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Crucial P3 Plus 4TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD: features, specs and who it suits
A 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen4 speeds up to 5,000MB/s reads. What the sequential and IOPS figures mean and what to check for compatibility.
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The Crucial P3 Plus is an M.2 solid-state drive that connects over PCIe Gen4 using the NVMe protocol. This model (CT4000P3PSSD8) has 4TB of capacity, which is a large amount of fast storage for a desktop or laptop that has an M.2 slot.
What PCIe Gen4 x4 and NVMe mean
NVMe is a protocol designed for flash storage, and it talks directly to the processor over PCI Express lanes instead of going through the older SATA interface. The drive uses four lanes (x4) of PCIe Gen4. Each Gen4 lane carries about twice the data of a Gen3 lane, so a Gen4 drive can move data much faster than a SATA drive can, which is limited to roughly 550MB/s.
Reading the speed figures
Crucial lists sequential reads of up to 5,000MB/s and sequential writes of up to 4,200MB/s. Sequential speeds describe moving large files, such as video footage or a game install. The listing also gives random read and write figures of 650K and 900K IOPS. IOPS count small operations per second, which matter for operating system responsiveness and loading many small files. These are maximum figures, and real results depend on the system and workload.
Crucial also says the drive is up to 43% faster than the fastest Gen3 NVMe SSDs.
Features that protect performance
The brand describes dynamic write acceleration, which in general means part of the drive's flash acts as a fast write buffer, and adaptive thermal protection, which slows the drive to keep temperatures under control. The drive is built on Micron's 3D NAND, and Crucial states an MTTF of more than 1.5 million hours, a statistical estimate and not a promise of lifespan.
Backward compatibility
The listing says the drive is backward compatible with Gen3 systems. In general, a Gen4 drive in a Gen3 slot works, but speeds are limited to what the slot supports. Check your motherboard's manual to see which M.2 slots support NVMe and which generation.
Size
The drive is a standard M.2 stick of about 3.1 x 0.9 x 0.1 inches (roughly 8 x 2.3 x 0.3 cm). The model name suggests the common 2280 length, but check the specification sheet.
Who it suits
It suits people who want a lot of fast storage in one slot: creators with large video or photo libraries, gamers with big game collections, and those upgrading an older system. Crucial positions it for professionals, creatives and gamers.
What to check before you buy
- M.2 slot: confirm your device has a free M.2 slot with NVMe support, and the length it takes.
- PCIe generation: a Gen3 slot works, but at lower speeds.
- Heat: some laptops and motherboards include heatsinks; check what yours needs.
- Console use: if you plan to use it in a games console, check the console maker's requirements.
- Backups: an SSD is not a backup; keep copies of important files.
- Cloning: check how you will move your existing system or data across.
The short version
- A 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD using PCIe Gen4 x4.
- Up to 5,000MB/s sequential reads and 4,200MB/s writes; 650K/900K random IOPS.
- Dynamic write acceleration and adaptive thermal protection.
- Backward compatible with Gen3 systems.
- MTTF of more than 1.5 million hours, according to Crucial.
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