Micron is one of the major manufacturers of solid state drives (SSDs) and DRAM memory. Their consumer SSD lines include the Crucial and Ballistix brands. Micron drives are generally well-regarded in the market, competing with top brands like Samsung and Western Digital. However, are Micron drives actually good quality and worth buying? Here is an in-depth look at Micron drives, their pros and cons, performance benchmarks, and how they compare to other top SSD brands.
Micron Drive Overview
Micron Technology is a large American company that manufactures DRAM memory and NAND flash storage. Their Crucial and Ballistix brands offer consumer SSDs, using Micron’s in-house 3D NAND flash and controllers. Some key things to know about Micron drives:
– Use Micron’s own 3D NAND flash memory and SSD controllers, manufactured in-house. This gives Micron tight vertical integration and control over components.
– Offer a range of SATA and NVMe drives for consumers and businesses, with budget to high-end models.
– Have a focus on value, with competitive pricing on performance drives. Their prices are often lower than Samsung and WD equivalents.
– Specialize in client/consumer SSDs, unlike Samsung which also has enterprise drives. Micron does make enterprise SSDs but under their Lexar brand.
– Manufacturing and assembly is done in Micron’s own fabs and factories. They have their own semiconductor fabrication plants.
– Headquarters and main operations are in Boise, Idaho USA. Many of their SSDs are designed and made in the USA.
– Provide a 5 year warranty on most of their Crucial and Ballistix drives, matching top brands. This shows confidence in reliability.
Micron SSD Reliability
One of the most important traits of a quality SSD is reliability. Solid state drives that fail prematurely or lose data can cause major headaches. So how reliable are Micron’s drives?
Several factors point towards Micron SSDs having fairly good reliability:
– **Tight component integration** – Because Micron makes its own NAND and SSD controllers, it can optimize them to work together smoothly. Competitors often mix and match components from different suppliers.
– **Quality NAND** – Micron is one of the top 3 NAND flash manufacturers along with Samsung and SK Hynix. Their 3D NAND fabrication process delivers high quality and endurance.
– **Extensive validation** – Micron does substantial validation testing over thousands of hours on its SSDs before release. This helps weed out issues.
– **Long warranties** – The 5 year warranty coverage on most Micron drives is on par with Samsung and WD’s warranties, showing confidence.
– **Positive customer experiences** – While there are some complaints, the overall sentiment of Crucial and Ballistix owners regarding reliability seems positive. Not abnormally high failure rates.
Independent third-party testing also indicates Micron SSDs have fairly decent reliability:
– **Backblaze** – In their hard drive stats reports, Micron/Crucial SSDs have decent annualized failure rates around 1.5%, similar to Samsung and WD drives.
– **Lab testing** – Reviews and lab endurance tests don’t reveal any glaring reliability problems on Micron drives. They seem to meet rated write endurance specs under heavy workloads.
No SSD brand is perfect or immune from failures though. All have a small percentage that fail early. But overall Micron SSDs appear to have competitive reliability.
Micron SSD Performance
Micron targets the mid-range to high-end SSD market. Their drives generally deliver very good performance numbers in benchmarks and real world usage. A few performance highlights:
– **NVMe models** – Micron’s NVMe solid state drives like the P5 and P5 Plus boast extremely fast sequential read/write speeds up to 7000/6850 MB/s along with high 4K random IOPS, competing with top Samsung and WD models.
– **Excellent mix of metrics** – Micron SSDs don’t just excel at one metric. They deliver well-balanced performance with fast sequentials, 4K random IOPS, and low latency.
– **Good real world usage** – Reviews show Micron SSDs handle heavy workloads and multitasking smoothly thanks to the snappy performance. Game and app load times are very quick.
Here is a table comparing performance specs of some current Micron NVMe SSDs versus competitors:
| SSD Model | Sequential Read | Sequential Write | 4K Random Read | 4K Random Write |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crucial P5 Plus 1TB | 6650 MB/s | 4000 MB/s | 630K IOPS | 700K IOPS |
| Samsung 980 Pro 1TB | 7000 MB/s | 5000 MB/s | 1000K IOPS | 1000K IOPS |
| WD Black SN850 1TB | 7000 MB/s | 5300 MB/s | 1000K IOPS | 880K IOPS |
As you can see, the specs of Micron’s top models like the P5 Plus are very close to the Samsung 980 Pro and WD Black SN850 which are considered two of the fastest consumer NVMe SSDs. While Samsung edges out in max performance, Micron delivers excellent real world speed.
Micron’s SATA SSDs also provide snappy responsiveness and quick access times compared to hard drives, although not as blazing fast as NVMe. Overall their performance is very competitive.
Micron SSD Value
One of Micron’s biggest strengths lies in providing good value. Their SSDs are often priced lower than competing drives with similar grades of performance from Samsung, WD, and others.
For example, the 1TB Crucial P5 Plus NVMe SSD has an MSRP around $120. Comparable drives like the Samsung 980 Pro, WD Black SN850, and Seagate FireCuda 530 all cost between $150 to $180. So the P5 Plus gives you top-tier NVMe speeds for noticeably cheaper.
Micron is able to leverage their component vertical integration and large economies of scale to be very cost competitive. As one of the largest memory and storage manufacturers, they can keep costs down. Lower costs are passed down giving consumers better prices compared to other brands.
The performance-to-price ratio on Micron SSDs stands out as a key reason to consider them when buying an SSD on a budget. You get excellent speeds and features without overpaying.
Micron SSD Capacity Options
Micron offers their Crucial and Ballistix SSDs in a wide range of storage capacities:
– **NVMe SSDs** – Their top NVMe drive ranges include 250GB up to 4TB models. The P5 Plus for instance comes in 500GB to 2TB capacities currently.
– **SATA SSDs** – Entry-level SATA drives start at 120GB up to 4TB options on some models. The MX500 ranges from 250GB to 2TB.
– **NVMe PCIe add-in-cards** – For servers and workstations, Micron sells NVMe AIC SSDs with massive 16TB capacities in the P420m series.
– **M.2 form factors** – Most Micron consumer SSDs use the compact M.2 form factor to fit in laptops and desktops, available in 2230, 2240, 2260, 2280 lengths.
– **2.5-inch SSDs** – Some SATA models come in standard 2.5-inch drive form factors. These are less common as M.2 has become predominant in client devices.
With capacities from 250GB up to 16TB, Micron SSDs can meet the needs of both mainstream and high-end users. Lower capacities are great for budget builds while 4TB+ models are ideal for hardcore gamers and creative pros needing tons of blazing fast storage.
Micron SSD Software
Micron offers two software utilities to use alongside their SSDs:
– **Crucial Storage Executive** – This lets you update firmware, monitor drive health stats like temps and TBW usage, secure erase the SSD, and clone drives. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
– **Momentum Cache** – Uses a portion of Micron SSD space as cache to accelerate access to traditional hard drives. Only for Windows currently.
The software is straightforward and user friendly. It’s similar to the toolkit utilities that Samsung, WD, and others provide. Handy for firmware updates, erasing, and drive monitoring.
However the software is optional, Micron SSDs will work fine plugged in and used without installing it. The drives don’t require any special software.
Micron SSD Security
Data security is crucial for many SSD users. Micron SSDs provide these security features:
– **AES-256 encryption** – Hardware encryption meets the AES 256-bit standard to protect against unauthorized access if drives are lost or stolen.
– **TCG Opal 2.0** – Supports TCG Opal management software for full disk encryption and added security layers on enterprise and business-class SSDs.
– **Self-encrypting drives** – Options like the P420m AIC SSD come with built-in hardware encryption so no need for third party software.
– **Secure erase** – SSDs can be instantaneously erased via the Crucial Storage Executive tool or using instant secure erase commands.
– **Firmware signed by Micron** – Prevents malware from loading compromised firmware onto the drives.
With full disk encryption, instant secure erase capabilities, and firmware protections, Micron SSDs provide data security on par with other leading brands. The drives can be used in sensitive corporate and government deployments.
Micron SSD Power Efficiency
SSDs are generally low power devices, especially compared to traditional hard drives. But some are more efficient than others. Micron SSDs shine when it comes to power efficiency:
– **Low active power draw** – During active operation, Micron SSDs sip just 2-5W. Competitors often use a similar amount of power.
– **Extremely low idle power** – When idle, Micron drives draw as little as 30-50mW. This is among the lowest in the SSD market.
– **Aggressive power management** – The SSDs quickly enter low power states when not active. This reduces energy use over time.
– **Efficient components** – Micron has optimized their SSD architecture including the controller and firmware for low power. Their 3D NAND is also efficient.
For desktops and especially laptops, Micron’s drives are very power friendly. Their efficiency helps preserve battery runtimes on mobile devices. It also keeps energy bills down and reduces environmental impact.
Micron SSD Compatibility
Micron SSDs are widely compatible with different platforms:
– **Desktop PCs** – All current Crucial and Ballistix SSDs work with Windows desktops with a SATA port or M.2 slot. Many also work with Linux and Mac desktops. NVMe SSDs require NVMe support.
– **Laptops** – The M.2 form factor makes their SSDs compatible with most laptops produced in the last 5+ years. Micron also sells legacy 2.5-inch SSDs for older laptops.
– **Macs** – Recent MacBooks and iMacs with M.2 slots or 2.5-inch bays can use Micron SSDs. Drivers available for macOS.
– **Consoles** – Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S can be upgraded with certain compatible Micron NVMe SSDs.
– **Servers** – Micron sells enterprise SSDs for servers including SAS, SATA, and NVMe U.2 models. The P420m adds NVMe flash to PCIe slots.
Overall Micron SSDs work with all the major desktop and laptop platforms. Just check that your system has the right connector type and form factor support.
Micron SSD Pros and Cons
Let’s summarize the key advantages and disadvantages of Micron solid state drives:
**Pros:**
– Very good performance on par with top Samsung and WD drives
– Lower prices and better value than many competitors
– Excellent reliability with 5 year warranties, validation testing
– Mature 3D NAND manufacturing and vertical integration
– Leading power efficiency especially when idle
– Wide range of capacities from 250GB to 16TB
– Compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, PS5, Xbox
**Cons:**
– Brand recognition lags behind Samsung and WD
– Peak performance occasionally trails top Samsung NVMe drives
– Mostly consumer focused, fewer enterprise and niche drives
– Software tools not as refined as Samsung Magician
– Older SATA drives not as fast as modern NVMe
Overall the pros seem to outweigh the cons for most buyers. Micron SSDs deliver great bang for buck.
Conclusion
Micron makes high performing, reliable, and affordable SSDs that compete directly with top brands like Samsung and WD. Their excellent NAND and controller integration allows for well-rounded SSDs.
Performance is very quick and on par with the fastest consumer NVMe drives. At the same time, Micron SSDs offer competitive pricing that stretches your dollar further. Reliability and endurance hold up well against rigorous use and testing.
For a quality NVMe or SATA SSD that provides great value without major compromises, Micron drives like the P5 Plus and MX500 are definitely worth considering. They work very well for gaming rigs, photo/video editing, general upgrades from hard drives, and other usage.
While Samsung leads in brand recognition and bleeding edge performance, Micron SSDs deliver excellent real world speeds for less money. For many PC build budgets, that combination of fast performance and value makes their drives a compelling choice over other brands.
