When you’re looking to buy a new SSD, it’s important to consider both the performance and the price. The Corsair MP600GS is a Gen4 NVMe SSD that offers a good balance of both. It is one of the cheaper options on the market, while still providing the level of performance you would expect from a Gen4 drive.
The MP600GS comes in three capacities: 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. These are the most popular sizes, but it would be nice to see larger options, especially at this affordable price point.
The drive itself is fairly simple, using a Phison controller and 3-bit TLC NAND memory. It doesn’t have a DRAM cache like more expensive drives, but all the memory is on one side for easy cooling and laptop compatibility. Corsair also includes a black sticker on top for a sleek, professional look.
While the MP600GS doesn’t have a heatsink, it does offer other features that many affordable SSDs lack. It supports hardware encryption and comes with a 5-year warranty, as long as you don’t exceed the Total Bytes written rating. In short, the Corsair MP600GS is a solid choice for those looking for an affordable SSD that doesn’t skimp on performance or features.
Performance
When it comes to buying a new SSD, performance is key. The Corsair MP600GS may be affordable, but that doesn’t mean it should sacrifice performance.
In the PC Mark 10 Quick Benchmark, which tests everyday tasks like working with documents and looking at photos, the MP600GS performs well compared to other affordable drives like the WD SN570 and the Samsung 980. However, it does not quite measure up to high-end drives like the Samsung 990 Pro and the WD Black SN850X.
Overall, the MP600GS offers decent performance for its price. It may not be the fastest drive on the market, but it is a solid choice for those looking to upgrade their system without breaking the bank.
PC Mark 10 Suite
The PCMark 10 suite is a more intense benchmark that tests a drive’s ability to handle constant, heavy use. In this test, the Corsair MP600GS performed well, coming in just behind the Samsung 980 and the Crucial P3 plus. It even approached the performance of slightly more expensive drives like the Sabrent Rocket.
Compared to the WD SN570, the MP600GS was clearly the better option. Overall, the MP600GS offers good performance for those looking for a main drive or for running applications that require a lot of SSD power.
Latency and Gaming Performance
When it comes to latency, the Corsair MP600GS performs well, coming in line with the Samsung 980 and the Crucial P3 plus. In the PCMark consistency test, the MP600GS performs okay, with a result of 223MB per second on average.
However, this test is not very relevant for most users, as it simulates an extreme workload that is unlikely to occur in regular use. If you need a drive for intense applications, you should look at higher-end options like the 990 Pro or Corsair’s own MP600 LPX.
Gaming is one of the main reasons to buy an affordable SSD, and the MP600GS performs well in the 3DMark Storage Suite, which includes gaming-related tasks like loading and installing games. In this test, the gap between the fastest and slowest NVMe drives is relatively small, so the price will likely be the deciding factor.
The MP600GS ranks near the bottom of the graph, but it is still a better choice than SATA SSDs. In terms of sequential read and write performance, the MP600GS meets its claimed speeds, maxing out the Gen4 connection on my motherboard with a result of almost 7000MBps.
Sequential Write Performance and Thermals
One interesting thing about the Corsair MP600GS is that its sequential write performance is much higher than the 4800MBps listed on Corsair’s product page. This is not unusual for a product to outperform its specs, but it is strange to see it outperform by about 40%.
This is also much higher than Sony’s recommended spec for use with the PS5. However, Sony also recommends avoiding drives without DRAM cache, so you should still not buy the MP600GS for use with your PS5.
The MP600GS performs adequately in terms of sequential write performance. It doesn’t have the same problem as the WD-SN570, which performs poorly when writing large amounts of data. One area where the MP600GS excels is thermals. Without using a heatsink or any airflow above it, the drive doesn’t throttle at all during light and medium workloads.
Even when running the full PCMark suite without any cooling, the MP600GS performed the same as before. It is possible to push the controller to about 80 degrees after about an hour and a half of non-stop stress, but this is not a realistic scenario for most users.
It is still recommended to use a heatsink, either the one that came with your motherboard or a third-party option, to keep the drive cool.
Price
In the highly competitive SSD market, price is a key factor. In the US, the 1TB MP600GS is selling for around $100. This is about $20 more than the Samsung 980, which the MP600GS outperforms, and $30 more than the WD SN570, which is slower.
It is also $10 more than the Crucial P3 plus, which performs slightly better on average. In order to compete, the MP600GS needs to match the P3 plus’s $90 price tag or even go lower.
For the 2TB version, the situation looks a little better, with only the SN570 being significantly cheaper. However, the MP600GS still needs to get further away from the Crucial P5 plus in terms of price, as the $7 difference is not enough to justify the performance gap between the two drives.
In the EU, the 1TB version is competitively priced, but the 2TB version is too expensive compared to the P3 plus.
It is worth noting that the MP600GS is a new release, and it is normal for SSD prices to go down over time. If Corsair can lower the price, the MP600GS could be a great value option.