# Intel SSD 660P 2TB QLC NVMe Review (2026)

The Intel 660P 2TB is the largest capacity in Intel's first-generation QLC NVMe line, offering the most generous SLC cache and the highest endurance of the series for bulk NVMe storage at budget pricing.

Quick answer: The Intel 660P 2TB is a budget bulk-storage NVMe SSD best suited for read-heavy use cases like media libraries, game archives, and general file storage. The 400 TBW endurance and large SLC cache make it the best value in the 660P lineup. For write-intensive workloads, a TLC NVMe drive or the newer Intel 670P 2TB (740 TBW, faster controller) is the better investment. At the right price, the 660P 2TB works well as secondary storage, but it should not be the primary drive for a system that sees frequent large writes.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 2 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 | 400 TBW |
| MTBF | 1.6 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

The 2 TB 660P shares the same 1,800 MB/s rated read and write speeds as the rest of the series. The advantage of the 2 TB model is its large SLC cache (up to 280 GB on an empty drive), which means most consumer write workloads stay within the cached region and never hit native QLC speed. When the cache does fill, AnandTech measured roughly 100 MB/s sustained writes on the 1 TB model, and the 2 TB should be similar or slightly better due to more NAND dies.

The SM2263 controller's 667 MT/s flash interface caps maximum throughput at around 2.4 GB/s, which is why the 660P cannot reach the PCIe 3.0 x4 theoretical limit of roughly 3.9 GB/s. This is a hardware limitation that no firmware update can overcome.

Random IOPS of 220,000 are cached figures. In real-world desktop use, the large cache means the 2 TB model performs closer to its rated numbers than the smaller capacities, because it is less likely to exhaust the cache during normal operations.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Intel rates the 660P 2 TB at 400 TBW over its 5-year warranty period, which equals roughly 219 GB of writes per day. At 0.1 drive writes per day, this is still below the 0.3 DWPD typical of TLC drives, but 400 TBW on a 2 TB drive is adequate for most consumer workloads. The 1.6 million hour MTBF is a population-level reliability metric. Intel handles warranty claims through its standard RMA process.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 2 TB capacity at low cost per GB
- 400 TBW endurance rating
- Up to 280 GB SLC cache on empty drive
- DRAM cache (256 MB Nanya DDR3)
- Single-sided M.2 2280 fits thin laptops
- 5-year warranty
**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 2TB is a budget bulk-storage NVMe SSD best suited for read-heavy use cases like media libraries, game archives, and general file storage. The 400 TBW endurance and large SLC cache make it the best value in the 660P lineup. For write-intensive workloads, a TLC NVMe drive or the newer Intel 670P 2TB (740 TBW, faster controller) is the better investment. At the right price, the 660P 2TB works well as secondary storage, but it should not be the primary drive for a system that sees frequent large writes.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Intel 660P 2TB good for gaming?

Game loading is read-heavy, and the 660P 2 TB handles reads at 1,800 MB/s from cache. The 2 TB capacity holds the OS plus 40 or more AAA titles. The large 280 GB SLC cache means game installations usually stay within cached speeds. For a budget gaming build with a large library, it offers good value.

### What is the TBW endurance of the Intel 660P 2TB?

The 2 TB model is rated at 400 TBW over its 5-year warranty, which is 0.1 drive writes per day. This equals about 219 GB of writes daily. For a 2 TB drive used primarily for reading (game libraries, media), this is more than adequate. Heavy write workloads would benefit from a TLC drive with higher DWPD.

### How does the Intel 660P 2TB compare to the 670P 2TB?

The 670P is better in every metric: 3,500 vs 1,800 MB/s reads, 2,700 vs 1,800 MB/s writes, 740 vs 400 TBW endurance, and a much faster controller (SM2265G vs SM2263). The 670P also uses 144-layer QLC with better native write performance. If the price difference is small, the 670P is the clear upgrade. The 660P only makes sense at a significant discount.

### Does the Intel 660P 2TB have DRAM?

Yes. The 660P includes a 256 MB Nanya DDR3 DRAM chip for the flash translation layer. While this is less DRAM per GB than higher-end drives (which typically use 1 GB per 1 TB), it provides a dedicated mapping cache that helps random I/O consistency.

### What happens when the SLC cache fills on the 660P 2TB?

The 2 TB model has a variable SLC cache ranging from 24 GB on a full drive to 280 GB when mostly empty. Once the cache fills, writes drop to native QLC speed of roughly 100 MB/s. With 280 GB of cache on an empty drive, most consumer transfers will complete before exhausting it. Heavy sustained writes (large video files, disk cloning) will exceed the cache and expose the slow native speed.

### Is the Intel 660P 2TB 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 for the expansion slot.

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Last updated: 2026-05-17. Source: https://ssdrive.net/intel-660p-2-tb