Crucial M550 512GB M.2 SSD Review

Today we test the Crucial CT512M550SSD4 M550 SSD with 512 GB capacity as M.2 2280 module. The Crucial M550 is available as M.2, mSATA and conventional 2.5-inch SATA SSD with a capacity of 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB up to 1 TB. After the review of the award winning Crucial M550 512 GB 2.5-inch SSD and the test of a powerful M.2 PCIe SSD, we will evaluate now how good the M.2 implementation is managed by this Crucial M550 512 GB SSD.

Thanks for the support …

Many thanks for the support with the Crucial M550 512GB M.2 SSD by the manufacturer Crucial.

The Crucial M550 512GB M.2 2280 SSD CT512M550SSD4 has at review date a price of approx. 240 Euro.

The Crucial M550 SSD series contains at present the following types:SATA SSD: Crucial M550 128GB CT128M550SSD1, 256GB CT256M550SSD1, 512GB CT512M550SSD1, 1TB CT1024M550SSD1mSATA SSD: Crucial M550 128GB CT128M550SSD3, 256GB CT256M550SSD3, 512GB CT512M550SSD3M.2 SSD: Crucial M550 128GB CT128M550SSD4, 256GB CT256M550SSD4 und 512GB CT512M550SSD4 According to Micron there the M550 SSDs with 64 GB capacity (MTFDDAK064MAY, MTFDDAT064MAY und MTFDDAV064MAY).

The performance of most SSDs alters depending on the capacity. A higher capacity of the Crucial M550 SSD has a higher write performance, whereby already the 256 GB M550 has the high 550 MB/s read performance and the 500 MB/s write performance.

Here you can buy the Crucial M550 SSD. *Ad

The supply of the Crucial M550 512GB M.2 SSD …

In this box comes the tiny Crucial M550 M.2 SSD:

The plastic packaging can be opened easily by pressing the back part backwards. This is exemplary blister packaging can be closed again without any problems:

That is contained in the delivery …

The Crucial M550 M.2 SSD CT512M550SSD4 is delivered without additional accessories.

The following image shows the front of the Crucial M.2 M550 512 GB SSD with some technical data such as the voltage of 3.3V and the installed firmware version MU01. On the right side you can see the M.2 contacts. On the front side are some of the Micron NAND modules, the 512 MB LPDDR2 cache module and the new Marwell 88SS9189 controller IC. The M2 SSD also offers a Microsoft eDrive compatible, built-in 256-bit AES encryption (TCG Opal 2.0 and IEEE 1667), which allows a hardware encryption with an appropriate UEFI hardware equipment and Microsoft Windows 8 or Microsoft Windows Server 2012 with BitLocker enabled:

On the flipside you can you can see the remaining two 20nm Micron NAND modules:

This Crucial M550 512 GB CT512M550SSD4 M.2 SSD works like the Crucial M550 512 GB 2.5″ SSD with the m.2 SATA 6 GB/s standard and not like the recently tested Plextor M6e SSD with the M.2 PCIe standard.

Who like to know more about M.2 SATA, M.2 PCIe, 2280, Gen2x2, etc. should necessarily take a look here in the Plextor M6e review, where we all formats, connection types and speed rates of the new M.2 standards are explained.

We help if you have questions on this topic and all other questions anytime 24/7 in our PC Forum.