The Corsair MP700 Gen5 M.2 SSD largely delivers on the promise of PCIe 5.0 storage, offering blistering sequential read and write speeds that can push past 10,000 MB/s, making it a compelling option for high-performance enthusiasts and professionals.

While it undeniably stands as a speed demon, potential buyers should be prepared for its higher thermal requirements and the necessity of a compatible PCIe 5.0 motherboard, often requiring active cooling to maintain peak performance under sustained loads.

This drive is designed for those who demand the absolute fastest storage solution available today, and it largely meets that demand, though it’s crucial to understand the ecosystem it operates within to truly unlock its potential.

Product Name	Interface	Max Sequential Read MB/s	Max Sequential Write MB/s	Typical Use Case	Price Point
Corsair MP700	PCIe Gen5 x4	10,000+	10,000+	Gaming, Content Creation, High-Performance Workstations	Premium
Samsung 990 Pro	PCIe Gen4 x4	7,450	6,900	Gaming, Everyday Computing, Professional Applications	High-End
WD Black SN850X	PCIe Gen4 x4	7,300	6,600	Gaming, High-Performance Workstations	High-End
Crucial T700	PCIe Gen5 x4	12,400+	11,800+	Extreme Gaming, 8K Video Editing, AI Development	Premium
SK Hynix Platinum P41	PCIe Gen4 x4	7,000	6,500	Gaming, General Productivity, Workstations	Mid-High
Kingston Fury Renegade	PCIe Gen4 x4	7,300	7,000	Gaming, Performance Desktops	High-End
Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus	PCIe Gen4 x4	7,100	6,600	Content Creation, Gaming, Professional Use	High-End

Table of Contents

Unpacking PCIe Gen5: What It Means for Your System

Alright, let’s cut to the chase: PCIe Gen5 isn’t just a marketing buzzword.

It’s a legitimate leap forward in data transfer technology.

Think of it as upgrading from a two-lane highway to a ten-lane autobahn.

Each generation of PCIe effectively doubles the bandwidth of the previous one, and Gen5 is no exception.

This means that devices like the Corsair MP700 can push and pull data at speeds that were literally unimaginable just a few years ago. Tp Link Kasa Smart Wi Fi Plug Slim With Energy Monitoring Kp125M Review

But what does this mean for your daily grind, or your weekend gaming binge?

The Bandwidth Bonanza: Raw Speed Metrics

At its core, PCIe Gen5 x4 the standard for M.2 SSDs like the MP700 offers a theoretical maximum bandwidth of around 15.75 GB/s.

Compare that to PCIe Gen4’s 7.88 GB/s or Gen3’s 3.94 GB/s. That’s a massive increase.

For the Corsair MP700, this translates to sequential read speeds advertised at up to 10,000 MB/s and write speeds at 10,000 MB/s for the 2TB model. This isn’t just theoretical.

Benchmarks show it consistently hitting these numbers. Msi Mag X670E Tomahawk Review

Sequential Read/Write: Crucial for large file transfers, video editing, or loading massive game assets. The MP700 excels here.
Random Read/Write: More important for everyday tasks like launching applications, booting your OS, or handling multiple small files simultaneously. While not as dramatically impacted by Gen5 as sequential speeds, the overall lower latency of the interface still offers a noticeable snappiness.

The System Requirements: Building for Gen5

You can’t just slap a Gen5 SSD into any old motherboard and expect magic. This is where the rubber meets the road.

To harness the power of the Corsair MP700, you need:

A Compatible Motherboard: This means a motherboard with a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. Currently, this primarily includes Intel’s Z690/Z790 chipsets with 12th/13th/14th Gen Core processors and AMD’s X670E/B650E chipsets with Ryzen 7000 series processors. Ensure your board explicitly states PCIe Gen5 M.2 support.
A Compatible CPU: Your CPU must also support PCIe Gen5 lanes. Without a Gen5-capable CPU, even a Gen5 motherboard won’t unlock the full potential of the drive.
Power Delivery: While not usually a direct concern for the SSD itself, ensuring your PSU can handle the overall system load, especially with high-end components, is always wise.

Important Note: Even if your motherboard has a PCIe Gen5 slot, make sure it’s an M.2 slot with Gen5 support. Some boards might have Gen5 PCIe slots for graphics cards but Gen4 for M.2. Always check your motherboard’s specifications.

Practical Implications: Where Gen5 Shines and Where It Doesn’t

So, is Gen5 a must for everyone? Not exactly.

Content Creators: If you’re routinely working with massive video files 4K, 8K, large CAD projects, or compiling extensive codebases, the speed increase for loading and saving these files will be significant. Less time waiting means more time creating.
Serious Gamers: While game loading times can benefit, the primary bottleneck for most games isn’t raw SSD speed beyond Gen4. However, with upcoming technologies like Microsoft’s DirectStorage API, which can leverage ultra-fast NVMe drives to bypass CPU overhead, Gen5 could become more impactful. For now, the gains are marginal for most games compared to a high-end Gen4 drive.
Everyday Users: For browsing, office work, or casual gaming, a Gen5 drive is absolute overkill. You simply won’t notice the difference over a good Gen4 or even Gen3 NVMe SSD. The cost premium isn’t justified here.

Ultimately, PCIe Gen5 is about future-proofing and addressing specific, high-bandwidth needs today. It’s a premium technology for premium users. Tcl 98 Inch Qm8 Class Tv 98Qm850G Review

Performance Benchmarking: Diving into the Numbers

When it comes to an SSD, especially one touting “Gen5” in its name, the proof is in the benchmarks. The Corsair MP700 isn’t just fast on paper. it delivers in real-world synthetic tests.

We’re talking about hitting those 10 GB/s marks consistently, which is frankly astonishing.

But let’s break down what those numbers really mean for you.

Sequential Read and Write: The Headline Figures

This is where the MP700 flexes its muscles.

Using tools like CrystalDiskMark, you’ll see numbers that make your eyes water. Prezi Review

Corsair MP700 2TB Typical Results:
- Sequential Read Q8T1: ~10,000 MB/s
- Sequential Write Q8T1: ~10,000 MB/s

These speeds are phenomenal for tasks involving large contiguous data blocks. Think:

Loading immense open-world game levels.
Copying multi-gigabyte video files.
Working with uncompressed 4K/8K video streams in professional editing suites.

Compared to a top-tier Gen4 drive like the Samsung 990 Pro typically around 7,450 MB/s read, 6,900 MB/s write, the MP700 offers a 30-35% uplift in sequential throughput. This isn’t just theoretical. for specific workflows, it translates directly into saved time.

Random 4K Performance: The Everyday Metric

While sequential speeds grab headlines, random 4K performance is often more indicative of an SSD’s responsiveness in daily use.

This measures how quickly the drive can read and write small, scattered files – precisely what your operating system, applications, and games are constantly doing.

Corsair MP700 2TB Typical Results – IOPS:
- Random 4K Read Q1T1: ~~90-100 MB/s~~ 25,000 IOPS
- Random 4K Write Q1T1: ~~300-350 MB/s~~ 80,000 IOPS
- Random 4K Read Q32T16: ~1,500,000 IOPS
- Random 4K Write Q32T16: ~1,600,000 IOPS

These numbers are also very strong, putting the MP700 in the top echelon of NVMe drives, though the generational leap here isn’t as dramatic as with sequential speeds. Corsair Darkstar Wireless Rgb Mmo Gaming Mouse Review

High IOPS mean less stuttering, faster application launches, and a generally snappier system feel.

The MP700 competes neck-and-neck with the best Gen4 drives in these metrics and often surpasses them, particularly at high queue depths.

Real-World File Transfers: The Acid Test

Synthetic benchmarks are great, but how does it perform when you’re actually dragging and dropping files?

Large Single File Transfer e.g., a 100GB video file:
- From MP700 to MP700: Expect sustained speeds of 8-9 GB/s, potentially dropping slightly if the drive gets hot without proper cooling.
- From a fast Gen4 drive to MP700: Maxes out the Gen4 drive’s read speed e.g., 6-7 GB/s.
- To a fast Gen4 drive from MP700: Maxes out the Gen4 drive’s write speed e.g., 6-7 GB/s.
Small File Folder Transfer e.g., 50GB of photos: Spike Review
- This is where random 4K performance comes into play. The MP700 will still be very fast, often completing such transfers in seconds, but the sheer sequential speed advantage is less pronounced. The drive will still outperform most Gen4 drives due to its overall high IOPS and latency improvements.

Key Takeaway: For tasks that truly leverage raw sequential throughput, the Corsair MP700 is a monster. For general computing, it’s exceptionally fast, but the difference from a high-end Gen4 drive might not be as immediately obvious for the average user, especially given the cost premium.

Benchmark Test	Corsair MP700 2TB	Samsung 990 Pro 2TB	WD Black SN850X 2TB
CrystalDiskMark Sequential Read Q8T1	~10,000 MB/s	~7,450 MB/s	~7,300 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Sequential Write Q8T1	~10,000 MB/s	~6,900 MB/s	~6,600 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Random 4K Read Q1T1	~95 MB/s	~90 MB/s	~85 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Random 4K Write Q1T1	~320 MB/s	~300 MB/s	~280 MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark 128MB File	9.5 GB/s Read / 9.5 GB/s Write	7.0 GB/s Read / 6.5 GB/s Write	6.8 GB/s Read / 6.3 GB/s Write

Thermal Management: The Gen5 Challenge

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room with Gen5 SSDs: heat.

Think of it like a Formula 1 car – it’s incredibly fast, but it generates a lot of heat.

The Corsair MP700, like other early PCIe 5.0 drives, is a prime example of this thermal challenge.

Pushing data at 10 GB/s generates significant heat, and managing this is crucial to sustained performance. Godaddy Web Hosting Review

Why Heat Matters for SSDs

It’s not just about keeping components cool for longevity. it’s about performance throttling. When an SSD reaches a certain temperature threshold, its internal firmware will automatically reduce performance throttle to prevent damage. This means those blazing fast 10 GB/s speeds can plummet if the drive gets too hot, turning your autobahn into a traffic jam.

NAND Flash: While robust, NAND flash memory performance can degrade at extreme temperatures.
Controller: The SSD controller chip, which orchestrates all data flow, is the primary heat generator. It’s also the most sensitive to temperature spikes.

Corsair MP700 and Its Cooling Solutions

The Corsair MP700 typically comes in two main variants when it comes to cooling:

Bare Drive no heatsink: This version assumes you’ll be using your motherboard’s integrated M.2 heatsink, or an aftermarket solution.
With Included Heatsink: Corsair often bundles a robust passive heatsink, sometimes a fairly chunky one, with the MP700. This is a solid starting point for most users.

Crucial Point: For a Gen5 drive like the MP700, a heatsink is not optional. It’s absolutely mandatory for anything beyond very brief bursts of activity.

The Need for Active Cooling?

This is where it gets interesting.

While a good passive heatsink like the ones found on high-end motherboards or included with some MP700 SKUs can handle moderate loads, sustained, heavy workloads think continuous 8K video editing or large game installations might push the MP700 past its thermal limits, leading to throttling. Motorola Razr Plus 2023 Review

Motherboard Heatsinks: Modern high-end motherboards often come with impressive M.2 heatsinks. Many of these are sufficient for daily use and even moderate gaming.
Aftermarket Solutions: Companies like Sabrent and even Corsair themselves offer dedicated M.2 heatsinks, some of which are quite substantial.
Active Cooling Solutions: This is where the extreme measures come in. Some users, particularly those doing heavy professional work or extreme benchmarking, opt for active cooling solutions. This can range from:
- Dedicated M.2 Fans: Small fans that attach directly to the M.2 slot or heatsink.
- Heatsinks with Integrated Fans: Some aftermarket heatsinks have tiny fans built in.
- Water Cooling: Yes, some extreme setups even incorporate M.2 water blocks into a custom loop! This is niche, but it highlights the thermal demands.

Recommendation: If you plan on pushing the MP700 constantly with large file transfers or heavy write operations, invest in a robust cooling solution. If your motherboard’s heatsink isn’t cutting it, consider an aftermarket passive heatsink. For absolute peace of mind under extreme load, active cooling might be a consideration. Monitor your drive’s temperature using tools like HWMonitor or CrystalDiskInfo. Temperatures above 70°C under load are typically where throttling begins to become a concern. Aim to keep it well below that for optimal sustained performance.

Longevity and Endurance: How Long Will It Last?

When you invest in a high-performance SSD like the Corsair MP700, you’re not just buying speed. you’re buying a storage solution that needs to last. SSDs don’t fail like traditional hard drives with moving parts. instead, their NAND flash cells have a finite number of write cycles. This is where the concepts of TBW Total Bytes Written and MTBF Mean Time Between Failures come into play.

Understanding TBW Total Bytes Written

TBW is a measure of how much data can be written to an SSD over its lifetime before its endurance is considered “used up.” After this point, the drive might still function, but its reliability could be compromised, and wear-leveling algorithms might struggle.

Corsair MP700 TBW Ratings Typical:
- 1TB Model: ~700 TBW
- 2TB Model: ~1400 TBW
- 4TB Model: ~2800 TBW if available

To put this into perspective:

If you write 100GB of data per day, a 1400 TBW drive would theoretically last 14,000 days, or almost 38 years.
Even if you were an extreme content creator writing 1TB of data per day, it would still last 1400 days, or nearly 4 years.

For the vast majority of users, including serious gamers and most content creators, hitting the TBW limit of a 1TB or 2TB MP700 is highly unlikely within the typical lifespan of a system 3-7 years. Unless you’re running a server with constant write operations or doing extremely specific data-intensive research, TBW shouldn’t be a primary concern for this drive. K7 Antivirus Premium Review

MTBF Mean Time Between Failures

MTBF is an estimate of the average time a device will operate before experiencing a failure. For the Corsair MP700, like many high-end SSDs, this figure is typically 1.5 million hours or more.

1.5 million hours translates to over 171 years of continuous operation.

Now, obviously, your drive isn’t going to last 171 years.

MTBF is a statistical measure and doesn’t guarantee individual drive longevity.

It’s more of an indicator of the manufacturer’s confidence in the product’s overall design and components.

A higher MTBF generally suggests a more robust and reliable design. Motorola Moto G Power 5G 2023 Review

NAND Type and Controller Influence

The Corsair MP700 uses 3D TLC Triple-Level Cell NAND flash. TLC NAND stores 3 bits per cell, offering a good balance of cost, capacity, and performance. While not as durable as MLC Multi-Level Cell or SLC Single-Level Cell, modern TLC NAND, coupled with advanced wear-leveling algorithms and error correction in the controller, offers excellent endurance for consumer drives.

The Phison PS5026-E26 controller is at the heart of the MP700. This controller is specifically designed for PCIe Gen5 speeds and incorporates sophisticated technologies to manage NAND wear, garbage collection, and error correction, further enhancing the drive’s longevity. It intelligently distributes writes across the NAND cells to ensure even wear and maximize the drive’s lifespan.

Warranty and Support

Corsair typically offers a 5-year limited warranty on its high-end SSDs like the MP700. This warranty usually covers defects in materials or workmanship and is subject to the drive not exceeding its specified TBW rating. The 5-year warranty is standard for premium SSDs and provides good peace of mind. Always check Corsair’s official product page for the most up-to-date warranty details for your specific region and model.

In summary, the Corsair MP700 is built to last.

Its high TBW ratings, robust MTBF, and advanced controller design ensure that it will comfortably serve the needs of most users for many years, likely outlasting the system it’s installed in. Acer Chromebook 315 2023 Review

Worrying about wearing out this drive through normal use is generally unfounded.

Price vs. Performance: Is Gen5 Worth the Premium?

This is the million-dollar question, or rather, the several-hundred-dollar question when it comes to the Corsair MP700 and other PCIe Gen5 SSDs.

Is the bleeding-edge performance worth the premium price tag compared to the still-blazingly-fast PCIe Gen4 drives? Let’s break down the economics.

The Gen5 Premium

As of its release and current market trends, the Corsair MP700, like its Gen5 brethren, carries a significant price premium over equivalent capacity Gen4 drives.

Price Comparison Approximate, per TB, at time of writing:
- Corsair MP700 Gen5: Roughly $0.15 – $0.20+ per GB e.g., $300-$400 for 2TB
- High-End Gen4 e.g., Samsung 990 Pro, WD SN850X: Roughly $0.08 – $0.12 per GB e.g., $160-$240 for 2TB
- Mid-Range Gen4: Can go as low as $0.05 – $0.07 per GB.

This means you’re often paying 50-100% more for a Gen5 drive than a top-tier Gen4 drive of the same capacity. This premium extends beyond just the drive itself, as you also need a more expensive PCIe Gen5-capable motherboard and potentially a more elaborate cooling solution. Lucidchart Review

Where the Value Proposition Stands Strong

The value proposition for the MP700 and Gen5 SSDs in general is strongest in very specific scenarios:

Professional Content Creation: If your livelihood depends on minimizing render times, compiling massive codebases, or directly editing 8K video files that saturate Gen4 bandwidth, the time savings can justify the cost. Even a few minutes saved per day adds up over weeks and months.
- Example: An architect working with massive CAD files, a video editor constantly rendering and moving multi-terabyte projects, or a game developer compiling enormous game assets.
Bleeding-Edge Enthusiasts and Benchmarkers: For those who simply want the fastest hardware available, regardless of whether it fully translates to perceptible real-world gains in their specific use cases, the MP700 delivers. It’s a statement piece.
Future-Proofing with a caveat: While no technology is truly “future-proof,” investing in Gen5 now might set you up better for future applications like DirectStorage VST on PC that heavily leverage this bandwidth. However, this is speculative, as Gen4 drives are still incredibly fast and widely supported.

Where the Value Proposition Weakens

For the vast majority of users, the MP700’s price-to-performance ratio isn’t as compelling:

Gaming General: While game loading times can see marginal improvements, the difference between a high-end Gen4 and Gen5 drive is often negligible for most games. The bottleneck typically shifts to the CPU, GPU, or game engine itself before the SSD.
Everyday Productivity: Browsing the web, office work, media consumption – these tasks won’t see any discernible difference between a Gen5, Gen4, or even a good Gen3 NVMe SSD. Your system will feel snappy, but it won’t be because of the Gen5 speeds.
Cost-Conscious Builders: If you’re building on a budget, or even a mid-range budget, the extra funds spent on a Gen5 SSD and its requisite ecosystem components could be far better allocated to a more powerful GPU, more RAM, or a better CPU, which would likely have a much larger impact on overall system performance and user experience.

Decision Matrix:

User Profile	Is MP700 Worth It?	Why/Why Not
8K Video Editor / 3D Modeler	YES	Time savings, workflow efficiency, direct performance benefits.
Competitive Gamer	MAYBE	Future potential with DirectStorage, but current gains are minimal.
Casual Gamer / Streamer	NO	Overkill, better off investing elsewhere for tangible improvements.
Software Developer Large Builds	YES	Significant reduction in compilation times for large projects.
Everyday User / Office Work	NO	Zero noticeable difference, excessive cost for no benefit.
Tech Enthusiast / Benchmarker	YES	For the thrill of top-tier performance and benchmarking records.

In conclusion, the Corsair MP700 is a fantastic piece of engineering that delivers incredible speed.

However, for most people, the substantial price premium and the specific system requirements mean that a high-end PCIe Gen4 drive offers a much better balance of performance and value for their needs. Amazon Echo Frames 2Nd Gen Review

Only those with very specific, demanding workloads or those who simply must have the absolute fastest should consider making the jump to Gen5 currently.

Software and Features: Beyond Raw Speed

While raw sequential speeds and IOPS are the headline grabbers for any high-performance SSD, the overall user experience is significantly enhanced by the software and additional features provided by the manufacturer.

Corsair, with its iCUE software ecosystem, offers a solid suite of tools for managing and optimizing the MP700.

Corsair SSD Toolbox Integrated with iCUE

Corsair’s primary utility for its SSDs is typically integrated into its overarching iCUE software.

This unified platform allows you to manage not just your SSD but also other Corsair peripherals like RAM, cooling, and RGB lighting. Blink Outdoor Review

Key Features You’d Expect to Find:

Drive Information: Get a quick overview of your MP700’s vital statistics:
- Model Number and Firmware Version: Essential for troubleshooting or checking for updates.
- Capacity Used/Free: A clear visual of your storage utilization.
- Host Writes/Reads: Track the total amount of data written to and read from the drive, which is useful for monitoring endurance.
- Power-On Hours: How long the drive has been active.
- Temperature: Critically important for Gen5 drives. Monitor current, max, and min temperatures to ensure it’s operating within safe limits and not throttling.
S.M.A.R.T. Status Monitoring: Access the Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology S.M.A.R.T. data. This provides detailed attributes about the drive’s health, including:
- Raw Read Error Rate
- Reallocated Sectors Count
- Current Pending Sector Count
- Uncorrectable Sector Count
- CRC Error Count
- These metrics can give you an early warning of potential drive issues.
Firmware Update: Keep your SSD’s firmware up-to-date. Firmware updates often improve performance, enhance compatibility, fix bugs, and optimize the drive’s wear-leveling algorithms, ultimately improving longevity. Corsair’s software makes this a relatively straightforward process.
Over-Provisioning OP: This feature allows you to allocate a small percentage of the drive’s total capacity as over-provisioning. This extra space is used by the SSD controller for background tasks like garbage collection, wear leveling, and block management. While it slightly reduces usable capacity, it can improve sustained write performance and extend the drive’s lifespan, especially under heavy loads. For a high-performance drive like the MP700, setting 5-10% OP can be beneficial if you’re frequently doing large write operations. Msi Cyborg 15 2023 Review
Secure Erase/Sanitize Drive: If you ever need to securely wipe the drive’s data e.g., before selling it or for a fresh OS install, this feature allows for a complete, unrecoverable data wipe, ensuring your sensitive information is gone.
TRIM Optimization: Ensure that TRIM is enabled. TRIM is an ATA command that allows the operating system to inform the SSD which data blocks are no longer in use and can be wiped. This helps maintain performance over time by ensuring the drive has clean blocks ready for new data writes, preventing performance degradation write amplification. While Windows generally handles this automatically, having the option to confirm or trigger it manually can be useful.

Corsair iCUE Integration

The benefit of iCUE is its centralized control.

If you have other Corsair components, you can manage all of them from one application, providing a cohesive user experience.

While not strictly necessary for the SSD’s core function, it’s a nice-to-have for those invested in the Corsair ecosystem.

Key Takeaway: The software suite provided by Corsair, particularly the SSD management tools within iCUE, adds significant value to the MP700. It allows users to monitor drive health, update firmware, and optimize performance parameters like over-provisioning, ensuring the drive operates optimally throughout its lifespan. These features, though less glamorous than raw speed, are crucial for long-term satisfaction and maintenance.

Installation and Compatibility Considerations

Installing an M.2 NVMe SSD like the Corsair MP700 might seem straightforward, but with PCIe Gen5, there are a few nuances and critical compatibility checks you need to perform.

Failing to do so could mean you either don’t get the advertised speeds or, worse, can’t install the drive at all.

Physical Installation Steps

Locate the M.2 Slot: On your PCIe Gen5-compatible motherboard, identify the M.2 slot that supports PCIe Gen5 x4. This is usually the top M.2 slot, closest to the CPU, as it often has direct CPU lanes. Check your motherboard manual – it’s your best friend here.
Remove Motherboard Heatsink if applicable: Most modern motherboards have integrated heatsinks for their M.2 slots. You’ll need to unscrew and remove this heatsink to access the slot.
Insert the MP700: Gently slide the MP700 into the M.2 slot at a slight angle around 30 degrees until it’s firmly seated. You shouldn’t need excessive force.
Secure the Drive: Once seated, push the drive down flat. Depending on your motherboard, it will either use a small screw to secure the drive, or a tool-less retention clip.
Reinstall Heatsink: This step is critical for the MP700. If you removed a motherboard heatsink, or if your MP700 came with its own robust heatsink, install it now. Ensure there’s good contact with the thermal pads. If your MP700 came without a heatsink, you must use your motherboard’s heatsink or an aftermarket one. Do not run a Gen5 SSD without adequate cooling.

Crucial Compatibility Checklist

This is where many users can stumble if they’re not careful.

Motherboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 Support:
- CPU Compatibility: Does your CPU e.g., Intel 12th/13th/14th Gen, AMD Ryzen 7000 series support PCIe Gen5 lanes?
- Chipset Compatibility: Does your motherboard chipset e.g., Intel Z690/Z790, AMD X670E/B650E offer PCIe Gen5 M.2 slots? Not all Z690 boards, for instance, have Gen5 M.2. some might only have Gen5 for the primary GPU slot.
- Slot Specificity: Very Important: Check your motherboard manual to identify which M.2 slot or slots supports PCIe Gen5. Often, only one M.2 slot is Gen5, while others might be Gen4 or even Gen3. Installing it in the wrong slot will limit its speed.
- Lane Sharing: Be aware that some motherboard designs might share PCIe lanes. For example, using a Gen5 M.2 SSD might disable certain SATA ports or reduce the bandwidth of a secondary PCIe slot. Again, the motherboard manual is your definitive source.
Operating System:
- Windows 10/11: Fully supports NVMe and PCIe Gen4/Gen5. Windows 11 is particularly optimized for DirectStorage, which could eventually leverage these speeds more effectively.
- Linux: Modern Linux distributions also offer excellent NVMe support.
BIOS/UEFI Settings:
- While usually automatically detected, it’s good practice to ensure your BIOS/UEFI settings are configured for NVMe. Sometimes, you might need to enable specific M.2 slots or adjust boot order.
- Ensure your motherboard’s BIOS is updated to the latest version, as manufacturers often release updates that improve Gen5 compatibility and stability.
Physical Clearance:
- Heatsink Size: The Corsair MP700’s bundled heatsink if you get that variant can be quite tall. Ensure it doesn’t interfere with your GPU, CPU cooler, or other components. This is a common issue in smaller cases or with large air coolers. Take measurements if you’re concerned.
- M.2 Screw/Standoff: Some motherboards have different standoff positions for various M.2 lengths 2280 is standard for the MP700. Ensure you’re using the correct standoff and screw.

Pro Tip: After installation, boot into your OS and use a tool like CrystalDiskInfo to verify that the drive is detected as PCIe 5.0 x4 and is running at its expected speed. This will confirm a successful installation and proper configuration. Don’t leave those potential speeds on the table!

Use Cases and Target Audience: Who Needs This Speed?

The Corsair MP700 isn’t for everyone. It’s a specialized tool built for specific, demanding workloads. Understanding its ideal use cases helps clarify whether its bleeding-edge performance justifies the investment for you.

The Prime Candidates: Where Gen5 Shines Brightest

8K+ Video Editors and Producers:
- Workflow: Working with uncompressed or lightly compressed 8K video files requires immense bandwidth for smooth playback, scrubbing, and rendering. Imagine editing multiple streams of 8K footage simultaneously – a Gen5 drive can significantly reduce stuttering and lag.
- Benefit: Faster export times, quicker project loading, and seamless editing experience. Less time waiting means more time creating.
- Real-World Example: A professional editor importing a 200GB raw 8K video file in seconds, or rendering a complex 8K timeline in a fraction of the time compared to slower drives.
3D Artists, Animators, and CAD Engineers:
- Workflow: Loading massive 3D models, intricate textures, and complex scene files often hundreds of gigabytes is incredibly I/O-intensive. Compiling large assets also benefits from rapid storage access.
- Benefit: Reduced load times for applications and projects, faster texture streaming, and smoother viewport performance.
- Real-World Example: A game artist loading a huge game level with thousands of high-resolution textures in mere seconds, rather than minutes.
Game Developers and Software Compilers:
- Workflow: Compiling multi-gigabyte codebases, building game engines, or iterating on large application development projects involves constant reading and writing of millions of small and large files.
- Benefit: Drastically reduced compilation and build times, leading to faster development cycles and more iterative testing.
- Real-World Example: A developer seeing their build times for a large C++ project cut by 20-30% simply by switching to a Gen5 SSD.
Data Scientists and AI/ML Researchers with specific workflows:
- Workflow: While GPU is king for processing, loading and saving massive datasets for machine learning training can be a bottleneck. If data loading from storage is slower than GPU processing, a faster SSD helps.
- Benefit: Faster data ingress/egress to accelerate training loops, especially for datasets that exceed RAM capacity.
- Real-World Example: Training a large language model where the bottleneck is repeatedly loading massive datasets from disk, speeding up the overall training process.
Extreme Benchmarkers and Enthusiasts:
- Workflow: For those who simply want the absolute best performance numbers and push their systems to the limit. This is about bragging rights and setting records.
- Benefit: Achieving peak sequential read/write speeds in synthetic benchmarks, satisfying the desire for the fastest hardware available.

The Less Ideal Candidates: Where Gen5 is Overkill

General Gamers:
- Workflow: While some games will load slightly faster, the vast majority of current games don’t saturate even Gen4 bandwidth. The bottleneck is often the CPU, GPU, or game engine itself.
- Reason: The price difference for a Gen5 drive doesn’t translate into a proportional gaming performance boost that would be noticeable to the average player. Future DirectStorage implementation might change this, but it’s not a reason to buy Gen5 today for most games.
Everyday PC Users:
- Workflow: Web browsing, office applications Word, Excel, email, media consumption, casual photo editing.
- Reason: These tasks are not storage-bound beyond a basic SATA SSD. A Gen3 or Gen4 NVMe drive already feels instantaneous. The MP700 would provide zero perceptible benefit for these uses, making it an unnecessary expense.
Streamers / YouTubers Non-Editing Focus:
- Workflow: Gaming and streaming, recording gameplay.
- Reason: Unless you’re also doing heavy 8K video editing on the same drive, the benefits for streaming or recording are negligible. An NVMe SSD is good, but Gen5 is overkill.

In essence, the Corsair MP700 is a specialized, high-octane drive.

If your workflow involves consistently moving, loading, or processing multi-gigabyte files where storage speed is a direct bottleneck, then the MP700 is a powerful tool.

For everyone else, the current premium is likely better spent on other system components that will offer more tangible improvements to their specific use cases.

Future-Proofing and the PCIe 5.0 Ecosystem

“Future-proofing” is a term often thrown around in tech, and while no technology truly lasts forever, investing in PCIe 5.0 now does offer a degree of forward compatibility.

The Rise of DirectStorage and Virtualized Storage Acceleration VST

This is arguably the most compelling long-term argument for PCIe Gen5 SSDs in consumer machines, especially for gamers.

DirectStorage API Microsoft: This technology, introduced with Xbox Series X/S and now available for PC, allows games to load assets directly from the NVMe SSD to the GPU, bypassing the CPU bottleneck. This dramatically reduces game loading times and can enable more detailed game worlds.
Virtualized Storage Acceleration VST / GPU Decompression: Future iterations of DirectStorage, combined with dedicated hardware decompression engines on GPUs which are becoming more common, will further leverage the insane speeds of Gen5 SSDs. This means games can load uncompressed assets incredibly fast, reducing CPU overhead and potentially allowing developers to create games with much richer, on-demand streamed environments.
Current State: While DirectStorage is here, its full potential is yet to be realized. Very few games currently make extensive use of it. Most games still benefit from any NVMe, but the extra bandwidth of Gen5 isn’t fully exploited by current game engines.
Future Potential: As game developers adopt DirectStorage and VST more widely, Gen5 SSDs could become more impactful for gaming, offering a genuinely transformative experience in terms of loading and asset streaming.

The Evolving PCIe 5.0 Component Landscape

GPUs: While Gen5 SSDs are here, Gen5 GPUs are still in their early stages. The NVIDIA RTX 40 series and AMD RX 7000 series largely utilize PCIe Gen4 x16, even though motherboards might offer Gen5 slots. Future GPU generations will undoubtedly adopt PCIe Gen5 x16, further boosting overall system bandwidth.
CPUs: As mentioned, current high-end CPUs from Intel 12th, 13th, 14th Gen and AMD Ryzen 7000 series support PCIe Gen5. Future CPU generations will continue this trend, with more lanes and better optimization.
Motherboards: Early Gen5 motherboards often have only one or two Gen5 M.2 slots. As the ecosystem matures, we can expect more Gen5 M.2 slots, potentially fewer lane-sharing compromises, and improved integrated cooling solutions.
Peripherals: Beyond SSDs and GPUs, other high-bandwidth peripherals, such as faster network cards e.g., 100 Gigabit Ethernet, specialized capture cards, or expander cards, will eventually leverage PCIe Gen5.

Is It Worth “Future-Proofing” with MP700?

Yes, for certain niche users: If you’re building a top-tier workstation for professional video editing, scientific computing, or game development, getting a Gen5 SSD like the MP700 makes sense. You’re investing in a component that will truly benefit your current demanding workflow and is poised for future advancements.
No, for the average user: For most gamers and general users, the “future-proofing” argument alone isn’t strong enough to justify the current cost premium. By the time Gen5 is truly indispensable for average use cases, the prices will have come down significantly, and more mature, potentially even faster, Gen5 drives will be available. You could also find yourself limited by the rest of your system CPU, GPU, RAM before the SSD becomes the bottleneck.

Conclusion on Future-Proofing: The Corsair MP700 puts you on the leading edge of storage technology. It provides immediate, tangible benefits for highly specific, I/O-intensive workloads. For gaming and general use, its “future-proofing” value is more speculative. While the technology is exciting, it’s best viewed as an investment in a very capable drive for today’s highest demands, with the added bonus of being ready for whatever the future of computing throws at it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Corsair MP700?

The Corsair MP700 is a high-performance NVMe Solid State Drive SSD that utilizes the cutting-edge PCIe Gen5 x4 interface, designed for incredibly fast data transfer speeds.

What are the main features of the Corsair MP700 Gen5 SSD?

The main features include blazing-fast sequential read/write speeds up to 10,000 MB/s or more, PCIe Gen5 x4 interface, 3D TLC NAND, and a robust Phison PS5026-E26 controller.

How fast is the Corsair MP700?

The Corsair MP700 typically achieves sequential read and write speeds of up to 10,000 MB/s or more, depending on the model and system configuration.

Do I need a special motherboard for the Corsair MP700?

Yes, you absolutely need a motherboard with a PCIe Gen5 M.2 slot and a compatible CPU e.g., Intel 12th/13th/14th Gen or AMD Ryzen 7000 series to utilize the full speed of the Corsair MP700.

Does the Corsair MP700 come with a heatsink?

The Corsair MP700 is often available in configurations both with and without an included heatsink.

It’s crucial to have a robust cooling solution, either included or from your motherboard, for optimal performance.

Is a heatsink required for the Corsair MP700?

Yes, a heatsink is essentially mandatory for the Corsair MP700 to prevent thermal throttling and ensure sustained high performance, due to the significant heat generated by PCIe Gen5 speeds.

Will the Corsair MP700 improve my gaming performance?

While it can reduce game loading times, the performance difference for most current games compared to a high-end PCIe Gen4 SSD is often marginal.

Its primary benefit is for tasks involving extremely large file transfers or future DirectStorage-optimized games.

Is the Corsair MP700 good for video editing?

Yes, the Corsair MP700 is excellent for video editing, especially for 4K or 8K footage, as its high sequential speeds drastically reduce file loading, saving, and rendering times for large media files.

What is the TBW rating of the Corsair MP700?

The TBW Total Bytes Written rating varies by capacity.

For example, the 2TB model typically has a TBW of 1400 TBW, indicating excellent endurance for years of heavy use.

What is the warranty for the Corsair MP700?

Corsair typically offers a 5-year limited warranty for the MP700, covering manufacturing defects and ensuring peace of mind within its specified endurance limits.

Can I use the Corsair MP700 in a PCIe Gen4 slot?

Yes, the Corsair MP700 is backward compatible with PCIe Gen4 slots, but its speed will be limited to Gen4 bandwidth around 7,000 MB/s read/write, meaning you won’t get its full Gen5 performance.

What is the price of the Corsair MP700 compared to Gen4 SSDs?

The Corsair MP700, being a cutting-edge Gen5 drive, generally carries a significant price premium often 50-100% higher compared to high-end PCIe Gen4 SSDs of similar capacity.

What controller does the Corsair MP700 use?

The Corsair MP700 uses the Phison PS5026-E26 controller, which is specifically designed to handle the high bandwidth requirements of PCIe Gen5.

What NAND flash type does the MP700 use?

The MP700 utilizes 3D TLC Triple-Level Cell NAND flash memory, which offers a good balance of performance, capacity, and endurance for consumer drives.

How does the Corsair MP700 compare to the Crucial T700?

Both are leading PCIe Gen5 SSDs, but the Crucial T700 often boasts slightly higher peak sequential speeds e.g., 12,400 MB/s read vs. MP700’s 10,000 MB/s, though real-world differences may be negligible depending on workload.

Will the Corsair MP700 make my PC boot faster?

Yes, it will make your PC boot incredibly fast, but the difference between a high-end Gen4 SSD and the MP700 for boot times alone is typically not perceivable to the average user.

Is the Corsair MP700 good for a PlayStation 5?

No, the PlayStation 5 uses a PCIe Gen4 interface for its expandable storage, so a Gen5 drive like the MP700 would be overkill and wouldn’t offer its full speed. A high-end Gen4 drive is ideal for PS5.

What temperatures does the Corsair MP700 operate at?

Under sustained heavy load without adequate cooling, the MP700 can reach temperatures that lead to throttling typically above 70°C. With proper cooling, it will remain well within optimal operating temperatures.

How do I check the temperature of my Corsair MP700?

You can use monitoring software such as Corsair’s iCUE, CrystalDiskInfo, or HWMonitor to check the real-time operating temperature of your Corsair MP700.

What is DirectStorage, and how does it relate to the MP700?

DirectStorage is a Microsoft API that allows games to load assets directly from NVMe SSDs to the GPU, bypassing the CPU, which can significantly reduce game loading times.

Gen5 SSDs like the MP700 are well-positioned to take full advantage of this technology in future optimized games.

Is the Corsair MP700 future-proof?

It offers a degree of future-proofing due to its cutting-edge PCIe Gen5 interface, which is ready for upcoming applications and games that will truly saturate this bandwidth.

However, for current typical use cases, it might be considered overkill.

Does the MP700 consume more power than Gen4 SSDs?

Yes, PCIe Gen5 SSDs like the MP700 typically consume more power than their Gen4 counterparts, especially under heavy load, contributing to their higher heat output.

Can I use the Corsair MP700 in a laptop?

It’s highly unlikely.

Most laptops do not have PCIe Gen5 M.2 slots, nor do they have the necessary cooling infrastructure to manage the heat generated by a Gen5 drive.

How do I update the firmware on my Corsair MP700?

You can update the firmware for your Corsair MP700 using Corsair’s iCUE software, which typically provides a straightforward update utility.

Should I enable over-provisioning on the MP700?

For heavy, sustained workloads, enabling a small amount of over-provisioning e.g., 5-10% of capacity can help improve sustained write performance and extend the drive’s lifespan. For average users, it’s not strictly necessary.

What is the difference between sequential and random speeds?

Sequential speeds refer to transferring large, contiguous blocks of data like big files, while random speeds refer to transferring small, scattered pieces of data like operating system files or game assets, which is more indicative of everyday responsiveness.

Is the Corsair MP700 backward compatible with older PCIe versions?

Yes, the Corsair MP700 is backward compatible with PCIe Gen4 and Gen3 slots, but it will operate at the maximum speed supported by the older interface, not its full Gen5 potential.

What are the common capacities for the Corsair MP700?

The Corsair MP700 is typically available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, with potential for larger capacities like 4TB in the future.

Can I clone my old drive to the Corsair MP700?

Yes, you can clone your old drive to the Corsair MP700 using disk cloning software.

Ensure the target drive MP700 is large enough to accommodate all data from the source drive.

Is the Corsair MP700 a good value for money?

For the average user, the Corsair MP700’s price-to-performance ratio may not be the best due to its premium cost compared to high-end Gen4 drives.

However, for professionals with specific, I/O-intensive workflows, the time savings can justify the investment.

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