If you want the fastest SSD for your PC then look no further than the Crucial T705 – the fastest consumer M.2 SSD on the planet right now. The first M.2 SSDs that were compatible with the new PCIe 5.0 (Gen 5) standard could hit 10,000-12,000MB/sec, which was a huge amount faster than even the speediest PCIe 4.0 SSDs. However, we now have an SSD that’s twice as fast as the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD and it’s called the Crucial T705.
I reviewed this SSD’s predecessor – the Crucial T700, last year and it was undeniably fast, but the T705 builds on that speed and is able to read data at 14,500MB/sec. That’s ridiculously fast of course, as its its write speed of 12,500MB/sec, but just how much faster is it in benchmarks than the cheaper T700 and also than far cheaper PCIe 4.0 SSDs, which are much better value. That’s what we’ll be looking at here.
The SSD uses the same Phison E26 controller as the T700, but claims far higher read and write speeds. The model I’m reviewing is the white limited edition model, which looks beautiful installed on a white motherboard, but there is a heatsink-less model available too.
One of the issues with the T700 was temperature, with the SSD hitting 80°C under load with the heatsink model and often throttling as a result. Local airflow was essential, but using the heatsink-less version and using your motherboard’s larger heatsinks was usually the better option. The same is here true, with the T705 hitting 80°C as well, but placing it in a PC case with decent airflow over the motherboard saw that fall to 71°C after a 10 minute stress test – much more acceptable.
Crucial T705 pricing and specifications
Above we can see the pricing, which is pretty hefty. For instance, the 1TB model costs nearly three times as much as Crucial’s own T500, which is a slower PCIe 4.0 SSD. The T705 has pretty terrible value per gigabyte then, but we’re at the very pinnacle of storage technology and premiums are expected.
As usual the 1TB also features slightly slower speeds, but they’re till faster than previous PCIE 5.0 SSDs. For those looking for maximum storage, there’s also a 4TB model, which is undeniably drool-worthy if your wallet is large enough. The company also specifies PS5 compatibility, but it’s worth remembering that the PS5 only has a PCIE 4.0 M.2 slot so while the T705 will work, it will not run at its rated speeds.
Crucial T705 performance
My test system used an Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi motherboard and AMD Ryzen 9 7900X processor. Some of my tests used 3D Mark’s storage test, but on retesting some models, they achieved different speeds than with an older version I used previously so I’ve omitted those results from those graphs.
Above we can see the sequential speeds and the T705 is the clear winner, matching its claimed read and write speeds with results of 14,543MB/sec and 12,717 respectively. These are double what SSD’s such as the WD SN850X and Samsung 990 Pro achieved.
The raondom speeds were maybe less impressive compared to older SSDs, with the write speeds here actually a little slower than older PCIe 4.0 SSDs.
The 3DMark game load performance test saw the T705 perform faster than the T705 and also noticeably faster than the PCIe 4.0 WD SN850X, likely leading to reduced game load times in the real world too.
The same was true for the game access time with lower results here indicating faster access times, although there’s not much in it between the T700 and T705. The WD SN850X was noticeably slower though.
Finally we have temperatures. The T705 is no cooler than the T700, so you’ll want to carefully consider your cooling. If your PC has good airflow over the motherboard then the heatsink-less version is an option, especially if you like the look of the white limited edition version used here. If in doubt, I’d definitely suggest opting for the heatsink-less version and using your motherboards own heatsink. If it has a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot then it likely has a large heatsink to go with it.
Crucial T705 review conclusions
There’s little doubt that the Crucial T705 is the fastest consumer M.2 SSD out there right now and if you regularly deal with large files or deal with heavy content creation then it could well be worth the large premiums. It also seems to improve game load times according to 3DMark’s storage test.
However, for most PC users, a higher capacity PCIe 4.0 SSD is a better option, especially as you can get twice the capcity for half the price of the 1TB model, while 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSDs cost less than the 2TB T705. If you have the cash and want the fastest SSD around, though, look no further than the Crucial T705.