SK Hynix Gold P31
PCIe M.2 · PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 1.3 · SK Hynix Cepheus
Specifications
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe 1.3 |
|---|---|
| Controller | SK Hynix Cepheus |
| NAND Type | SK Hynix 128-layer 3D TLC |
| DRAM Cache | LPDDR4 |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Seq Read | 3,500 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 3,200 MB/s |
| Endurance | 250 TBW |
| Seq Read | 3,500 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 3,200 MB/s |
| Endurance | 750 TBW |
| Seq Read | 3,500 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 3,200 MB/s |
| Endurance | 1200 TBW |
Overview
SK Hynix has long been one of the major NAND and DRAM manufacturers, but has never been particularly active with direct-to-consumer products. The Gold P31, released in 2020, is a fully vertically integrated PCIe 3.0 NVMe drive – SK Hynix designed both the Cepheus controller and the 128-layer 3D TLC NAND used in the drive. It is notable for high TBW endurance ratings relative to its class: 750 TBW for the 1TB model exceeds several competing PCIe 3.0 drives at the same capacity.
Sequential read and write top out at 3,500 and 3,200 MB/s respectively across all three capacity SKUs (500GB, 1TB, 2TB), with only minor variations. Power efficiency was a consistent finding in reviews, with the P31 drawing less active and idle power than many competitors. The drive includes a DRAM cache (LPDDR4).
The P31 was effectively succeeded by the PCIe 4.0 SK Hynix Platinum P41 in 2022.
Reviews
-
“The SK Hynix Gold P31 offers top-tier performance for a surprisingly affordable price. This one comes highly recommended.”
-
“The SK Hynix drive is very impressive. It offers class-leading performance, efficiency, and thermals.”
-
“The SK hynix Gold P31 at first glance seems to be a fairly ordinary high-end NVMe drive, albeit still limited to PCIe 3.0 speeds. It offers well-rounded performance but sets few performance records for this market segment.”