Micron 3610 2TB SSD Review - DRAMless QLC at 11,000 MB/s

TweakTown Rating: 98%

Our Verdict

Micron's 3610 SSD is the first of its kind client SSD, a brilliant performer and an unbeatable value proposition.

Pros

• Throughput performance
• Power efficiency
• Single-Sided PCB design

Cons

• None

Should you buy it?

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Introduction & Drive Details

In the arena of OEM PC's, we typically don't see higher capacity solid state storage being offered as part of standard configurations, and certainly not high-capacity PCIe Gen 5 SSDs. If you want high-capacity PCIe Gen5 storage as a part of your OEM-configured PC, it's going to cost a pretty penny to be sure. Well, thanks to Micron, this could be changing soon with the introduction of QLC arrayed OEM PCIe Gen5 SSDs.

Micron is the first in the industry (that we are aware of) to offer a QLC arrayed PCIe Gen5 SSD for its OEM clients. "The world's first Gen5 G9 QLC client SSD, the Micron 3610 SSD delivers the performance, efficiency, and capacity needed to meet the demands of modern client workloads. Whether enabling AI multitasking, streaming, or gaming, the 3610 SSD is optimized for ultrathin laptops."

As we see it, the above statement alludes to two key points that have been lacking on the OEM PC front: Gen5 speeds combined with high capacity. We just don't see this type of storage from mainstream OEM offerings, as it's been too cost prohibitive to make much sense for mainstream users.

Micron's 3610 SSD is built from the ground up to deliver Gen5 speeds at high-capacity points without costing an arm and a leg. As we see it, Micron's G9 QLC can and will enable standard OEM configurations to deliver both high-capacity and Gen5 speeds for about the same price as current low-capacity Gen5 TLC arrayed SSDs or high-capacity Gen4 QLC SSDs. Amazing.

Now let's dive in and see what this first-of-its-kind SSD can deliver.

Drive Details

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The Micron 3610 SSD is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities and supports the M.2 22x30, M.2 22x42, and M.2 22x80 form factors - ideal for ultrathin laptops, desktops, and embedded platforms.

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If you find the need to manage your Micron OEM SSD, this can be done with Micron's Storage Executive Software. Firmware updates, secure erasing, health monitoring, and security features are as easy as a couple of clicks right from your desktop. Get it Here.

Jon's Test System Specifications

Intel Test System

AMD Test System

Please note: We employ an M.2 AIC for testing on our Intel Core Ultra 9 285K platform.

Sony PlayStation 5 - M.2 Storage Expansion

PS5 Read Performance

With Sony's wildly popular PlayStation 5 console now enabled for M.2 NVMe SSDs to be used as fast storage expansion, we are including results for PS5-compatible SSDs we test as a part of our reviews going forward.

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For SSDs that don't have an adequately sized PS5 compatible heatsink or other SSDs where the heatsink provided doesn't fit right and can be removed, we both use and recommend Sabrent's unparalleled PS5 heatsink available HERE.

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We only chart SSDs that can deliver a minimum of 5,500 MB/s read, which is Sony's original recommendation.

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Its sequential read speed in a PS5 environment suggests the Micron 3610 2TB makes for a good, albeit unlikely choice for PS5 M.2 storage expansion.

Synthetic Benchmarks: CDM, Max IOPS, ATTO

CrystalDiskMark

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We employ CDM as our standard measurement for both sequential throughput and Q1T1 random read. In terms of sequential throughput, the Micron 3610 delivers better than advertised, even in our more demanding user state. Excellent.

Of note: Sequential throughput here is by far the best we've ever seen coming from any Phison E31 T-controlled SSD. Impressive. Remarkable considering this is QLC vs. TLC.

Max IOPS

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Here we have no issues meeting and exceeding the quoted up to factory random performance specifications. Again, impressive considering our more demanding user state.

ATTO

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ATTO gives us a clear picture of what transfer sizes a particular SSD favors in terms of QD4 sequential throughput. We chart 128K transfers. At a queue depth of four, the Micron 3610 2TB favors sequential transfers of 1MB or larger when serving data to the host (reading) and 128KB or larger when programming (writing) data.

Real-World Testing: Transfers, 3DMark SSD Gaming Test, PCM10 Storage

Transfer Rates

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Our 100GB data transfer test is not your ordinary 100GB of data; ours is a crushing mix composed of more than 62K files. Write performance, random or sequential, is an infrequent operation, and as such, we do not consider it to be an important performance metric in the consumer space. An example is how many times a game is installed vs. how many times it's played. As expected, when writing a large amount of data, the TLC arrayed E31 T-controlled SSD has the edge.

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Unlike programming (writing) data, serving data to the host (reading) is typically an important performance metric as it relates to the consumer space. This is where transfer rates matter most, and our 2TB contender delivers impressively. Again, the TLC arrayed E31T SSDs like the MP700 Elite and CS2150 have the edge, but this time the margin is insignificant. Outstanding for a QLC arrayed mainstream offering.

3DMark SSD Gaming Test

UL's newest 3DMark SSD Gaming Test is the most comprehensive SSD gaming test ever devised. We consider it superior to testing against games themselves because, as a trace, it is much more consistent than variations that will occur between runs on the actual game itself. This test is the same as running the actual game, just without the inconsistencies inherent to application testing. In short, we believe that this is the world's best way to test an SSDs gaming prowess and accurately compare it against competing SSDs. The 3DMark SSD Gaming Test measures and scores the following:

• Loading Battlefield V from launch to the main menu.
• Loading Call of Duty Black Ops 4 from launch to the main menu.
• Loading Overwatch from launch to the main menu.
• Recording a 1080p gameplay video at 60 FPS with OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) while playing Overwatch.
• Installing The Outer Worlds from the Epic Games Launcher.
• Saving game progress in The Outer Worlds.
• Copying the Steam folder for Counter-Strike Global Offensive from an external SSD to the system drive.

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Gaming is a performance metric that matters to most DIY consumers, especially for the enthusiast crowd that TweakTown caters to. Now we've reached the point where results start to matter as they are a direct reflection of user experience.

We consider a score of 5,000 here to be somewhat of a milestone achievement for a 4-channel controlled SSD. Our test subject delivers that easily, keeping pace with its TLC arrayed rivals in the process.

PCM10 Storage Tests

PCMark 10 Storage Test is the most advanced and most accurate real-world consumer storage test ever made. There are four different tests you can choose from; we run two of them. The Full System Drive Benchmark and the Quick System Drive Benchmark. The Full System Drive Benchmark writes 204 GB of data over the duration of the test. These tests directly correlate with mainstream user experience.

PCMark 10 Full System Drive Benchmark

This test writes 204GB of data and covers a broad range of common consumer tasks, including booting Windows 10, file transfers, Adobe and Office applications, and startup times for games such as Battlefield V, COD Black Ops 4, and Overwatch. Unlike synthetic numbers, this is comprehensive real-world data, which is why we use it to rank SSDs in terms of user experience.

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Another strong showing, especially for a QLC arrayed SSD. A score of 4925 here is 20% better than we've ever seen from any QLC arrayed SSD and within 3.5% of the highest we've ever seen coming from a TLC arrayed E31T controlled SSD. Impressive.

PCMark 10 Quick System Drive Benchmark

The Quick System Drive Benchmark writes 23 GB of data over the duration of the test.

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Of all the benchmarks we run, it can be argued that this one offers the best reflection of a typical consumer use case scenario. Once again, we find our test subject delivering the goods as well as its TLC arrayed direct competitors.

Final Thoughts

QLC arrayed PCIe Gen5 SSDs are something we've wanted to see for some time now. The value proposition of 4-bit flash pushing out PCIe Gen5 throughput is something we feel many consumers are thirsty for, especially considering the current pricing climate. As we see it, Micron's 3610 SSD is the first of what we feel will be many more of its type, being arrayed with 2 Tbit flash paired with a 4-channel DRAMless controller.

This configuration enables single-sided 4TB SSDs with a 2230 PCB, making for the most cost efficient, compact, and dense consumer storage to date. And as we just saw, if Micron's G9 QLC is in the mix, you really aren't giving up anything in terms of performance that matters. Amazing.

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We rank SSDs in terms of overall user experience (performance where it matters most) as expressed by PCMark 10 storage and 3DMark gaming storage tests. Currently, we consider a user experience score of 20K or more to verify an SSD as a TweakTown Elite performer.

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Micron's 3610 SSD is the first of its kind client SSD, a brilliant performer and an unbeatable value proposition for OEM's. Editor's Choice.