Corsair has a new flagship SSD model for those with PCIe Gen 5-compatible motherboards and processors. The MP700 ELITE is now official, and it promises significant speeds while keeping the price tag in a more affordable range than the current MP700 PRO SE lineup.
The MP700 ELITE is a standard M2 2280 SSD with a PCIe Gen 5 x4 controller. Corsair says the drive can reach up to 10,000 MB/s sequential read and 8,500 MB/s sequential write speeds. These speeds are notably slower than the MP700 PRO SE, which tops at 14,000 MB/s. However, the new model is more affordable, with the 1TB version costing $145 and the 2TB version priced at $255.
In addition to the latest PCIe interface, the Corsair MP700 ELITE uses 3D TLC NAND memory chips for "performance and endurance." The drive is also compatible with Microsoft DirectStorage APIs, which improve loading times in games thanks to direct communication between a graphics card and a drive.
Besides offering two storage configurations, Corsair allows speccing the new MP700 ELITE model with or without the heatsink. The first option will come in handy if your motherboard has no built-in heatsink for SSDs. The second option is primarily aimed at those who want to install the drive in a laptop or another device with no space for a heatsink.
Like other PCIe Gen 5 SSDs, the MP700 ELITE is backward compatible with Gen 4 and Gen 5 motherboards. Still, the fastest speeds are only possible with motherboards and processors that support the latest interface.
As for endurance, Corsair promises up to 1200 TBW (600 TBW in the 1TB model) and 1,600,000 hours of mean-time between failures. Also, each drive has a limited five-year warranty.
The Corsair MP700 ELITE is now available directly from Corsair"s official website and various retailers.