Crucial T705 Review: Pushing Gen5 to the Max, But Is It Worth It?

Hey there, storage enthusiasts! The Storage Guy here from getharddrives.com, diving into the latest and greatest from Crucial—the T705 Gen5 NVMe SSD. With insane speeds up to 14,500 MB/s, this drive is gunning for the performance crown. But does it justify the premium price tag? Let’s break it down.

Design & Capacity Options

The Crucial T705 comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB variants, using Micron’s 232-layer TLC NAND. You can grab it in two flavors:

• With a pre-installed aluminum and copper heatsink – Built for maximum heat dissipation and performance stability.
• Without a heatsink – If your motherboard has a solid M.2 heatsink, this option saves you a few bucks.

This drive needs proper cooling, so if you opt for the non-heatsink version, make sure you pair it with a high-quality motherboard heatsink or an aftermarket solution.

Price Point – Premium Gen5 Territory

Let’s be real: Gen5 SSDs are still expensive, and the Crucial T705 is no exception.

• The 1TB version costs more than some 2TB PCIe 4.0 drives.
• The 2TB model ($281.99) is pricier than some 4TB Gen4 SSDs.
• The 4TB model ($504.98) is straight-up luxury storage.

If you’re budget-conscious, PCIe 4.0 is still the best bang for your buck. But if you want bleeding-edge performance, be ready to pay for it.

Performance Breakdown

Sequential Read/Write Speeds – Gen5 Power Unleashed

The Crucial T705 is pushing PCIe Gen5 to the limit, with speeds that leave even top-tier Gen4 drives in the dust:

• 1TB: Up to 13,600 MB/s read, 10,200 MB/s write
• 2TB: Up to 14,500 MB/s read, 12,500 MB/s write
• 4TB: Slightly lower at 14,100 MB/s read, 12,600 MB/s write

For context, that’s almost double the speeds of top Gen4 SSDs like the Samsung 990 Pro or WD SN850X.

Gaming Performance – Faster Load Times, But Is It Noticeable?

Crucial claims up to 15% faster game load times compared to Gen4 SSDs, thanks to Microsoft DirectStorage. While that sounds great, in real-world gaming, most users won’t notice a massive difference—we’re talking a few seconds at most.

System Drive & Workstation Performance

For everyday use—browsing, office work, and casual applications—you won’t feel the difference compared to a solid Gen4 SSD.

But for power users, it’s a different story. If you’re dealing with:

• 4K/8K video editing
• 3D rendering & animation
• Large-scale AI/ML workloads
• Heavy virtualization & database management

This drive shreds through massive files and handles sustained workloads like a beast.

Thermal Management – You NEED a Heatsink

Speed comes at a cost—heat.

Without proper cooling, the T705 can reach 80°C+, triggering thermal throttling. The heatsink version performs well, keeping the drive stable under full load, but make sure your system has good airflow.

If you go with the non-heatsink model, you must pair it with a solid motherboard heatsink, or risk losing performance due to heat buildup.

Endurance & Reliability

Crucial backs the T705 with a 5-year warranty, which is standard for high-end SSDs. The warranty is valid either for 5 years or until you hit the drive’s TBW (Terabytes Written) limit—whichever comes first.

It also supports hardware encryption, making it a secure option for professionals handling sensitive data.

Crucial Storage Executive – Decent, But Not Samsung Magician

Crucial includes Storage Executive, its SSD management software. It lets you:

• Monitor drive health
• Update firmware
• Optimize performance settings

It’s functional, but not as feature-packed as Samsung Magician, which offers data migration tools, performance tuning, and real-time monitoring.

What Customers Are Saying

With a 4.6/5 rating, the Crucial T705 is well-received, but opinions vary:

Pros:

• Blazing fast speeds – Hitting advertised 13-14GB/s sequential speeds.
• Excellent build quality – Solid premium heatsink design.
• Easy installation – Works great out of the box.
• Great for high-end builds – If you need extreme speeds, this is one of the best Gen5 SSDs available.

Cons:

• Expensive – Pricing is way above Gen4 SSDs.
• Runs hot – Some users report it becoming the hottest component in their build.
• Overkill for most users – Unless you move massive files daily, you won’t fully utilize Gen5 speeds.
• Heatsink required – The non-heatsink version absolutely needs cooling.

Should You Buy It?

Buy it if…

• You need the absolute fastest SSD available.
• You do heavy-duty content creation, rendering, or database work.
• You’re building a next-gen gaming PC and want DirectStorage optimization.
• You’re okay paying a premium for cutting-edge technology.

Skip it if…

• You’re a casual gamer or everyday user—Gen4 SSDs offer nearly the same experience for less.
• You’re on a budget—PCIe 4.0 SSDs are still the best value.
• Your motherboard doesn’t support Gen5—this drive won’t run at full speed without a Gen5-compatible slot.

Final Verdict – The Fastest Consumer SSD, But Do You Need It?

The Crucial T705 is the king of speed—no doubt about it. But is it worth the price?

If you move huge files daily, create high-end content, or want to future-proof your PC, this drive is a beast.

If you just want fast storage for gaming or daily tasks, PCIe 4.0 SSDs offer far better value.

Bottom line: The fastest SSD money can buy, but most users won’t need it. If you’re dropping cash on Gen5 storage, make sure you actually benefit from the extra speed.

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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!