Which is better for gaming?

The Samsung 990. Games load fast on both, but the 990's DRAM cache and TLC NAND keep writes and updates steadier, and it lasts longer under constant patching.

The Samsung 990, rated at 400 TBW. QLC drives like the P310 carry lower endurance ratings, so heavy write workloads wear them sooner.

Is the P310 worth stepping up to over the 990?

Only if you need the included heatsink or lower power draw. On speed, endurance and cache, the 990 is the better drive.

Does the P310 heatsink fit a laptop?

Not always. The heatsink adds thickness, so check clearance. Many thin laptops need a bare drive, which favors the 990.

Do both work in a PS5?

Both are Gen4 M.2 2280 drives. The P310's heatsink helps meet Sony's cooling guidance; the 990 needs a separate heatsink.

Which is better for video editing?

The Samsung 990. Large file writes and scrubbing benefit from its DRAM cache, TLC NAND and higher sustained write speed.

Crucial P310 NVMe SSD vs Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD

The Samsung 990 is the stronger drive: TLC NAND with a DRAM cache, roughly 400 TBW endurance and about 6,450 MB/s writes. The Crucial P310 uses DRAM-less QLC and is rated lower for sustained writes, so it slows more on large transfers and wears faster under heavy use. Buy the P310 only if you need a slim heatsink for a laptop or PS5-style slot and want a low-power drive for everyday tasks.

Choose the Crucial P310 if you want a low-power, heatsink-equipped Gen4 drive for a laptop or console slot and mostly read data rather than write large files.
Choose the Samsung 990 if you write large files, run heavy workloads or want the longer-lasting drive with a DRAM cache and hardware encryption.

Prices

Crucial P310 NVMe SSD: $167.91 at Amazon (checked today)
Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD: $189.99 at Amazon (checked today)
Difference: the Crucial P310 NVMe SSD is $22.08 cheaper than the Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD today

What separates them

	Crucial P310 NVMe SSD	Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD
NAND type	232-layer QLC	TLC V-NAND
DRAM cache	DRAM-less, uses host memory buffer	Dedicated DRAM cache
Sequential write	Not rated as high; QLC slows on long writes	Up to 6,450 MB/s
Endurance	Lower TBW rating typical of QLC	400 TBW
Heatsink	Included	Not included
Encryption	Not listed	256-bit AES
Power draw	Lower, suited to laptops	4.0 W read / 3.7 W write
Warranty	Five years	Five years

Specs compared

Spec	Crucial P310 NVMe SSD	Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD
Sequential read speed	up to 7,100MB/s	Up to 7,150MBps
Interface	PCIe Gen4 NVMe	PCIe Gen 4 x 4
Form factor	M.2 2280	—
Capacity	1TB	—
Heatsink	with heatsink	—
Warranty	five years	—
Controller	Phison PS5027-E27T	—
NAND type	232-layer QLC NAND	—
DRAM cache	DRAM-less	—
PCIe lanes	PCI Express 4x4	—
Storage capacity	—	1TB
Sequential write speed	—	Up to 6,450MBps

Show all 17 specs

Spec	Crucial P310 NVMe SSD	Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD
Random read speed	—	Up to 700,000 IOPS
Endurance	—	400 TBW
Power usage read/write	—	4.0 Watts / 3.7 Watts
Encryption	—	256-bit AES Encryption
Color	—	Black

Crucial P310 NVMe SSD vs Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD

Prices

Crucial P310 NVMe SSD vs Samsung 990 1TB NVMe SSD

Prices