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Reports published in 2023 described different heat-related behavior in two PCIe 5.0 SSDs: the Corsair MP700 was reported to shut down in testing, while the Crucial T700 throttled heavily during some sustained benchmarks. The reports linked both drives to Phison’s PS5026-E26 controller, and Phison said it had adjusted the controller’s thermal-throttle curve, pending firmware validation. These historical findings do not establish that every unit, workload, or current firmware version has the same issue.
Which SSDs were reported to have problems?
Neowin’s May 12, 2023 report summarized test coverage of the Corsair MP700 and Crucial T700. The reported outcomes were not identical:
- Corsair MP700: testers reported that the drive shut down as temperatures rose.
- Crucial T700: testers reported substantial performance throttling rather than the same reported shutdown behavior.
Neowin’s report associated the behavior with the Phison PS5026-E26 controller. It does not establish that all Corsair or Crucial Gen 5 SSDs are defective, or that every E26-based drive behaves alike.
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Why benchmark duration and cooling matter
Tom’s Hardware reported that its Crucial T700 sample performed adequately in some tests without a cooler but throttled during longer runs, including CrystalDiskMark and IOMeter. That result makes workload and run duration important context: a sustained benchmark can produce behavior that a shorter test may not show. It is not evidence that the drive will necessarily shut down during ordinary use.
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The two publications do not provide a controlled, same-firmware and same-cooling comparison from which to rank the MP700 and T700 numerically. Nor do the cited reports establish a current failure rate or how often the behavior occurs across retail units.
What Phison said about the E26 controller
In a company statement reproduced by Neowin in 2023, Phison said it had reviewed reports from TechPowerUp and Phoronix, isolated the issue, and adjusted the thermal-throttle curve. It also said updated firmware would need to pass its validation process before partners could release it. Phison’s statement said E26 SSDs shipped without a heatsink were intended to be used with one.
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- EVERY TASK, TURBOCHARGED: Speed past productivity limits. With random read/write speeds up to 1,850K/2,600K IOPS*, enjoy fast game loads, seamless AI apps, and efficient multitasking. Virtually no lag, no limits—just nonstop performance.
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This was Phison’s description of its response at the time; it does not confirm that a particular firmware update is currently available for an MP700 or T700, or that an update fixes every configuration.
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Corsair says its PCIe Gen 5 MP700 family needs better cooling than first-generation PCIe 4.0 drives. Its MP700 FAQ recommends using a motherboard NVMe slot with a built-in heatsink. Corsair’s NVMe cooling explainer describes a heatsink as a way to transfer heat away from an M.2 SSD.
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For setup details, Corsair’s MP700 installation guide directs owners to Corsair SSD Toolbox for extended drive information and firmware updates. Corsair also maintains SSD firmware release notes and a storage support index. The cited support pages do not establish the current firmware revision status for both the MP700 and T700.
If using a separate M.2 cooler, check the drive format, motherboard clearance, and the cooler and drive makers’ installation instructions. Cooling is a sensible setup check, not a guaranteed remedy for every reported shutdown.
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What to check if your drive throttles or disappears in a benchmark
- Record the test conditions. Note the exact SSD model, installed firmware version, benchmark, run duration, and whether the drive had a heatsink or other cooling.
- Check the cooling installation. Confirm that the heatsink is fitted and making contact as directed by the relevant manufacturer. Check motherboard clearance before changing to a separate cooler.
- Check official support information. For a Corsair MP700, consult Corsair’s storage support pages and SSD Toolbox for drive information and firmware updates. For a Crucial T700, consult Crucial’s official support information for model-specific firmware guidance.
- Compare like with like. When interpreting a result, distinguish throttling from device shutdown and compare tests with similar workload duration, cooling, and firmware. A result from a long sustained run is not directly interchangeable with one from a short test.
These checks can help document and investigate the behavior, but the cited reports do not show that cooling alone resolves every shutdown or that a particular firmware version fixes every case.
What the reports do—and do not—establish
The evidence is specific to reports published in 2023 about the Corsair MP700 and Crucial T700 under benchmark testing. It identifies a shared controller family and differing reported outcomes, but does not establish prevalence among current units, a market-wide failure rate, or the status of every current firmware version. Treat the reports as a reason to use suitable cooling and verify model-specific support, not as proof that every Gen 5 SSD with an E26 controller will fail.
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