# Intel SSD 660P 1TB QLC NVMe Review (2026)

The Intel 660P 1TB is the mid-capacity model of Intel's first-generation QLC NVMe line, offering a balance of cost, capacity, and the 200 TBW endurance that makes it viable as a general-purpose drive.

Quick answer: The Intel 660P 1TB is an adequate budget NVMe SSD for read-heavy use cases like game libraries and media storage. Its 200 TBW endurance and 1,800 MB/s cached speeds are serviceable, but the 100 MB/s native QLC write speed and the aging SM2263 controller make it a poor choice for write-intensive tasks. The newer Intel 670P 1TB, with its 144-layer QLC, faster SM2265G controller, and 370 TBW endurance, is the better choice if available at a similar price. Budget TLC alternatives like the Kingston A2000 1TB offer more consistent write performance at comparable cost.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Silicon Motion 2263 |
| Memory type | Intel QLC |
| DRAM cache | Nanya 256MB DDR3 |
| Sequential read | 1800 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 1800 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 220000 |
| Random write IOPS | 220000 |
| Endurance | 200 TBW |
| MTBF | 1.6 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

Rated at up to 1,800 MB/s sequential reads and writes, the 660P 1 TB performs well within its SLC cache. The 12 GB minimum cache (140 GB maximum) is larger than the 512 GB model's, giving more headroom for burst writes. AnandTech measured native QLC write speed at roughly 100 MB/s after cache exhaustion on their 1 TB sample -- a dramatic drop from the cached 1,800 MB/s.

Random IOPS of 220,000 for both reads and writes are cached figures. Native QLC random performance is a small fraction of this. The SM2263 controller's 667 MT/s flash interface limits maximum throughput to about 2.4 GB/s, which explains why the 660P cannot reach the 3,500 MB/s that PCIe 3.0 x4 is theoretically capable of.

In everyday use -- booting, app launches, web browsing -- the SLC cache handles most operations and the 660P feels comparable to a budget TLC drive. The performance gap only appears during sustained writes, such as copying a large game or downloading a multi-gigabyte file.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Intel rates the 660P 1 TB at 200 TBW over its 5-year warranty, which equals roughly 110 GB of writes per day. At 0.1 drive writes per day, this is lower than the 0.3 DWPD typical of TLC drives, but for a budget QLC drive it is adequate for light to moderate consumer workloads. The 1.6 million hour MTBF is a population-level reliability statistic. Intel handles warranty service through its standard RMA process.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 1,800 MB/s sequential reads (SLC cached)
- 200 TBW endurance
- DRAM cache (256 MB Nanya DDR3)
- Single-sided M.2 2280 fits thin laptops
- 5-year warranty
- Low cost per GB
- 12 GB minimum SLC cache
**Cons:**

- QLC native write speed around 100 MB/s
- SM2263 controller capped at ~2.4 GB/s
- 0.1 DWPD, a third of TLC endurance
- Older 64-layer QLC, surpassed by 670P
- PCIe 3.0 only


## Verdict

The Intel 660P 1TB is an adequate budget NVMe SSD for read-heavy use cases like game libraries and media storage. Its 200 TBW endurance and 1,800 MB/s cached speeds are serviceable, but the 100 MB/s native QLC write speed and the aging SM2263 controller make it a poor choice for write-intensive tasks. The newer Intel 670P 1TB, with its 144-layer QLC, faster SM2265G controller, and 370 TBW endurance, is the better choice if available at a similar price. Budget TLC alternatives like the Kingston A2000 1TB offer more consistent write performance at comparable cost.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Intel 660P 1TB good for gaming?

Game loading is a read-heavy workload, and the 660P 1 TB reads at 1,800 MB/s from cache, which is fast enough for any current title. The 1 TB capacity holds the OS plus 15 to 20 AAA games. Installing games will trigger the QLC write penalty if the SLC cache is full, but once installed, performance is fine. For a budget gaming build, it works well.

### What is the TBW endurance of the Intel 660P 1TB?

The 1 TB model is rated at 200 TBW over its 5-year warranty, which is 0.1 drive writes per day. This translates to about 110 GB of daily writes. For typical consumer use with light to moderate write workloads, this is sufficient. Power users writing 100 GB or more daily should consider the 670P or a TLC drive with higher endurance.

### Does the Intel 660P 1TB have DRAM?

Yes. The 660P includes a 256 MB Nanya DDR3 DRAM chip for the flash translation layer. While smaller than the DRAM on higher-end drives, it provides a dedicated mapping table cache that helps maintain random I/O performance. This is one advantage the 660P has over fully DRAMless budget NVMe drives.

### How does the Intel 660P compare to the Crucial P1?

Both use the same Silicon Motion SM2263 controller and Intel/Micron 64-layer QLC NAND, with near-identical performance characteristics. The Crucial P1 is essentially a rebranded variant. Both share the same SLC caching strategy, native QLC write speeds around 100 MB/s, and 0.1 DWPD endurance. Choose whichever is cheaper at time of purchase.

### What happens when the SLC cache fills on the 660P 1TB?

Write speed drops from 1,800 MB/s to roughly 100 MB/s once the SLC cache is exhausted. The 1 TB model has a variable cache ranging from 12 GB on a full drive to 140 GB on an empty one. The cache is flushed to QLC during idle periods, so in typical consumer use with gaps between writes, it rarely fills completely.

### Is the Intel 660P 1TB compatible with PS5?

No. Sony requires PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs with at least 5,500 MB/s sequential reads. The 660P is a PCIe 3.0 QLC drive with 1,800 MB/s reads, well below Sony's requirement.

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Last updated: 2026-05-17. Source: https://ssdrive.net/intel-660p-1-tb