the C300, which was the world's first SATA 6Gbps SSD. Crucial MX500 1TB at Amazon for $75.99 (opens in new tab)įor years, we've overlooked the Crucial brand for our enthusiast recommendations.Micron's new 64-layer NAND, which makes its way into the Crucial MX500, promises to tip the scales in the other direction with competitive performance and superior pricing. The SSD industry has been in a race to the bottom of the barrel, but due to the NAND shortage, we've often been given the bottom without the price drops to match.

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