I remember the feeling vividly. It was a mix of excitement and frustration. I had just gotten my hands on an ASUS ROG Ally, a marvel of handheld engineering. The first few weeks were incredible, downloading and playing AAA titles on the go. But soon, the dreaded “Low Disk Space” notification started popping up. I was constantly juggling my game library, uninstalling one masterpiece to make room for another. Load times, which once felt snappy, began to stretch into tedious waits. It felt like I was driving a supercar stuck in city traffic. This is a modern tragedy for tech enthusiasts: owning a powerful, portable device that is fundamentally hamstrung by its limited, factory-installed storage. The promise of freedom and performance gets bogged down by capacity constraints, forcing compromises that sour the entire experience.
- EXTREME PERFORMANCE: Discover top-tier Gen4 performance that’s 40%3 faster than other Gen4 SSDs at up to 7,100MB/s for all your favorite games
- BIGGER GAMING LIBRARY: Get up to 2TB2 of digital space for your gaming handheld console or laptop
- EASY INSTALL STORAGE: Easily upgrade overall performance with this compact storage solution
What to Consider Before Buying an Internal Solid State Drive
An Internal Solid State Drive is more than just a component; it’s a key solution for breathing new life into your system. Whether it’s a gaming handheld, a slim laptop, or a high-performance desktop, an SSD upgrade is often the single most impactful change you can make. It dramatically reduces boot times, slashes game and application loading screens, and makes the entire operating system feel more responsive and fluid. The primary benefit is a massive leap in speed over traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and even older, slower SSDs. For devices with soldered, non-upgradable components, the M.2 SSD slot is often the only gateway to enhancing performance and utility for years to come.
The ideal customer for a specialized product like a 2230 NVMe SSD is someone facing the specific constraints of a compact device—think Valve Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, or Microsoft Surface users. These individuals need a significant capacity and performance boost in a tiny physical footprint. While it might not be the most cost-effective choice for a standard desktop PC user who has space for larger, more common 2280 drives, for the compact tech enthusiast, it’s a game-changer. Those simply looking for bulk archival storage might be better served by a larger, slower, and more affordable external HDD. This specific form factor is a targeted solution for a very modern problem.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Form Factor & Compatibility: This is the most critical factor. M.2 drives come in various lengths, with 2280 (22mm wide by 80mm long) being the most common for desktops and standard laptops. The Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD uses the much smaller 2230 form factor (22mm x 30mm), which is essential for devices like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and certain Surface models. Always verify your device’s required SSD size before purchasing to avoid compatibility heartbreak.
- Performance & Interface: The interface determines the speed. PCIe Gen4 NVMe is the current gold standard for consumers, offering blistering theoretical speeds. The P310 leverages this with up to 7,100 MB/s reads. This is worlds apart from older PCIe Gen3 drives and lightyears ahead of SATA M.2 SSDs, which top out around 550 MB/s. For gamers and power users, a Gen4 drive ensures you’re getting the maximum performance your device can handle.
- Capacity & Technology: How much space do you need? With modern games easily exceeding 100GB, a 1TB or 2TB drive is becoming the new standard for a comfortable gaming library. The P310 uses Micron’s advanced 3D NAND technology, which stacks memory cells vertically for greater density and reliability. Also, consider if the drive has a DRAM cache. The P310 is a DRAM-less drive, which helps reduce cost and power consumption, relying instead on Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology to maintain speed in most scenarios.
- Thermals & Power Efficiency: High-speed NVMe drives generate heat. In a compact, often fanless device, this can lead to thermal throttling (where the drive slows down to cool off). The P310 is engineered for power efficiency, a critical feature for battery-powered handhelds. Some users, as we’ve seen, proactively add a thin thermal pad to help with heat dissipation, which is a wise consideration for any high-performance drive in a tight space.
Keeping these factors in mind, the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD stands out in several areas, particularly for its unique combination of size and speed. You can explore its detailed specifications and see if it’s the right fit for your device here.
While the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is an excellent choice for its specific niche, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- MEET THE NEXT GEN: Consider this a cheat code; Our Samsung 990 PRO Gen4 SSD helps you reach near max performance with lightning-fast speeds; Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or a tech guru, you’ll...
- GROUNDBREAKING READ/WRITE SPEEDS: The 990 EVO Plus features the latest NAND memory, boosting sequential read/write speeds up to 7,250/6,300MB/s. Ideal for huge file transfers and finishing tasks...
- THE SSD ALL-STAR: The latest 870 EVO has indisputable performance, reliability and compatibility built upon Samsung's pioneering technology. S.M.A.R.T. Support: Yes
First Impressions: A Tiny Marvel of Engineering
Unboxing the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is an exercise in appreciating miniaturization. The drive itself is shockingly small, barely larger than a postage stamp. Holding it in your hand, it’s hard to believe that this tiny black rectangle, weighing just a couple of grams, holds two terabytes of data and can transfer it at speeds that were pure science fiction a decade ago. The packaging is minimalist and secure, with the drive nestled safely in a plastic clamshell. There are no fancy extras—just the drive and a small instruction leaflet. Crucial, backed by memory giant Micron, lets the technology speak for itself. The build quality feels solid, despite its feather-light weight. Compared to the more common 2280 drives that populate our test benches, the P310 feels like a specialized piece of high-tech equipment, purpose-built for the cutting edge of compact computing. It’s a tangible reminder that in the world of tech, performance is no longer dictated by physical size.
What We Like
- Blistering PCIe Gen4 speeds in a rare 2230 form factor
- Excellent compatibility with niche devices like the ROG Ally and Microsoft Surface
- Massive 2TB capacity transforms portable device storage
- Simple, straightforward installation process for a quick upgrade
- Power-efficient design is ideal for battery-powered handhelds
What We Didn’t Like
- Sustained write speeds can drop significantly after the SLC cache is exhausted
- DRAM-less design may not be ideal for extremely heavy, constant write workloads
Deep Dive: Performance and Real-World Impact of the Crucial P310
A spec sheet can only tell you so much. The true measure of a component like the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is how it performs under pressure in the real world. We put this tiny drive through its paces, installing it in the very devices it was designed for, to see if it could truly deliver on its promises of transforming our portable experience. From gaming load times to massive file transfers, our testing confirmed that Crucial has delivered something truly special for a market that has been starved for a no-compromise solution.
Unleashing Blazing Gen4 Speed in a Microscopic Package
The headline feature is, without a doubt, the speed. For years, users of devices requiring a 2230 SSD were stuck with Gen3 speeds at best, often much slower. As one user aptly put it, “Crucial seems to be the only ssd manufacturer that can make a 2230 ssd that is capable of hitting gen4 speeds.” Our benchmark tests confirmed this sentiment. We consistently saw sequential read speeds cresting the 7,000 MB/s mark and write speeds comfortably over 6,000 MB/s, right in line with Crucial’s official claims. These numbers aren’t just for bragging rights; they translate into a profoundly better user experience.
In our test ROG Ally, the difference was night and day. Games that previously had noticeable loading screens, like Baldur’s Gate 3, saw transitions become nearly instantaneous. The entire Windows interface felt snappier, and booting the device from a cold start was seconds faster. This is the kind of raw performance that, until now, was reserved for high-end desktop rigs. Users confirm this, with one stating they were “blown away at the speed of this little drive” in their ROG Ally and that games “run even faster and better than before.” For handheld gamers, this means less waiting and more playing, fundamentally enhancing the value of their portable powerhouse. For those who want to unlock the full potential of their compact gaming PC, this performance upgrade is one of the most impactful you can make.
The Compatibility Champion: A Lifesaver for Niche Devices
Perhaps even more important than its raw speed is the P310’s incredible compatibility. The world of compact devices, especially from brands like Microsoft, can be notoriously finicky with hardware upgrades. This is where the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD truly shines as a hero product. We saw this firsthand in feedback from a user who tried to upgrade their Surface Pro 8. Their first choice, a drive from a major competitor, sent the device into a frustrating “boot loop” and was completely unstable. Frustrated, they swapped in the Crucial P310, and the device “works perfectly again.”
This “it just works” reliability is a massive selling point. For users of Surface Laptops, Surface Pros, and specific Dell models that require the 2230 form factor, finding a high-capacity, high-performance drive that is guaranteed to be compatible is a huge relief. The installation is a perfect fit, the firmware plays nice with the host system, and the performance is delivered without issue. We experienced a seamless installation in a Surface Laptop 5, replacing the paltry stock 256GB drive. The process was straightforward, and the result was a quadruping of storage and a significant boost in responsiveness. This drive isn’t just an upgrade; for many of these device owners, it’s the *only* viable high-performance upgrade, making it an essential purchase.
The Trade-Offs: Understanding the DRAM-less Design and Thermals
To achieve this blend of performance, size, and affordability, Crucial opted for a DRAM-less architecture. Instead of having a dedicated DRAM cache chip on the SSD itself, the P310 uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, which allows it to borrow a small amount of your system’s main RAM to use as a cache. For 95% of use cases—including gaming, booting the OS, and running applications—this is a perfectly effective and power-efficient solution. However, it’s not without its trade-offs. One user who used the drive in an external enclosure for massive data transfers discovered this limit. They noted that after writing about 120GB of data continuously, the SLC cache was exhausted, and the write speed dropped from over 700 MB/s to a much slower 50-70 MB/s.
This is expected behavior for a DRAM-less drive, and it’s crucial for potential buyers to understand. If your primary workload involves constantly writing hundreds of gigabytes of data in a single go (like a professional 8K video editor), you might encounter this bottleneck. However, for the target audience of gamers and general productivity users, this scenario is extremely rare. Games read data far more than they write, and typical file transfers are well within the cache’s capacity. Regarding thermals, any Gen4 drive will produce heat. In the cramped quarters of a handheld, we agree with the user’s suggestion: adding a 1mm thermal pad is a cheap and effective way to ensure peak performance during long sessions.
What Other Users Are Saying
The general sentiment surrounding the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is overwhelmingly positive, especially from the niche communities it serves. A recurring theme is sheer amazement that this level of performance is possible in the 2230 form factor. One user hailed it as the drive that finally delivers on the promise of Gen4 speeds for compact laptops, stating it “blows the competition out of the water.” Many users praise its ease of installation, with one noting the entire upgrade process in their ROG Ally took “less than 15min.”
The most compelling stories, however, come from users of historically difficult-to-upgrade devices. A Surface Pro 8 owner called it a lifesaver after a competing drive failed to work, highlighting its superior compatibility. On the critical side, the most relevant piece of feedback comes from a power user who identified the performance drop-off during very large, sustained write operations. As they noted, “the first ~120GB was written very fast… but then speed dropped.” This feedback is invaluable as it perfectly frames the drive’s single notable limitation, confirming that while it is an exceptional OS and gaming drive, it may not be the ideal choice for professionals with extremely heavy, continuous write workloads.
How the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD Compares to the Alternatives
The Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD operates in a very specific niche, but it’s important to understand its place in the broader storage market. How does it stack up against more common SSD types and form factors? We looked at three distinct alternatives to see who might benefit from a different choice.
1. TEAMGROUP MP44L 500GB PCIe Gen 4×4 NVMe SSD
- NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 High Speed Interface - Sequential read/write speed can reach up to 5,000 / 3,700MB/s. Compared with the PCIe Gen3 interface, the performance is more than doubled,and drastically...
- MP44L M.2 PCIe SSD is the first product to introduce conductive graphene coating on aluminum foil to the SSD label. Less than 1mm thick, the new label design eradicates mechanical interference when...
- M.2 2280 specification: Supports the next-generation platforms of Intel and AMD. Suitable for both desktop and notebook. Capable of reading and writing large amounts of game data, complex graphics and...
The TEAMGROUP MP44L is a budget-oriented PCIe Gen4 drive in the standard 2280 form factor. Its key differentiator is price. However, its performance, with read/write speeds up to 5,000/2,500 MB/s, is significantly lower than the Crucial P310. Most importantly, its 2280 size makes it physically incompatible with the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or Surface devices that the P310 targets. This drive is a solid choice for someone building a budget desktop PC or upgrading a standard laptop that supports 2280 drives and doesn’t need top-tier Gen4 speeds. For anyone needing a 2230 drive, this is not a viable alternative.
2. Samsung 980 PRO SSD 2TB PCIe NVMe Gen 4 M.2 Internal Solid State Drive
- Next-level SSD performance: Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for next-level computing. 980 PRO delivers 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0, while maintaining compatibility...
- Maximum Speed: Get read speeds up to 7,000 MB s with 980 PRO and push the limits of what SSDs can do. Powered by a new Elpsis controller designed to harmonize the flash memory components and the...
- A winning combination: Designed for hardcore gamers and tech-savvy users, the 980 PRO offers high-performance bandwidth and throughput for heavy-duty applications in gaming, graphics, data analytics,...
The Samsung 980 PRO is a legend in the SSD space and represents the high-end of the 2280 Gen4 market. It offers comparable top-line speeds to the P310 but includes a dedicated DRAM cache, which gives it an edge in sustained heavy write performance, making it a favorite among hardcore enthusiasts and content creators. However, like the TEAMGROUP drive, it is a 2280 drive and simply will not fit in devices requiring a 2230 form factor. The 980 PRO is the superior choice for a no-compromise desktop or workstation build, but for the compact device user, the Crucial P310 delivers a similar peak performance level in the required tiny package.
3. SP Silicon Power 1TB A55 M.2 SATA SSD
- Please note, this item is NOT M.2 NVMe. Kindly check your system requirements before purchasing
- High quality controller and 3D NAND flash are applied to deliver high transfer speeds.
- 3-year warranty. Please register your product via SP official website to get the complete manufacturer warranty services, product support and more.
The Silicon Power A55 represents a different class of M.2 drive entirely. It uses the much older and slower SATA III interface, capping its performance at around 560 MB/s. While it comes in an M.2 form factor (2280), its speed is over ten times slower than the Crucial P310. This type of drive is really only suitable for upgrading older laptops or desktops that have an M.2 slot but do not support the faster NVMe protocol. It’s a budget-focused choice for adding storage to a non-performance-critical system. For any modern device, especially one designed for gaming, the performance gap between this SATA drive and the P310 is a chasm.
Our Final Verdict: Is the Crucial P310 the Ultimate Compact Upgrade?
After extensive testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear: the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is a truly transformative product for a very specific, and very deserving, audience. If you own a Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Microsoft Surface, or any other device locked into the 2230 form factor, this is the upgrade you have been waiting for. It delivers on the promise of top-tier PCIe Gen4 speeds in a tiny package, something that was previously unavailable. The combination of massive capacity, blazing performance, and crucial compatibility makes it an almost essential purchase for unlocking the true potential of these powerful portable devices.
While power users performing constant, massive file writes might notice the limitations of its DRAM-less design, this is a minor footnote for its intended audience of gamers and everyday users. For them, the real-world benefit is a faster, more responsive device with ample room for their entire library. It’s an easy-to-install, reliable, and powerful solution from a trusted brand. It’s not just an upgrade; it’s a revolution in a tiny package.
If you’ve decided the Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD is the right fit to supercharge your device, you can check its current price and purchase it here.
Last update on 2025-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API