Compare Crucial T705 2TB and Lexar NM790 2TB: prices, speeds, $/TB. Which to buy in May 2026? Full spec breakdown.
Crucial T705 2TB vs Lexar NM790 2TB pits two different generations against each other at 2 TB. The question isn't which is faster on paper — that's settled — it's whether the bandwidth gap shows up in your specific workload.
Hardware-wise, the Crucial T705 2TB runs on an original Phison E26 chip that defined the Gen 5 reference design. The Lexar NM790 2TB pairs a MAP1602 controller built specifically for DRAM-less HMB designs.
Price separates these two meaningfully. The Lexar NM790 2TB costs $74.50/TB versus $199.50/TB for the Crucial T705 2TB — a 63% premium that needs justification in real benchmarks, not just spec-sheet bragging.
In the read department, the Crucial T705 2TB leads by roughly 7 GB/s. The difference is more academic than practical for typical use, but it does matter for video editors moving multi-GB project files.
Write performance separates them too. The Crucial T705 2TB sustains 12,700 MB/s writes versus 6,500 MB/s for the Lexar NM790 2TB — a real advantage for video editors and anyone doing heavy file operations.
The Crucial T705 2TB carries a dedicated DRAM chip for FTL (Flash Translation Layer) mapping; the Lexar NM790 2TB relies on HMB (Host Memory Buffer), borrowing 64 MB from system RAM. The practical gap shows up only under sustained random write loads.
If this purchase is for a PS5 storage expansion, the comparison flattens — Sony's PCIe Gen 4 controller normalizes both Crucial T705 2TB and Lexar NM790 2TB to roughly equal in-game load times. The cheaper drive is the smart pick. The leap from Gen 4 to Gen 5 doubles peak throughput on paper but produces single-digit-percent improvements in game load times, OS boot, and most productivity benchmarks. The Lexar NM790 2TB is the better default unless you have a specific workload that needs the extra lanes. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the Crucial T705 2TB's 12,700 MB/s sustained write is the deciding factor — multi-GB project files land noticeably faster than on the alternative. Note for handheld gamers: M.2 2280 is the desktop/laptop standard. Steam Deck and the ROG Ally line need 2230 drives — neither Crucial T705 2TB nor Lexar NM790 2TB fits without modification.
Pick the Crucial T705 2TB if you value meaningfully faster reads (14,500 MB/s), higher sustained writes (12,700 MB/s), and a dedicated DRAM cache chip. Crucial typically delivers the best $/TB among DRAM-equipped NVMes because Micron sells direct rather than going through brand licensing.
Pick the Lexar NM790 2TB if you value the lower retail price ($149 vs $399), and better $/TB economics ($74.50/TB). The Lexar NM790 2TB captures the value tier well: same NAND class as flagships, paired with a DRAM-less controller that costs less and uses HMB for the address-mapping table.