The Crucial P310 is a rare SSD that balances high performance with a price that no longer matches today’s inflation in storage costs.
Most PCIe Gen 4 drives in the 2TB range now exceed $300, yet the P310 remains listed at $213.99—a discrepancy that hints at either an overlooked deal or a product that has slipped through the price spiral unnoticed.
Performance that outpaces current pricing
The drive’s sequential read speed of 7,100 MB/s and write speed of 6,000 MB/s place it among the fastest consumer SSDs available. Those figures are only slightly below the theoretical maximum of PCIe Gen 4, making the P310 a practical choice for systems that need sustained throughput without pushing the interface to its limit.
Key specs
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4
- Capacity: 2,000 GB (2TB)
- Read speed: 7,100 MB/s
- Write speed: 6,000 MB/s
- Form factor: M.2 2280 with optional heatsink
- NAND type: Unspecified (likely TLC)
The included heatsink is a notable feature, addressing one of the persistent drawbacks of Gen 4 drives: thermal throttling under sustained workloads. It allows the P310 to fit in thin form factors such as gaming laptops while still maintaining full performance when cooling is limited.
Why the price feels off
The $213.99 asking price is roughly half of what similar 2TB Gen 4 drives now command, but it is not without context. Crucial’s P310 was originally positioned as a mid-range option before DRAM shortages and NAND cost inflation reshaped the market. Whether this reflects an older manufacturing batch, a stock clearance, or simply a misalignment with current pricing trends remains unclear.
For PC builders, the drive presents a clear trade-off: high speed at a price that may not reflect its true value once DRAM prices stabilize. It is particularly appealing for users who need 2TB capacity without the premium of newer Gen 4 drives, or those upgrading consoles like the PS5 where storage expansion can be costly.
What to expect next
The P310’s continued availability at this price suggests it may not be a fleeting deal. However, buyers should monitor whether Crucial adjusts pricing in response to market shifts or if third-party sellers sustain the discount through bulk stock. For now, the drive remains one of the most cost-effective ways to add 2TB of high-speed storage, but its long-term value depends on how quickly the broader SSD market corrects itself.
