Intel’s 665p SSD offers up to 2TB storage and solves a major PC pain

Intel has launched the Intel SSD 665p, a new consumer-focused M.2 80mm SSD that features up to 2TB storage. 

The Intel SSD 665p is the second-generation of Intel’s QLC flash storage, following in the footsteps of Intel’s popular SSD 660p. The 665p hopes to solve the endurance woes of its predecessor to produce a cracking value offering, while still offering the same high capacity.

Intel uses quad-level chips (QLCs) for both SSDs – however, performance denigrates once the cache is saturated. The 665p has a new plan to combat this by implementing a dynamic SLC cache feature.

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The new measures enable the Intel SSD 665p to achieve 13% better performance and 50% more endurance than its predecessor, so you don’t need to worry about speeds falling too dramatically when you load the SSD up with data. Intel claims the SSD 665p Series is the very first 96-layer QLC-based PCIe SSD.

The 665p will come in a 1TB and 2TB – this sees 512GB dropped from the lineup, which may be disappointing for those looking to benefit from the performance boost while keeping costs down as low as possible. 

Here’s the rest of the specs:

• Capacity and Form Factor: M.2 2280-S3-M 1024 GB (1 TB), 2048 GB (2 TB)
• Height and Weight: 80mm, < 10 grams
• Interface: PCIe 3.0×4, NVMe
• Media: 96-layer, QLC, 3D NAND
• Performance (Sequential Read): Up to 2000MB/s
• Performance (Sequential Write): Up to 2000MB/s
• Performance (Random 4KB Reads): Up to 250,000 IOPS
• Performance (Random 4KB Writes): Up to 250,000 IOPS
• Power (Active): 100mW
• Power (Idle): 40mW
• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 70°C
• Warranty: 5-year limited warranty

The Intel SSD 665p 1TB version is expected to be available during this quarter, while the 2TB model is expected to arrive early next year. The 1TB price point is set to be between $159-$307 (~£124-£239).

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Intel isn’t just pushing the boundaries in the SSD space – its GPU and processor departments are having a good crack too. The company recently revealed its first Intel Xe GPU. The chip would be the first to use 7nm Intel Xe architecture.

Intel also has been hard at work on its X-Series of processors – including the Intel Core i9-10980XE Extreme Edition. Our review of the processor said: “The Intel Core i9-10980XE fits the bill as a processor aimed at enthusiasts, with a blitzing multi-core performance for creative work and gaming.”