Crucial T500 Review: The Cool-Running Gen4 SSD That Beats Samsung?

Hey there, storage enthusiasts! The Storage Guy here from getharddrives.com with a deep dive into Crucial’s impressive T500 SSD. Many of you have been asking how this drive compares to premium options like the Samsung 990 Pro, and after extensive testing, I’m ready to share my findings.

Design & Capacity Options

The Crucial T500 comes in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and a 4TB options. You can choose between models with or without a pre-installed heatsink - and while the decision might save you a few bucks, the T500 actually runs surprisingly cool compared to some competitors (looking at you, Samsung 990 Pro with your 99°C temps!). What I particularly like is that the 2TB version is single-sided, making it perfect for laptop upgrades where space is at a premium. The design is understated - no flashy RGB or gaudy colors here, just business.

Price Point - Finally Getting Competitive

Let’s talk money: At $145.50 for the 2TB version, the T500is actually quite competitive. When it first launched, I thought Crucial was aiming too high with their pricing, but they’ve since corrected course. This puts it in direct competition with the WD SN850X and undercuts the premium-priced Samsung 990 Pro by a decent margin.

Performance Breakdown

Sequential Read/Write Speeds

The T500 delivers impressive numbers, with advertised speeds hitting 7,400MB/s read and 7,000MB/s write. In my real-world testing, I consistently saw speeds above 6,500MB/s, which is plenty fast for virtually any workload you’ll throw at it.

Random Performance - The Unsung Hero Stat

Random read/write performance is where the T500 really shines, with up to 1.18M/1.44M IOPS. These numbers actually beat some competitors including the vaunted Samsung 990 Pro in certain workloads. For context, this is the performance metric that affects everyday responsiveness the most.

Gaming Performance

For my fellow gamers out there, the T500 is a beast. It loads games up to 16% faster than previous gen drives, and the Microsoft DirectStorage support means faster texture renders and reduced CPU utilization. Interestingly, in 3DMark storage benchmarks, the T500 actually outperforms the SN850X and even trades blows with some Gen5 drives in gaming-related tasks. I noticed significantly reduced stuttering in open-world titles compared to older drives. Customers have specifically reported smooth performance with demanding games like Diablo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Path of Exile 2 - all titles that can really push storage to its limits.

Content Creation Performance

Content creators, listen up: The T500 offers up to 42% faster performance in creative applications. When pushing this drive with massive Premiere Pro projects and Photoshop files, it kept up admirably with barely a hiccup. The 1GB DDR4 cache per terabyte of capacity helps maintain performance consistency even under stress.

System Drive Performance

As a boot drive, the T500 is lightning quick. It outperforms the Samsung 990 Pro in PC Mark 10 tests, which was honestly a surprise to me. Windows boot times were consistently under 10 seconds on my test rig, and application launches were nearly instantaneous. Multiple users have reported BIOS times dropping to just 3 seconds compared to 10 seconds with standard SSDs. One customer noted that their entire desktop got a “new burst of speed” after installation.

Thermal Management - A Pleasant Surprise

This is where the T500 absolutely crushes it. While the Samsung 990 Pro can hit a scorching 99°C without proper cooling, the T500 typically stays between 50°C and 65°C even without a heatsink or dedicated airflow. The heatsink version runs even cooler, hovering in the low 50s under heavy load. I pushed this drive hard with sustained write operations for hours, and it barely broke a sweat. No thermal throttling in sight! For laptop users, this is a huge win. Customers specifically call out the excellent thermal performance, with many noting they’re running the drive without a heatsink with no issues. One user mentioned loving the “built-in thermo protection” that keeps the drive running cool even under heavy loads.

Components - Quality Under the Hood

Crucial has equipped the T500 with:

• Phison E25 controller - a proven performer in the high-end Gen4 space
• 232-layer 3D TLC NAND - the latest and greatest from Micron (Crucial’s parent company)
• 1GB DDR4 cache per terabyte of capacity - ensuring consistent performance even when the SLC cache fills up

Endurance Ratings and Reliability

Crucial backs the T500 with a 5-year warranty and a 600 TBW (Terabytes Written) endurance rating per terabyte of capacity. This means the 2TB model can handle 1,200 terabytes of writes before warranty expiration - more than enough for even the heaviest users. Based on user feedback and my testing, the T500 is rock-solid reliable. Multiple customers have reported “not a single failure in a year of use” - impressive consistency for any storage device. I’ve seen multiple comments from users who’ve switched from Samsung drives (after bad experiences) to Crucial and haven’t looked back. That’s telling.

What Customers Are Saying

The T500 scores an impressive 4.8/5 stars based on customer reviews. Here’s what buyers love:

Performance

Customers consistently praise the T500’s performance, reporting that it “runs smoothly without issues” and delivers on the advertised read/write speeds. One gamer mentioned it handles demanding titles like “Diablo 4, CODBO6, and POE2” without a hitch.

Installation Ease

Many reviewers highlight how straightforward the installation process is, typically “taking only a few minutes.” Users report that Windows 10 recognizes the drive immediately without driver issues, and even Raspberry Pi 5 owners have successfully booted from it.

Value for Money

The T500 is frequently described as “an excellent value for the price” and “one of their best investments.” Customers appreciate getting “fast M.2 storage from a well-respected brand at a reasonable price.”

System Performance Impact

Users report dramatic improvements after installing the T500. BIOS times dropping from 10 seconds to just 3 seconds, “desktop getting a new burst of speed,” and software/games “running smoothly without hiccups.”

Reliability

The drive earns high marks for dependability, with multiple users reporting “no single failure in a year of use” - impressive for any storage device.

Fit and Compatibility

PS5 owners praise the ample storage for their game libraries, while PC users appreciate how well it fits in laptop M.2 slots. One user specifically mentioned it allowed them to play “larger games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Destiny 2” without storage concerns.

Should You Buy It?

Buy it if:

• You want a reliable, high-performance Gen4 SSD that won’t break the bank
• Thermal management is a concern (especially in SFF builds or laptops)
• You’re looking for an excellent PS5 storage upgrade
• You care about consistent performance over prolonged workloads

Skip it if:

• You absolutely need hardware encryption (the T500 doesn’t support it)
• You’re waiting for Gen5 SSDs to become more affordable (they’re coming, but at a significant premium)

Final Verdict

The Crucial T500 is a seriously impressive Gen4 SSD that punches above its weight class. It offers performance that rivals or exceeds drives costing significantly more, runs cooler than most competitors, and comes from a brand with a solid reliability track record. What’s particularly impressive is how it manages to beat the Samsung 990 Pro in several real-world benchmarks while costing less and running cooler. The included month of Adobe Creative Cloud All-Apps is a nice bonus for content creators. At $145.50 for 2TB, it’s positioned as an excellent value in the high-performance SSD space. Unless you specifically need Samsung’s Magician software or hardware encryption, the T500 is arguably the better buy for most users.

Bottom line: An exceptional drive that delivers top-tier performance without the heat issues or premium price tag of some competitors. This one gets my enthusiastic recommendation.

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If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up - I respond to all messages. Thanks for reading, and I’ll catch you in the next review!