Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB ($465) vs Crucial T710 2TB ($449). $/TB analysis, performance, and use-case recommendations.
Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB and Crucial T710 2TB are direct competitors — same generation, same capacity. Choose by controller behavior under sustained load, DRAM/HMB cache strategy, and $/TB economics.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB runs on Samsung's Presto controller — built in-house to push V-NAND to its Gen 5 ceiling. The Crucial T710 2TB pairs the SMI SM2508 — a 6nm Gen 5 controller running notably cooler than first-gen Phison E26 designs.
For PS5 expansion, both are PCIe Gen 4 M.2 2280 drives that meet Sony's minimum spec (14,500 MB/s read). The console can't take advantage of speeds beyond that, so save money by choosing the Crucial T710 2TB. Video editors will gravitate toward the Crucial T710 2TB for its write headroom (14,000 MB/s sustained). Project saves and proxies move faster, which compounds across a workday. Heads-up — these are full-length 2280 drives. Steam Deck and most current handhelds require shorter 2230 modules, so check capacity-specific 2230 variants if that's your target platform.
Samsung backs the PRO series with one of the strongest warranty experiences in consumer storage — RMAs typically process within 5 business days globally.
The Crucial T710 2TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($449 vs $465), and better $/TB economics ($224.50/TB) matter to you. Crucial drives benefit from being a direct Micron product — the same NAND that powers competitors' drives, but at lower margins.