CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD Review

We are on a roll as this is our fourth NVMe SSD on the test bench for review. Earlier, we tested the following:

• Teamgroup MP44
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB NVMe SSD
• XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe SSD

This time around, we are taking a look at CORSAIR’s take on providing a solution that represents the best of both worlds, which is MP600 PRO LPX. This is a Gen4x4-based NVMe 1.4 interfaced SSD that is also aimed towards PS5 users, given its low profile design despite using a heatsink. This does not mean that a PC user or a gamer can’t use this SSD. They can. This SSD is rated for up to 7100MB/s in sequential reads and up to 6800MB/s in sequential writes. CORSAIRS has not shed light on Random 4K read and write speeds. However, this SSD has AES 256-bit Encryption. The TBW rating is 1400, which is comparable to the Sabrent SSD, but it lacks when compared with the Kingston and Teamgroup SSDs.

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Key Takeaways

• The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD impresses with blazing-fast speeds of up to 7100 MB/s, ensuring lightning-fast data transfers and load times for demanding applications and games.
• What sets it apart is its full compatibility with the PlayStation 5, offering gamers a seamless storage upgrade option for their next-gen console.
• The pre-installed low-profile heatsink not only keeps temperatures in check but also ensures that this SSD fits comfortably into tight spaces, making it a versatile choice for both performance and compactness.

Specifications

Packaging and Unboxing

The SSD is shipped in a paperboard-made packing box. This box is in white and blue colors. We can see that CORSAIR has emphasized PS5 compatibility. Sequential speeds are also highlighted on the box, along with the capacity of the drive inside the box.

The serial number and part numbers are printed here. The key features are printed in 7 languages. We can also see conformance logos over here. CORSAIR is giving a 5-year warranty on this SSD.

There is no transparent shell inside the main packing box. CORSAIR uses a cardboard-made container, and the SSD is placed in the center.

CORSAIR has provided booklets for warranty and user guides.

Design

Let’s start with a statement from CORSAIR about this SSD first. “The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe 1.4 M.2 SSD provides high-performance storage expansion optimized for PS5, boosting your console’s storage by up to 4TB.”

This series of SSDs is available in the following sizes:

• 512GB
• 1TB
• 2TB
• 4TB

These SSDs are available in white and black colors. This is in the context of obviously referring to the color of the heatsink. CORSAIR has given an uplift to the NAND Flash here as they are using 3D TLC NAND which is 176-layered. We know that TLCs store 3 bits per cell compared to other NAND Flash which makes it expensive. The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD has a form factor of 2280 (22×80), and it is an M key type SSD making it compatible with PCIe M.2 SSD slots on the modern motherboards.

This is the half part of the story. This part of the story makes this SSD compatible with Sony PlayStation 5. The PS5 can accommodate an SSD having a thickness of up to 11.5mm. This SSD has a low-profile heatsink which stands at approximately 10.79mm thick as per our digital caliper. The width is 24.06mm, and the length is 80.10mm.  You can use it on PCIe Gen 3 rated M.2 slots, but that would reduce the performance of the drive, and really there is not any point in doing that.

Let’s take a look at the SSD or in this case, the heatsink since SSD is already wrapped under it. CORSAIR has used a low-profile block color heatsink over the SSD. This heatsink is made of aluminum material. There is a CORSAIR brand logo on the top in what looks like a whitish-gray color. MP600 LPX is also printed towards the upper right side. This is a Gen 4 PCIe SSD.

There are cutouts in the heatsink which is a standard design for effective ventilation. The dimension of this package is 80.10×24.06×10.79mm (LxWxH) as per our digital caliper reporting. The error of margin applies, so bear it in mind. We did not open the heatsink assembly to take a look at the SSD.

The overall thickness of 10.79mm is within the stated specification of PS5, making this SSD compatible with the PS5 without any hassle. It is a plug-and-play design. This heatsink is expected to keep the temperature at bay, but in our testing, the SSD was running hot under heavy load. We will come to this part in the testing section later.

There is one thing that I would like to mention here. CORSAIR needs to address the orientation of the heatsink cover so that the CORSAIR logo remains upright. As you can see in the above picture, the logo and other information are inverted after installing this SSD.

There is a thin aluminum base plate on which the SSD is rested. There is a large label here showing the serial number and part number of the SSD. This product is made in Taiwan. The capacity of the drive is printed on the side as well, which is 2TB in our case.

There are two small size screws on each side. You would need to remove all four screws to disassemble the package. You would need to use a precise screwdriver or driver bit to operate these screws otherwise, they are easy to coerce.

What about components?

We did not open the heatsink assembly to take a look at the SSD, but we did search online and check reputable media sites for information and data about the components used in this SSD. The CORSAIR is using a powerful controller from Phison named PS5018-E18. The exact model that is used is PS5018-E18-41. This is the same controller that we saw on the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB NVMe SSD. So, we have two SSDs in the graph with the same controller. This controller is based on PCIe 4.0, which is obvious, and uses 8 channels. It uses using ARM Cortex R5 CPU, and it supports DDR4 memory.

CORSAIR is also using 176-layered 3D TLC NAND Flash from Micron. There are a total of eight NAND Flash chips on the CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD. Each has a size of 256GB. The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB NVMe SSD has a powerful and advanced NAND Flash from micron B47R. I am not sure if CORSAIR is using the same or otherwise.

Now coming to the DRAM chip, there are two DDR4 chips on this SSD. These are rated at 3200 MT/s, and these are from SK-Hynix.

CORSAIR has listed the weight of this SSD as 0.1 without any unit. It seems like it is 100gm with the heatsink or so. The operating temperature range is 0 to 70°C. The storage temperature limit is -40°C to 85°C. The shock resistance is 1500G/0.5sms. MTBF rating is 1,700,000 hours which is even less than 2,000,000 on XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe SSD. The voltage rating is 3.3V ±5%.

As is the case with any new disk, the CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD needed to be initialized. This is why it was not shown on My Computer. We accessed the Disk Management console to initialize the disk.

Once the disk is initialized, it needs to be allocated space and formatted. Right-click on the unallocated disk and then click on New Simple Volume.

Enter the Format Partition information and proceed further.

The disk is now online, and 1.81TB is available at the user’s disposal.

We accessed the Device Manager, and from there, we accessed the properties of the CORSAIR disk.

The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD is using SLC Cache writing by default, as can be seen in the picture.

We ran CrystalDiskInfo after installing the disk. It showed that this disk drive is running EIFM31.6 firmware. It also confirmed that the drive is operating at PCIe 4.0 at the x4 speed link and NVMe 1.4 interface. The supported features are S.M.A.R.T, TRIM, and VolatileWriteCache.

Testing

The below-mentioned test build is used:

• Intel i7 13700k
• darkFlash Twister DX360 v2.6
• GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
• Kingston Fury Renegade DDR5 32GB @ 6400MT/s CAS 32
• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD [OS Drive]
• be quiet! Straight Power 11 1000W Platinum PSU
• Thermaltake Core P6 TG Snow Edition converted in an open-frame layout

We have used the following software:

• AS SSD
• ATTO Disk Benchmark
• CrystalDiskMark
• Anvil Pro Storage Utilities 1.1.0
• DiskBench
• Blackmagic Disk Benchmark
• 3DMARK Storage Benchmark
• PCMARK10 Storage Benchmark
• 1 Benchmark

Microsoft Windows 11 22H2 is used for the testing.

Test Results

CrystalDiskMark

Let’s start with four different runs of CrystalDiskMark. This is an impressive performance from the CORSAIR SSD. This SSD verified the rated sequential read and write speeds. Not only this, but the 4K Random performance in the Q1T1 quadrant is impressive as well. The overall performance in CrystalDiskMark is quite good.

We can see that all four drives are doing above 7 Gbps in sequential reads. There are only two SSDs that are operating above 7100MB/s. At the same time, the read speed winners are XPG and Teamgroup. The write performance is more important, and even the sustained write performance is critically important. The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD has the highest mark in the write speed in this graph. This is the win, in my opinion.

AS SSD Benchmark

Next, we ran the AS SSD software to test the performance of the drive. Please note that each stress testing software works differently, and there would be variations between software and between two runs even on the same SSD. The overall score in this benchmark is better than the Sabrent Rockeet 4 Plus G 2TB. But what I don’t like is regular dips in the write speeds during the compression benchmark. The overall performance in the Copy benchmark is good.

The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD has performed better than the Sabrent counterpart in this benchmark.

We can see that there is tough competition among the listed drives in this benchmark. The CORSAIR SSD was doing 6.59 GB/s in the sequential reads and 6.34 GB/s in sequential writes. This SSD has a good performance. Remember, it is rated for 7100MB/s and 6800MB/s, whereas the competition can go as high as 7400MB/s.

Next, we ran the Anvil Storage Utilities benchmark to test the drive’s performance. We have close competition between the CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD and the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB NVMe SSD though the latter has a marginal lead.

We also ran Threaded Writes in queue depth of 32 and 64. The above picture shows the result of both runs. This is a phenomenal performance from the CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD, as it crosses the 1,000,000 IOPS in both runs.

Next, we ran the Threaded Reads in queue depths of 32, 64, and 128 threads. This drive reached above 750,000 IOPS at 128 queue depth which is impressive.

3DMark Storage Test

3DMark Storage test is a relatively new test bench measuring the gaming-only performance of the given drive using three games. It measures the load time of the games, recording the gameplay, saving the game, and moving the game. The overall score is given in the bandwidth and access time.

This drive did a bandwidth of 728.95MB/s with an average access time of 43µs, scoring 4216.

PCMARK10

We ran two tests from Storage benchmarks in this suite. These are Data Drive Benchmark and Quick System Drive Benchmark.

The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD has performed well in this benchmark. It has scored 5294 with a bandwidth of 802.04MB/s and an average access time of 30µs.

This drive has scored 3883 marks with a bandwidth of 474.68MB/s and an average access time of 33µs.

Blackmagic Disk Benchmark

We have used the Blackmagic disk benchmark as well. This is a critical benchmark from the point of view that it monitors the three video compression coders against multiple formats and checks if the drive in hand supports that format and if it does then at what speed. The CORSAIR MP600 POR LPX 2TB NVMe SSD has shown good performance in this benchmark.

Real World Testing

Now, it is time for a real-world use. For that, we have used DiskBench in multiple scenarios to check the real-world data transfer rates. We prepared a data set of mixed files and folders, including compressed files.

A 97GB-sized compressed file was copied to the CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPPX 2TB NVMe SSD. The file was then read from the DiskBench. Coming in at number two, we have a transfer rate of 3262.06 MB/s, and it took 29.271 seconds to complete this operation.

Next, we copied the same compressed file from one folder to another on the same drive. The transfer rate was 3175.023 MB/s and it took 30.073 seconds to complete this operation.

Next, we copied a folder of 220GB size containing multiple compressed files, sub-folders, and mixed files. The main folder was copied from the same drive to a destination drive on the same drive. The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD did a fine job here, coming in at third place.

Next, we prepared a heavy data of 561GB and repeated the copy operation. We also used HWInfo64 to record the drive’s sensor to see how it performed over time. The CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD has a decent performance here with a data transfer rate of 1518.176, and it took 6.311 minutes to complete this task. The minimum read speed this drive went was 621MB/s, depending on the load without throttling, but it was operating near the 1xxx mark most of the time, which is fine.  The minimum write was 710MB/s. The write performance is stronger than the read performance on this drive. This SSD seems to have a mixed bag of performance depending on the load type and the thermal condition.

Gaming Load Time

This is the time when gamers are using NVMe SSDs for their games for faster loading. This is why we also test the game load times. This is done using the Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Benchmark using High settings.

It took 6.793 seconds in total to load the game. Except for the 1TB NVMe SSD, all other NVMe SSDs are in the 6-second range.

Thermals

77°C was the maximum temperature recorded when the simultaneous read and write operation of 561GB data was done on this drive. The ambient was 30°C. The SSD was under its low-profile heatsink, which seems to be insufficient without proper airflow since it was an open bench setup without any fan throwing air toward the motherboard.

Conclusion

This is our fourth SSD on a roll in our testing. In our last take, it was XPG Gammix S70 blade 2TB NVMe SSD. This time it is CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX 2TB NVMe SSD. The CORSAIR SSD is based on PCIe Gen 4×4 using the NVMe 1.4 interface. It has a form factor of 2280 (22×80) and an M-Key type SSD. CORSAIR seems to be particularly focusing on PS5 compatibility with this PRO LPX version.

This SSD comes with a low-profile heatsink pre-installed. On top, there is a thick aluminum heatsink cover, whereas the SSD rests on the base plate. The overall dimension of the assembly is 80.10×24.06×10.79mm (LxWxH). PS5 has a clearance of up to 11.5mm for M.2 SSDs. This SSD with a low-profile heatsink is compatible and involves hassle-free installation on PS5.

However, it was not hassle-free on our motherboard. The GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX has 4x M.2 ports. We are using the top slot for the SSD testing. This slot has a thermal pad under the heatsink cover to address the heat transfer from the top side of the SSD. This slot also has a thermal pad on the base for a dual-sided SSD.

Since the CORSAIR SSD is tucked between the base plate and the heatsink cover, the base plate obstructed the installation of the SSD in the slot. We had to remove the thermal pad from the base so that the SSD could be installed with its heatsink cover. The second thing we have noted is that after installing this SSD on a PC motherboard, the CORSAIR logo and text are inverted. Maybe CORSAIR needs to address this so that the logo and text remain upright.

In our testing, this heatsink was not enough to keep the SSD cool enough for sustained speeds. Gen 4 SSDs usually tend to run warm, but they run cool under the large-size aluminum heatsink covers of the motherboard. This SSD has an EIFM31.6 firmware, and it supports many features, including S.M.A.R.T, TRIM, VolatileWriteCache, and AES 256-bit Encryption.

The SSD is dual-sided, meaning it has components (Controller, NAND Flash, and DRAM) on both sides of the PCB. This series of SSDs is available in 4 capacities:

• 512GB
• 1TB
• 2TB
• 4TB

This series is available in two colors: white and black.

CORSAIR has used a powerful controller that we also saw on the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB NVMe SSD, i.e., Phison PS5018-E8-41. It is based on PCIe 4.0 with 8 total channels and supports DDR4 memory. CORSAIR is using Micron’s 176-layered 3D TLC NAND Flash chips. There are a total of eight chips, with each having a size of 256GB. There are 2 1GB DRAM memory chips from Hynix rated at 3200 MT/s. The MTBF rating is 1,700,000 hours which is even less than 2,000,000 on XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe SSD. The voltage rating is 3.3V ±5%.

The 2TB variant of MP600 PRO LPX is rated for up to 7100MB/s sequential reads and up to 6800MB/s sequential writes. The speed limit in PS5 would be 6100MB/s. CORSAIR has not mentioned the 4K Random read and write speeds, but given this controller, we expect the SSD to do 1,000,000 IOPS. The TBW rating is 1400, which is comparable with the Sabrent SSD, though it is quite low compared to the Teamgroup MP44 and Kingston Fury Renegade 2TB SSDs.

Speaking of performance, the CORSAIR MP600 PRO LPX’s rated sequential read and write speeds are verified in our synthetic benchmarks. The write speed, in particular, is quite strong on this SSD. The 4K Random Writes were found above 1,000,000 IOPS, whereas the random reads were over 750,000 IOPS. I think these are the Random 4K ratings based on Sabrent’s SSD ratings, and CORSAIR SSD checks all departments in this regard.

However, overall performance is a mixed bag of numbers. We have seen this SSD doing very well in some benchmarks while doing mediocre in the other benchmarks. In our real-world testing, this SSD has trailed behind the XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe SSD and Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB NVMe SSD. It could not keep up with the XPG and Sabrent drives in our torture test of simultaneous reading and writing of 561GB data of mixed files and folders.

So far, this is the only SSD that has hit the 600 MB/s mark in this operation under heavy load. A part of this is probably contributed by 77°C under load temperatures. As we have mentioned above, the stock heatsink has struggled to keep the temperature in check.

This drive is retailing at USD 114 at the time of this writing. This makes approximately 17 cents per GB for this drive, making it a good value for the gamer and a general user. This drive, much like the Teamgroup MP44 and XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe SSDs, is a good value for gamers in particular and for PS5 users as well.

CORSAIR is offering a 5-year warranty on this SSD, which is almost the case with every other SSD in the graphs. Based on the performance and value, XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe SSD is still the best value of all, followed by CORSAIR and then Teamgroup.

Nauman Siddique

[Hardware Reviewer & Editor]

Meet Nauman Siddique, a highly experienced computer science graduate with more than 15 years of knowledge in technology. Nauman is an expert in the field known for his deep understanding of computer hardware.

As a tech tester, insightful reviewer, and skilled hardware editor, Nauman carefully breaks down important parts like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, CPU coolers, and more.

• 15+ years of PC Building Experience
• 10+ years of first-hand knowledge of technology
• 7+ years of doing in-depth testing of PC Hardware
• A motivated individual with a keen interest in tech testing from multiple angles.
• I majored in Computer Science with a Masters in Marketing
• Previously worked at eXputer, EnosTech, and Appuals.

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