Skip to content

Crucial P3 Plus vs WD Black SN770: Which One to Choose?

Both Crucial P3 Plus and WD Black SN770 are very popular entry-level DRAM-Less SSDs. Both SSDs target normal users because of their competitive pricing and average specifications. Both are PCIe 4.0 drives with almost similar features except the NAND flash. The Crucial P3 Plus has the QLC NAND flash whereas the SN770 comes with the TLC NAND flash. It is a big difference and can greatly impact your decision between the both. If you ask me to choose between both, without other conditions, I would choose the SN770 right away. I have two reasons. The first is the TLC NAND flash, and the second is SN770’s better TBW.

The Crucial P3 Plus is considered a budget-friendly and entry-level drive. However, the SN770 is a mid-range drive. People are confused between both because of their similar price tags, same PCIe generation, and targeted audience i.e. normal users. You should definitely choose the one with the best offerings for you.

There are reasons to choose both drives in different scenarios and we are going to cover each of them. Let’s start off the article with comparing simply the theoretical specifications and then proceed further.

crucial p3 plus vs wd black sn770

Theoretical Specifications

SpecificationCrucial P3 PlusWD Black SN770
Capacities500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
NAND TypeQLC (Quad-Level Cell)TLC (Triple-Level Cell)
Sequential Read SpeedUp to 5000 MB/sUp to 5150 MB/s
Sequential Write SpeedUp to 4200 MB/sUp to 4900 MB/s
Random Read (IOPS)Up to 661K IOPSUp to 650K IOPS
Random Write (IOPS)Up to 880K IOPSUp to 800K IOPS
DRAM CacheNo (DRAM-less)No (DRAM-less)
Warranty5 Years5 Years

The WD Black SN770 has higher read and write speeds, especially in random IOPS performance. The theoretical sequential read/write speed is higher in the WD Black SN770. There are some variations in the sequential and random performance in different variations. You can confirm them here and here. Being a Gen 4.0 NVMe targeted at normal users, the Crucial P3 Plus doesn’t have a 250GB variant which I find a little disappointing. However, if you want a higher storage variant i.e. 4TB, the SN770 doesn’t have one for you.

Benchmark Scores

The benchmark scores are collected from third-party websites like TomsHardware, PCWorld, TechPowerUp, etc. However, I am fully responsible for the accuracy of the data. The links to the review pages are given at the end. The benchmarks are of the 2TB variants of both drives.

PCMark 10 Benchmark

The PCMark 10 Benchmark replicates or simulates real-world workloads on SSDs like launching applications, copying files, loading operating systems, etc. The PCMark 10 doesn’t give you the peak performance numbers but overall performance scores of what you can expect from a drive when used in real-world scenarios. I have gathered the benchmark scores i.e. full drive benchmark, bandwidth, and latency.

PCMark 10 Benchmark scores comparison

The WD Black SN770 offers much better results in PCMark 10 benchmark tests. Along with the overall benchmark scores, the bandwidth is higher and latency is lower in the SN770. In other words, it can offer you a better performance during the normal everyday tasks on your computer.

3DMark Benchmark for Gamers

The 3DMark Storage test for gamers simulates real-world gaming activities such as game loading/saving/installing, and recording live games/streaming.

3DMark Storage test for gamers

Again, the WD Black SN770 is beating the Crucial P3 Plus in the 3DMark benchmark which means you can expect better gaming performance with the SN770. The difference is not very big and it will be hard to detect any performance difference in the real world. But, numbers are numbers and the SN770 seems to be a good pick for gaming computers.

DiskBench File Transfer Rate

The WD Black SN770 is much more capable of handling both copy and read file operations on huge volumes. With this, you can expect good results in tasks focused majorly on content creation like video editing. Moving large files like raw photographs, video files, databases, etc would be much faster with the SN770.

Power Consumption

Power Consumption comparison

The SN770 is consuming more power in both idle and under rigorous operations. We can say that there can be more refinements but this higher power consumption is majorly due to higher random and sequential performance numbers. The number that we should have an eye on is the average power consumption which is the same in both i.e. around 3 watts. This indicates that you perform better with the SN770 but with a higher thermal output and power consumption. I would admit that the Crucial P3 Plus is much more refined if we look at its thermal efficiency. The SN770 easily hit 80 degrees Celsius during sustained write operations. Again, it would be good to use a heatsink if your work includes heavy loads for long durations.

CrystalDiskMark Peak Performance

CDM Sequential
CDM Random

The random write performance is almost similar but we can see a little bigger difference in the random read performance. For sequential performance, the SN770 is a winner. Now, these are peak numbers (not average), and good to understand your drive’s raw performance. So, again, the SN770 is winner.

Endurance, TBW, and Warranty Period

SpecificationCrucial P3 PlusWD Black SN770
Endurance (TBW)500GB: 110 TBW
1TB: 220 TBW
2TB: 440 TBW
4TB: 800 TBW
250GB: 150 TBW
500GB: 200 TBW
1TB: 600 TBW
2TB: 1200TBW
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)1.5 million hours1.75 million hours
DWPD (Drive Writes per Day)0.10.3
Warranty Period5 Years5 Years

Only the warranty period is the same in both i.e. 5 years. However, the problem is with the TBW (Terabytes Written) which is way lower in the Crucial P3 Plus. This is because the QLC NAND flash inherently has the lowest lifespan than the SLC, MLC, and TLC NAND flash. The mean time between failure is better with the SN770 which is again a good thing. Now, because the TBW is lower, the DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) would also be lower in the P3 Plus. All these things are there to tell you about the reliability and endurance of an SSD. Now, because the SN770 has better numbers would generally means it will have better reliability as well.

Technical Specifications

SpecificationCrucial P3 PlusWD Black SN770
InterfacePCIe 4.0 x4PCIe 4.0 x4
ProtocolNVMe 1.4NVMe 1.4
Form FactorM.2 2280M.2 2280
NAND TypeQLC (Quad-Level Cell)TLC (Triple-Level Cell)
NAND ManufacturerMicron 176-layer QLCSanDisk 112-layer TLC
ControllerPhison E21T (DRAM-less)WD Proprietary Controller (DRAM-less)
DRAM CacheNo (DRAM-less, HMB support)No (DRAM-less, HMB support)
HMB (Host Memory Buffer)YesYes
Flash Channels4-channel4-channel
Power Consumption (Active)~4.3W~5.3W
Power Consumption (Idle)~50mW~20mW
Operating Temperature0°C to 70°C0°C to 85°C
Hardware EncryptionNoNo
Warranty5 Years5 Years

The NAND flash and controller both are better in the SN770. Hardware encryption is missing in both which is a threat to data protection. The operating temperature is higher in the SN770 as we discussed above. Both drives use the Host Memory Buffer to compensate for the on-chip DRAM.

Price Difference

Which one should you choose: WD Black SN770 or Crucial P3 Plus?

I would choose the WD Black SN770 over the Crucial P3 Plus any day. The only time I may change my decision is if I am getting a very attractive discount on the price. Otherwise, the SN770 would be my choice because of its better performance, NAND flash, and higher TBW.

The Crucial P3 Plus can still be better for normal users and can work for years without any issues. You may save a good amount of money, especially during the sales season. But, if your work demands random read/write performance or if you are a gamer, the SN770 is a better pick for you.

I would also add that there are comparatively better options than both these drives like Samsung 980 Pro, Crucial P5 Plus, and Samsung 990 EVO. The prices may not be the same but you should always look around for all the available options in the same generation.

Resources

https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/crucial-p3-plus

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crucial-p3-plus-ssd-review-capacity-on-the-cheap/2

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/wd-black-sn770-ssd-review/2

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments