# Intel SSD 670P 2TB QLC NVMe Review (2026)

The Intel 670P 2TB is the flagship capacity of Intel's QLC NVMe line, pairing 144-layer QLC flash with the SM2265G controller for read speeds that rival mainstream TLC drives and enough endurance for serious daily use.

Quick answer: The Intel 670P 2TB is the best capacity in Intel's QLC lineup and the one that makes the most sense for budget-focused buyers who need bulk storage. Read speeds match mainstream TLC NVMe drives, the 740 TBW endurance is generous, and the 2 TB capacity handles OS, applications, and a large game library in one drive. The QLC write penalty after cache exhaustion is the main compromise. Against TLC alternatives like the Kingston KC2500 2 TB, the 670P wins on price per GB but loses on sustained write consistency. Choose based on workload: read-heavy users will not notice the QLC trade-off.

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Capacity | 2 TB |
| Interface | M.2 3.0 x 4 |
| Controller | Silicon Motion SM2265G |
| Memory type | Intel 144L 3D QLC |
| DRAM cache | Nanya 256MB DDR3L |
| Sequential read | 3500 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 2700 MB/s |
| Random read IOPS | 310000 |
| Random write IOPS | 340000 |
| Endurance | 740 TBW |
| MTBF | 1200000 |
| Warranty | 5 years |

## Performance

At 3,500 MB/s sequential reads and 2,700 MB/s writes, the 2 TB 670P effectively saturates the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface. These numbers are nearly identical to mainstream TLC NVMe drives, a testament to how far QLC has come since the 660P. Random IOPS reach 310,000 reads and 340,000 writes, both strong figures.

AnandTech tested the 2 TB model extensively and found it competitive with TLC drives in real-world trace benchmarks when the SLC cache was available. The review noted that the 670P \"owes most of its improved performance to the upgraded SSD controller\" -- the SM2265G's faster interface to the flash eliminates the 2.4 GB/s bottleneck that limited the older SM2263.

The QLC limitation persists under sustained writes. Once the 280 GB SLC cache is exhausted on a full drive (minimum cache: 24 GB), write speed drops to native QLC rates. For typical consumer workloads with idle periods, this is rarely encountered. For users who regularly write hundreds of gigabytes in one session, a TLC drive is still the better tool.

## Endurance, TBW & Warranty

Intel rates the 670P 2 TB at 740 TBW over its 5-year warranty, which equates to roughly 405 GB of writes per day. At 0.2 drive writes per day, this is a significant improvement over the 660P's 400 TBW at the same capacity and approaches the endurance class of mainstream TLC drives. A typical consumer writing 30 to 50 GB daily would need decades to reach this limit. Warranty service goes through Intel's standard RMA process.

## Pros and Cons

**Pros:**

- 3,500 MB/s sequential reads
- 2,700 MB/s sequential writes
- 740 TBW endurance rating
- Up to 280 GB SLC cache on empty drive
- DRAM cache (256 MB Nanya DDR3L)
- Single-sided M.2 2280 fits thin laptops
- 310,000 random read IOPS
**Cons:**

- QLC write speed drops after SLC cache fills
- PCIe 3.0 only, no PCIe 4.0
- 0.2 DWPD endurance lower than TLC (0.3 DWPD)
- 24 GB minimum SLC cache on full drives
- No hardware encryption listed


## Verdict

The Intel 670P 2TB is the best capacity in Intel's QLC lineup and the one that makes the most sense for budget-focused buyers who need bulk storage. Read speeds match mainstream TLC NVMe drives, the 740 TBW endurance is generous, and the 2 TB capacity handles OS, applications, and a large game library in one drive. The QLC write penalty after cache exhaustion is the main compromise. Against TLC alternatives like the Kingston KC2500 2 TB, the 670P wins on price per GB but loses on sustained write consistency. Choose based on workload: read-heavy users will not notice the QLC trade-off.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is the Intel 670P 2TB good for gaming?

Yes. The 670P 2 TB reads at 3,500 MB/s with 310,000 random read IOPS, which is fast enough for any current game. The 2 TB capacity holds the OS plus 40 or more AAA titles. Game load times are indistinguishable from TLC NVMe drives because the QLC limitation only affects writes, not reads. Game installations will be slower during large downloads.

### What is the TBW endurance of the Intel 670P 2TB?

The 2 TB model is rated at 740 TBW, which is 0.2 drive writes per day over 5 years. This translates to approximately 405 GB of writes daily. That is 85% more endurance than the 660P at the same capacity (400 TBW) and approaches the endurance levels of mainstream TLC drives. For any consumer workload, this rating provides a wide margin.

### Does the Intel 670P 2TB have DRAM?

Yes. The 670P includes a 256 MB Nanya DDR3L DRAM chip dedicated to the flash translation layer. This is a proper DRAM cache that helps maintain mapping table performance and consistent random I/O, which is particularly beneficial for QLC drives where native flash access is slower than TLC.

### How does the Intel 670P 2TB compare to the Crucial P3 2TB?

Both are QLC NVMe SSDs at 2 TB. The 670P uses Intel's 144-layer QLC with the SM2265G controller, while the Crucial P3 uses Micron QLC with the Phison E21T controller. Read speeds are similar, but the 670P has DRAM cache whereas some P3 capacities are DRAMless. The 670P also has higher rated endurance. In practice, both drives show similar QLC write behavior once the cache fills.

### Is the Intel 670P 2TB compatible with PS5?

No. Sony requires PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs with at least 5,500 MB/s sequential reads. The 670P is a PCIe 3.0 drive with 3,500 MB/s reads, which falls below Sony's minimum specification for the expansion slot.

### Is the Intel 670P good for video editing?

For reading video files during editing, the 670P 2 TB works well with 3,500 MB/s reads. The concern is write performance: exporting or rendering video files that exceed the SLC cache will drop to QLC native speed, which is much slower than TLC. For light to moderate editing workloads with time between sessions for cache flushing, it works fine. Professional editors should consider a TLC drive like the Samsung 970 EVO Plus.

### What happens when the SLC cache fills on the 670P 2TB?

On a mostly empty drive the SLC cache can grow to 280 GB, so it takes a large sustained write to exhaust it. Once it does, write speed drops to native QLC rates, which are a fraction of the cached speed. The minimum cache on a full drive is 24 GB. In typical consumer use with idle time between writes, the background garbage collection flushes the cache and restores performance, so most users never encounter the slowdown.

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Last updated: 2026-05-23. Source: https://ssdrive.net/intel-670p-2-tb