Sk hynix Platinum P41 2 TB PCIe4 x4 NVMe SSD benchmarked

As detailed earlier this week, SK hynix has just launched its latest Platinum P41 series of NVMe SSDs ranging from 500 GB up to 2 TB. Unlike the older Gold P31 PCIe3 x4 series, the Platinum P41 utilizes a newer controller and NAND structure alongside support for PCIe4 x4 speeds.

The manufacturer has sent us a test unit with our benchmark results provided below. Our host system of choice was the Intel NUC11PAQ mini PC which includes its own SSD heat spreader built in. For the purposes of this test, however, we've removed the heat spreader to benchmark the P41 as a bare drive without any cooling aids. The Platinum P41 retail box includes no heat spreader or even a mounting screw as opposed to the Acer Predator GM7000 series.

To stress the drive, we would run our DiskSpd read loop test lasting for nearly 10 minutes and note any performance dips over time. Our graph below shows that read rates would start out very high at ~6800 MB/s to be close to the advertised 7000 MB/s target. After a couple of minutes, however, transfer rates would cycle between 3500 MB/s and 6800 MB/s as the drive struggles to keep temperature at comfortable levels. We're able to record a maximum temperature of 93 C (!) on the ASIC controller when performance was throttling.

If you plan on using the drive for large and constant file transfers, then it will be especially important to pair it with a third party heat spreader. Otherwise, performance will quickly throttle to PCIe3 speeds for temperature control.

Amazon is currently shipping the Platinum P41 in 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB capacities for $105, $150, and $260 USD, respectively, each with a 5-year limited warranty.