Corsair’s new series enters above the currently still available MP300 with PCIe 3.0 x2 and the MP510 with PCIe 3.0 x4. The MP600 uses PCIe 4.0 x4 and thus reaches a maximum of around 5,000 MB/s.
In terms of storage capacities, Corsair’s new SSD series uses 3D-QLC-NAND of up to 8 TB in the M.2 form factor. The top-of-the-range models are to achieve transfer rates of 3,400 MB/s read and 3,000 MB/s write via PCIe 3.0 x4 when data is written in SLC mode.
What is new?
Especially in contrast to the MP510 with PCIe 3.0 x4 the memory has changed. With QLC-3D-NAND with four bits per memory cell the SSD gets more storage space and at the same time the costs are lower. However, in terms of performance, it is worse than the TLC-3D-NAND with three bits per cell. This also affects the durability. The differences are due to the controller, the MP300 does not use the Phison PS5012-E12, but only the smaller version PS5012-E12S, which accesses less DRAM cache. Hence the differences in performance and durability of the SSD.
Disadvantage not to be seen
According to Corsair, the disadvantage of the cheaper QLC NAND is not to be found. There is talk of a maximum data transfer rate of up to 3,480 MB/s read and 3,000 MB/s write (in the SLC cache). These are exactly the same maximum values for sequential transfers as for the MP510. The IOPS values bring up to 610,000 reads and 710,000 writes and are even slightly higher. However, the manufacturer is not announcing how far-reaching the SLC mode will be for the time being. Corsair wants to compensate the probably shorter durability of the QLC-NAND with the Total Bytes Written (TBW). With the MP400, only 200 TB written data per TB of storage space are allowed, then the warranty expires. The MP510 with 960 GB has eight times the allowed amount, here it is 1,700 TB. If the TBW are within the allowed range, the warranty period is five years, as with most NVMe SSDs of the same type. The MP400 from Corsair comes without its own cooler, here one should be used to increase durability.
Second SSD with 8 TB for end users
For the end customer, Corsair has launched the Force MP400 with 8 TB storage capacity as the second M.2 SSD on the market. Until then, only the Sabrent Rocket Q with this storage capacity or the classic SATA SSDs in the 2.5-inch format with 8 TB were available.
Availability and price
With recommended prices of around 145 Euro (1 TB), 290 Euro (2 TB), 650 Euro (4 TB) and 1,500 Euro (8 TB) the small models are close to the street prices of the MP510. At 4 TB, there are only a few alternatives with M.2 and NVMe, of which the Adata XPG Spectrix S40G is considerably cheaper at 439 Euro, but according to key data it is also slower. For M.2 and NVMe with 8 TB there is only the mentioned Sabrent Rocket Q, on whose price Corsair obviously orientates itself.
