# Corsair MP600 GS 500GB: Mid-Range DRAM-less NVMe (2026)

The Corsair MP600 GS 500GB is a DRAM-less, mid-range PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD rated for 4,800 MB/s reads, positioned below Corsair's flagship MP600 Elite and Pro NH lines.

Quick answer: The MP600 GS 500GB suits budget builders who want a Corsair-branded PCIe 4.0 boot drive backed by a full 5-year warranty and don't need flagship-tier speed. Buyers who want stronger real-world benchmark results should look at Corsair's own DRAM-less MP600 Elite instead, which independent reviews rate more highly despite a similar DRAM-less design. The Crucial P3 Plus and WD Blue SN580 are close budget alternatives at this capacity with their own independent review track records. For a no-frills, Corsair-branded PCIe 4.0 boot drive with a full warranty, the MP600 GS 500GB is a reasonable, if unremarkable, pick.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 500 GB |
| Interface | M.2 4.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Phison PS5021-E21T 4 Channel |
| Memory type | Micron 176-L TLC |
| DRAM cache | No |
| Sequential read | 4800 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 3500 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 450000 |
| Random write IOPS | 700000 |
| Endurance | 300 TBW |
| MTBF | 1500000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

The 500GB MP600 GS is rated for 4,800 MB/s sequential reads and 3,500 MB/s sequential writes, with random performance rated at 450,000 IOPS reading and 700,000 IOPS writing, all lower than the 1TB capacity in the same line. Independent reviews of the larger 2TB MP600 GS found its real-world performance workmanlike rather than exceptional, sometimes trailing other DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 drives in mixed benchmark suites, so buyers should treat this line as a value-tier option rather than a performance pick.

Like other DRAM-less TLC drives, the MP600 GS leans on an SLC write cache and Host Memory Buffer to hit its rated write speed; once a sustained write outruns that cache, throughput drops toward native TLC write speed, and at 500GB that cache is proportionally smaller than on larger capacities in the line. Corsair doesn't publish the exact cache size. For everyday use, boot times and light gaming should feel comparable to pricier drives despite the lower rated numbers, since those workloads rarely sustain long enough to expose the difference.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

The 500GB MP600 GS carries a 300 TBW endurance rating and a full 5-year warranty, matching the warranty length of Corsair's pricier MP600 Elite and Pro NH lines despite the lower price point. At a realistic consumer workload of 20 to 30GB written per day, appropriate for a 500GB boot drive, 300 TBW takes roughly 27 to 41 years to exhaust, comfortably outlasting the 5-year warranty window. Corsair's official spec sheet for this capacity does not publish an MTBF figure, so treat any population-level reliability number from third-party listings as an estimate rather than a Corsair-confirmed spec.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 4,800 MB/s sequential reads on PCIe 4.0
- Full 5-year warranty matching pricier Corsair lines
- 300 TBW endurance rating
- Low power draw from DRAM-less design
- Fits thin laptops without extra cooling
**Cons:**

- Write speed and IOPS trail the 1TB and 2TB
- Mixed independent benchmark results for the line
- No onboard DRAM for mapping tables
- Write speed tapers once SLC cache fills
- No published MTBF figure from Corsair


## Verdict

The MP600 GS 500GB suits budget builders who want a Corsair-branded PCIe 4.0 boot drive backed by a full 5-year warranty and don't need flagship-tier speed. Buyers who want stronger real-world benchmark results should look at Corsair's own DRAM-less MP600 Elite instead, which independent reviews rate more highly despite a similar DRAM-less design. The Crucial P3 Plus and WD Blue SN580 are close budget alternatives at this capacity with their own independent review track records. For a no-frills, Corsair-branded PCIe 4.0 boot drive with a full warranty, the MP600 GS 500GB is a reasonable, if unremarkable, pick.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Corsair MP600 GS 500GB good for gaming?

It works for light gaming and as a boot drive, with PCIe 4.0 read speeds fast enough for quick game loads. Independent reviews of the larger 2TB MP600 GS found its real-world performance middling compared to other PCIe 4.0 drives, so buyers chasing the fastest game load times should look elsewhere.

### Does the Corsair MP600 GS have a DRAM cache?

No. It's a DRAM-less design across the whole capacity range, using Host Memory Buffer to borrow a portion of system RAM for mapping tables instead of an onboard DRAM chip. This is the main way Corsair keeps the MP600 GS priced below its DRAM-equipped MP600 Pro NH line.

### Is the Corsair MP600 GS 500GB compatible with the PS5?

Sony requires PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage rated at 5,500 MB/s or faster reads. The MP600 GS 500GB's 4,800 MB/s rating falls short of that threshold, so it's not a suitable PS5 expansion drive; Corsair's own MP600 Elite or Pro NH lines are better suited for that use case.

### What is the TBW endurance of the MP600 GS 500GB?

The 500GB model is rated for 300 TBW, backed by a full 5-year warranty. For a boot-drive workload writing 20 to 30GB per day, that endurance rating would take roughly 27 to 41 years to exhaust, comfortably outlasting the warranty period.

### Does the MP600 GS 500GB need a heatsink?

No. Its lower write speed compared to larger capacities in the line generates less sustained heat, and the single-sided, DRAM-less design runs cool enough for most desktop and laptop installs without a dedicated heatsink. A basic motherboard M.2 cover still helps in cases with limited airflow.

### How does the 500GB compare to the 1TB and 2TB MP600 GS?

The 500GB is rated lower across the board: 3,500 MB/s writes and 450,000/700,000 random IOPS, versus the 1TB's 3,900 MB/s writes and 580,000/800,000 IOPS. Endurance also scales up with capacity, from 300 TBW at 500GB to 600 TBW at 1TB.

### How does the Corsair MP600 GS compare to the Crucial P3 Plus?

Both are budget-to-mid DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 drives with broadly similar pricing and target buyers at this capacity. Independent reviews of the MP600 GS line have been mixed on real-world performance, so buyers should compare current independent benchmarks for both drives rather than assuming the Corsair name guarantees an edge.

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Last updated: 2026-08-01. Source: https://ssdrive.net/corsair-mp600-gs-500-gb