New 1TB NVMe SSDs are pushing toward $250 amid the 2026 NAND shortage — this tested-working Crucial P5 Plus with heatsink at $175 gives you PCIe Gen4 speed for noticeably less.
🎯 Best Use Cases
- A fast primary boot/game drive for a gaming or productivity PC.
- PS5 storage expansion (with the included heatsink already installed).
- Upgrading from a SATA SSD or HDD to real NVMe speeds.
- Secondary fast-scratch storage for video/photo editing.
- A budget-friendly way to add meaningful capacity without new-market pricing.
💰 Why This Is a Good Deal
The 2026 NAND flash shortage has pushed new 1TB NVMe SSDs toward the $250 CAD mark, roughly double what similar drives cost in 2025. At $175 CAD, tested and working with its heatsink intact, this Crucial P5 Plus undercuts current new pricing while still delivering full PCIe Gen4 performance.
Crucial (Micron) is a top-tier, first-party NAND manufacturer — you're not getting an unknown budget brand, you're getting a proven drive at a below-market price.
⚖️ How It Compares
| Part | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crucial P5 Plus 1TB NVMe M.2 2280 SSD with Heatsink (PCIe Gen4) — Used, Working | $175.00 | Best value Gen4 1TB drive — first-party Micron NAND. |
| SK hynix PC611 1TB NVMe (PCIe Gen3) | $160.00 | Slightly cheaper, one generation older interface (Gen3). |
| GameStop 2TB NVMe (PCIe Gen4, w/ heatsink) | $300.00 | Double the capacity if 1TB isn't enough headroom. |
Crucial P5 Plus 1TB NVMe M.2 2280 SSD with Heatsink (PCIe Gen4) — Used, Working
In stock now — $175.00 CAD, ships within Canada.
🛒 View & Buy This Part Ask a Technician❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much faster is PCIe Gen4 than Gen3?
Gen4 roughly doubles the theoretical bandwidth of Gen3, translating to faster large file transfers and load times, though the real-world difference is smaller for everyday tasks like booting or launching games.
Does this drive work in a PS5?
Yes, it meets Sony's speed and heatsink requirements for official PS5 storage expansion.
Is Crucial a reliable SSD brand?
Yes — Crucial is the consumer brand of Micron, one of the few companies that manufactures its own NAND flash in-house, rather than relying on third-party chips.
