Question 1

I have a PS5 Slim—is this SSD with the pre-installed heatsink guaranteed to fit, or do I need to worry about clearance?**

Accepted Answer

Great question. While Crucial designed the P310 to meet Sony's official M.2 dimensions, "fit" is a bit nuanced. The heatsink makes the drive slightly taller than a bare SSD. In most PS5 units (including the Slim), it fits perfectly under the console's cover. However, if you're installing it in a **laptop** or **mini PC**, we strongly recommend checking the height clearance in your device's manual—several users on Reddit noted the heatsink is too thick for ultra-thin notebooks. For PS5 use, you're good to go, just watch a quick installation video first.

Question 2

Will the 7100MB/s speed actually show up in my PC, or is that just a marketing number?**

Accepted Answer

That speed is real, but it's a "best-case scenario" number. You'll hit close to 7100MB/s only if your motherboard supports **PCIe Gen4** and your CPU routes storage through a Gen4-capable lane. If you have an older motherboard (like a B450 or X470), you'll be limited to Gen3 speeds (around 3500MB/s). Several users on YouTube reported seeing the full speed after enabling "Resizable BAR" in their BIOS—so double-check that setting if you think you're underperforming.

Question 3

The drive got warm during a long gaming session. Is this normal, or will it throttle and damage my console/PC?**

Accepted Answer

It's completely normal for this drive to run warm—it's a high-performance Gen4 drive. During 30+ minute file transfers, some users have seen it reach 70°C-75°C, which is within safe limits. The pre-installed heatsink does a decent job, but it's not a high-end copper cooler. If you're a heavy content creator, you might see slight speed drops after sustained writes, but for gaming and daily use, you won't notice any throttling. Many tech reviewers on Reddit confirmed this is thermal behavior expected from any Gen4 SSD.

Question 4

Is this the best 2TB SSD for my PS5, or should I spend extra on a Samsung 990 PRO or WD SN850X?**

Accepted Answer

If you're primarily a gamer, the P310 is excellent value. In blind tests, gamers cannot tell the difference between loading a game on this drive versus a Samsung 990 PRO—differences are measured in milliseconds. However, if you plan to use the drive for heavy video editing or massive sustained file transfers on PC, you might want the WD or Samsung, as they maintain peak write speeds longer. For PS5 users, the P310 offers nearly identical load times at a lower price point, which is why it has a 4.7-star rating.

Question 5

What happens if I lose the included screws or thermal pad? And what's the actual refund process like if I'm not satisfied?**

Accepted Answer

Losing the tiny M.2 screw is a common accident! Check the box thoroughly—Crucial includes one spare screw in the packaging. If you misplace it, any standard M.2 mounting screw (from Amazon or a PC repair shop) will fit. For the thermal pad, do **not** remove the pre-applied one—it's already on the heatsink. Regarding refunds: Crucial offers a 30-day return window via Amazon or their official store. Several TikTok reviewers mentioned the refund process is smooth, but you must return the SSD in its original packaging with the heatsink intact, and it must be in pristine condition. You'll also receive a prepaid shipping label if you initiated the return within 30 days of delivery.

Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 PS5 Internal Gaming SSD with Heatsink, Up to 7100MB/s, Compatible with PlayStation 5, Notebook and Desktop PC, SSD, CT2000P310SSD5-01

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