Intel 665P 1TB — Second-Gen QLC NVMe SSD (2026)
The Intel 665P 1TB is Intel's second-generation QLC NVMe drive, upgrading to 96-layer NAND for better performance and 50% higher endurance over the 660P.
Controller & Memory
The Intel 665P 1TB uses the Silicon Motion SM2263EN controller with Intel 96-layer 3D QLC NAND and DDR3L DRAM. It is a PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe 1.3 drive in the M.2 2280 form factor. The 665P was Intel's follow-up to the 660P, arriving in late 2019 with a focus on improved endurance and a refined dynamic SLC cache.
The 665P is available in 1TB and 2TB capacities only — Intel dropped the 512GB option, recognizing that QLC's endurance limitations are most pronounced at smaller capacities. The 1TB model is rated at 300 TBW, a 50% improvement over the 660P 1TB's 200 TBW. The 2TB model is rated at 600 TBW.
Sequential performance is rated at up to 2,000 MB/s reads and 2,000 MB/s writes, with 250K IOPS for both reads and writes. These numbers are modestly better than the 660P and position the 665P as a mainstream QLC option. Intel backs it with a 5-year warranty.
The 96-layer QLC NAND provides better density and performance than the 660P's 64-layer QLC. The SM2263EN controller supports a dynamic SLC cache that grows and shrinks based on available free space, improving both performance and endurance compared to the fixed-cache approach of the 660P. TweakTown's testing showed the 665P writing a 100GB mixed-file transfer 2.85x faster than the 660P.
Key rivals include the Intel 670P (newer, faster, similar price), the Crucial P3 1TB (similar QLC tier), and the WD Blue SN570 1TB (TLC, faster, 5-year warranty). The 665P has been discontinued and replaced by the 670P, making it primarily a used-market option.
Storage Comparisons:
665P Performance & Benchmarks
The Intel 665P 1TB is rated at up to 2,000 MB/s sequential reads and 2,000 MB/s sequential writes, with random performance up to 250K IOPS for both reads and writes. These represent a modest improvement over the 660P's 1,800/1,800 MB/s, with the biggest gains in mixed workloads and sustained writes.
Intel 665P 1 TB vs M.2 3.0 x 4 peers
Switch between sequential throughput and random IOPS to see how this drive stacks up against other M.2 3.0 x 4 SSDs in our database. The highlighted bar is the drive on this page — click any other bar to open that drive.
- ADATA SX 8800 Pro 512 GB: 3,500 MB/s read, 2,700 MB/s write
- ADATA SX 8800 Pro 1 TB: 3,500 MB/s read, 2,700 MB/s write
- ADATA XPG Spectrix S40G RGB 256 GB: 3,500 MB/s read, 3,000 MB/s write
- ADATA XPG Spectrix S40G RGB 512 GB: 3,500 MB/s read, 3,000 MB/s write
- Intel 665P 1 TB (this drive): 2,000 MB/s read, 2,000 MB/s write
The dynamic SLC cache is the 665P's key improvement over the 660P. The cache scales based on free space, providing more burst write headroom on partially-filled drives. TweakTown's testing showed the 665P completing a 100GB mixed-file write 2.85x faster than the 660P — a significant real-world improvement. Game level loading times were also competitive with TLC drives.
After the SLC cache exhausts, direct-to-QLC write speeds drop to roughly 185-320 MB/s depending on the workload. This is better than the 660P's ~100-150 MB/s but still a noticeable limitation for large file transfers. For typical consumer workloads — OS boot, application launches, game installs — the cache handles the majority of writes without issue.
The 665P draws 100 mW active and 40 mW idle, making it power-efficient for laptop use. The single-sided PCB (at 1TB) is compatible with thin-and-light laptops.
Intel 665P vs Competitors
See how the 665P stacks up against other M.2 3.0 x 4 drives in our database:
Compare with rival drives:
Endurance, TBW & Warranty
Intel backs the 665P 1TB with a 5-year limited warranty and a 300 TBW endurance rating. The 300 TBW is a 50% improvement over the 660P 1TB's 200 TBW, reflecting the 96-layer NAND's improved endurance characteristics. At 30 GB of writes per day, that translates to roughly 27 years of theoretical endurance. The 5-year warranty is the practical limiting factor.
Intel 665P 1 TB Specifications
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity [?] | 1 TB |
| Interface [?] | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller [?] | Silicon Motion SM2263EN |
| Memory type [?] | Intel 96L 3D QLC |
| DRAM [?] | DDR3L |
| Read speed (MB/s) [?] | 2000 |
| Write speed (MB/s) [?] | 2000 |
| Read IOPS [?] | 250000 |
| Write IOPS [?] | 250000 |
| Endurance (TBW) [?] | 300 |
| MTBF (million hours) [?] | 1200000 |
| Warranty (years) [?] | 5 |
Verdict: Is the 665P Worth It in 2026?
The Intel 665P 1TB is a competent QLC NVMe drive that improved on the 660P's weaknesses with better endurance and a more flexible SLC cache. However, it has been discontinued and replaced by the significantly faster 670P. The 665P only makes sense as a used-market find at a discount. For a similar price, the Intel 670P 1TB offers 3,500/2,700 MB/s speeds and 370 TBW — making it the clearly superior choice for new purchases.
+ Pros
- 5-year warranty
- 300 TBW endurance — 50% better than 660P
- Dynamic SLC cache improves burst writes
- 2,000/2,000 MB/s sequential speeds
- Power efficient — 100 mW active
- Cons
- Discontinued — replaced by 670P
- Sustained write speed drops after cache exhaustion
- Outclassed by 670P at similar price
- Only available in 1TB and 2TB
- QLC NAND limits write-heavy workloads
Buy this or similar SSD Storage:
Video Review
Intel 665P NVMe SSD vs Intel 660P NVMe SSD
