SK hynix Gold P31 SSD review: Impressive performance and price shake up the storage market

SK hynix Gold P31 Source: Windows Central

SK hynix released its first consumer-focused solid-state drive (SSD) — the 2.5-inch SATA Aureate S31 — in 2022, and it'south been followed up by the Gold P31. This time information technology'southward an M.2 NVMe SSD using 3rd-gen PCIe, bringing far better performance for modern laptops and desktop PCs. It's also the world'southward first consumer flash-based SSD with 128-layer NAND, delivering robust performance and minor power consumption. I've had the Gold P31 installed in my PC for the terminal couple of weeks, using it for all major storage decisions. Here'due south what you need to know and, ultimately, whether or not it will brand a proficient fit in your PC.

128-Layer 4D NAND Thou.2 SSD

SK hynix Gold P31

Lesser line: The SK hynix Gold P31 is a top option for anyone looking to upgrade their PCIe 3.0 storage with something fast and affordable. Only don't become looking for anything other than 500GB or 1TB sizes.

Pros

A lot of value for your money
Biodegradable packaging
Awesome performance
Sturdy warranty and TBW
Power-efficient

Cons

No PCIe 4 support
Only 500GB and 1TB sizes

What you'll love near the SK hynix Gold P31

SK hynix Gold P31 Source: Windows Central

The Gold P31 is an M.2 2280 drive (the longer M.two course factor, with a 22mm width and 80mm length) using the NVMe interface for PCIe 3. It can be used in a laptop or a desktop equally long as it fits the 2280 sizing, and it's available in 500GB or 1TB sizes. I received a 1TB review unit from SK hynix. Like the 2.v-inch SATA Gold S31, the Aureate P31 uses a proprietary controller, this time the SK hynix Cepheus.

Category	Spec
Form	M.2 2280
NAND	128-layer 4D NAND
Controller	SK hynix Cepheus
Interface	G.2 PCIe (three.0) NVMe
Ability consumption	Agile: 6.3W Idle: <50mW
Durability	1TB: 750 TBW 500GB: 500 TBW
Warranty	v years
$ per GB	1TB: $0.13 500GB: $0.15

This is the outset flash-based consumer SSD to come with 128-layer "4D" NAND. This allows SK hynix to upwardly the memory cell density, keep prices competitive, and provide excellent performance while using modest ability. Information technology maxes out at 6.3W nether full load and drops down to less than 50mW when idle; if you're planning on using the SSD in a notebook, equally of ability reduction helps to maximize bombardment life.

The 1TB bulldoze I have for testing has a 750 Terabytes Written (TBW) rating, meaning information technology should theoretically be able to write upward to 750TB of information before information technology fails. The 500GB model has a lower rating (which is standard) at 500 TBW. Because the drives come with a v-year warranty, you'd take to write most 400GB of information per day to the 1TB drive to wear it out under warranty.

Compared to other popular 1TB SSDs, the Gold P31 is quite durable. The 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus has a 600 TBW, the 1TB Sabrent Rocket Q has a 260 TBW, and the 1TB Crucial P2 has a 450 TBW. Something like Samsung's 1TB 970 PRO has a 1,200 TBW, merely you're looking at a pro-grade SSD at a far college cost.

Performance from the Gold P31 is excellent, generally on par with the insanely pop Samsung 970 EVO Plus. Here'south a quick glance of Q32T1 sequential write speeds using CrystalDiskMark vi from a number of SSDs we've tested.

CrystalDiskMark vi Sequential Q32T1

SSD	Read speed	Write speed
SK hynix Gold P31 (1TB)	iii,504.6 MB/s	3,287.4 MB/s
Samsung 970 EVO Plus (500GB)	three,402.4 MB/s	3,144.5 MB/due south
Samsung 970 Pro (500GB)	3,519.8 MB/south	2,337.5 MB/s
SK hynix Aureate S31 (1TB)	562.5 MB/south	531.6 MB/s

The Gold P31 is faster than the 970 EVO Plus and rivals the 970 Pro'due south read speed. It, as expected, far outpaces the SATA-based Gilded S31. Hither'southward a full rundown of the CrystalDiskMark 6 results from the same SSDs.

I besides ran tests using ATTO Disk Criterion to see how performance measures as file sizes scale upward.

The SK hynix Gold P31 delivers super performance at a price that cuts out a lot of competition.

Performance is comparable betwixt the Gilt P31 and 970 EVO Plus, though small read and write speeds are slower with the SK hynix drive. It catches up at the 64KB marker on the write side and around the 8KB mark on the read side. Equally expected, the Gold P31 puts up expert numbers when dealing with larger sizes. Because y'all're looking at almost $180 for the 1TB 970 EVO Plus and about $135 for the 1TB SK hynix Aureate P31, you can become about the same performance with a higher TBW for a lot less if you lot become with the latter SSD.

A nice little feature that many will capeesh is the biodegradable packaging used for the Aureate P31. The box and documentation tin be recycled, and the plastic wrapping and within support will all break down instead of sitting in a landfill for decades. Information technology'due south a keen look for SK hynix when a lot of tech products come up wildly overpackaged.

What you'll dislike nearly the SK hynix Golden P31

SK hynix Gold P31 Source: Windows Central

File sizes continue to abound, and the best Windows laptop and desktop options continue to ship with larger storage solutions, but there'southward withal certainly a place for a drive that's less than 500GB. The inverse is also true, with many drives going well beyond 1TB. Those are, unfortunately, the only two Gold P31 sizes bachelor. If you lot prefer something smaller or larger, you're out of luck.

In that location'south also the issue of upgrading your storage with a PCIe 3 SSD when PCIe 4 is starting to become more than mutual. Take a look at how the Sabrent Rocket Q compares to the Gold P31 when using PCIe 3 and so over again using PCIe iv.

CrystalDiskMark seven Sequential Q8T1

SSD	Read speed	Write speed
SK hynix Golden P31 (1TB)	3,595.98 MB/s	3,296.06 MB/s
Sabrent Rocket Q (4TB PCIe 3)	3,450.23 MB/southward	iii,038,73 MB/s
Sabrent Rocket Q (4TB PCIe 4)	4,998.76 MB/south	4,285.92 MB/s

If you've invested (or plan on soon investing) in i of the best motherboards out at that place that supports PCIe 4, it would be wise to grab an SSD that will have full advantage.

Should you buy the SK hynix Aureate P31?

SK hynix Gold P31 Source: Windows Key

If you're happy with PCIe 3 and need a storage upgrade for your laptop or desktop, the SK hynix Gold P31 is easy to recommend. Its functioning beats out a lot of direct competition, including the mighty Samsung 970 EVO Plus, and it'south available at a truly impressive price. The Gold P31 drives come with impressive TBW ratings, they have a v-year warranty, and they sip a modest amount of power, great for laptops.

With the 1TB bulldoze sitting at around the $135 mark, this is an affordable manner to add together loftier-performance storage to your PC. Just don't go looking for annihilation larger than 1TB or smaller than 500GB. Not quite what you're looking for? Have a gander at our collection of the overall best SSD options out at that place.

128-Layer 4D NAND One thousand.2 SSD

SK hynix Gold P31

SK hynix Aureate P31

First-class performance just affordable

The SK hynix Golden P31 cuts the cost out from a lot of the contest, still it offers stronger endurance and faster functioning. Information technology'due south an first-class pick for anyone looking to upgrade their PCIe iii storage.

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