SK hynix Gold P31 - 3500MB/s NVMe Gen3 M.2 SSD | SK Hynix
MPN: P31 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $59.99 | $59.99 |
| 10 | $56.99 | $569.90 |
| 100 | $53.99 | $5,399.00 |
| 500 | $50.99 | $25,495.00 |
| 1,000 | $47.99 | $47,990.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for P31 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
Platinum P41
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
970 EVO Plus
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
T500
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P3 Plus
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P41 Plus
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
P31 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | Gold P31 |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen3 x4 |
| Protocol | NVMe |
| NAND Flash | 128-layer NAND (world's first consumer SSD) |
| Sequential Read | Up to 3,500 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | Up to 3,200 MB/s |
| Endurance (2TB model) | 1,200 TBW |
| Stress Test | 1,000-hour high-stress validation |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Random Read (method) | IOmeter 1.1, 4KiB, 4 threads, QD 32 |
| Sequential Alignment | 128KiB |
| Mounting Type | M.2 socket, surface mount module |
| Target Systems | Desktop and laptop computers |
P31 standard Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for P31 (standard package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for P31.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
P31 is suitable for 6 applications: Gaming PC Boot and Game Storage, Thin-and-Light Laptop Upgrade, Creator Workstation OS Drive, Small Form Factor and Mini PC Builds, Desktop OS and Application Drive, External Enclosure Storage.
Gaming PC Boot and Game Storage
The Gold P31 fits gaming PCs that need fast level and texture loading without paying for unused PCIe 4.0 bandwidth. Its up to 3,500 MB/s sequential read and 3,200 MB/s write speeds cut game installation, patching, and shader-compilation times dramatically compared with SATA SSDs limited to roughly 550 MB/s. The 1,200 TBW endurance rating on the 2TB model absorbs years of game installs and updates, while the 5-year warranty protects the investment. Because most games show only marginal load-time gains above Gen3 speeds, pairing this drive with a Gen3 platform is a cost-optimal choice. Install it in the CPU-attached M.2 slot for full x4 lane allocation.
Recommended
Thin-and-Light Laptop Upgrade
The Gold P31 is widely recommended for laptop upgrades because its 128-layer NAND delivers class-leading power efficiency, translating into measurably longer battery life than most competing NVMe drives. The single-sided M.2 2280 PCB fits the vast majority of modern laptops, including ultra-thin models such as the HP Spectre x360, where drive thickness matters. The 3,500 MB/s read speed makes OS boot and application launches near-instant, and the 5-year warranty matters for machines kept 4-5 years. Verify that the target laptop supports M-key NVMe (not SATA-only M.2) before ordering.
Recommended
Creator Workstation OS Drive
For video editing and content-creation workstations, the Gold P31 serves as a fast OS and project-scratch drive. Its 3,200 MB/s sequential write handles 4K video scratch files and cache writes during timeline scrubbing, while DRAM-backed caching sustains performance during long transfers better than DRAM-less alternatives such as the Crucial P3 Plus. Creators working on PCIe 3.0 platforms (e.g., older Ryzen or Intel builds) get near-full platform bandwidth without overpaying for Gen4 silicon. Mount with the motherboard heatsink for sustained large-file export workloads to avoid thermal throttling.
Recommended
Small Form Factor and Mini PC Builds
Mini PCs and small-form-factor builds have no room for 2.5-inch drives or cabling, making the single-sided M.2 2280 Gold P31 an ideal fit. Its low power draw reduces heat inside tightly packed enclosures where airflow is minimal, lowering fan-speed requirements and acoustic noise. The compact 80mm module installs directly onto the motherboard with a single screw. For builds based on PCIe 3.0 chipsets, the P31 extracts the maximum available bandwidth, and its 1,200 TBW endurance (2TB model) suits always-on home-server and media-server roles.
Recommended
Desktop OS and Application Drive
As a desktop boot drive, the Gold P31 delivers near-instant Windows or Linux boot, fast application launch, and responsive multitasking. The DRAM-enabled controller maintains consistent performance as the drive fills, avoiding the degradation common in DRAM-less QLC drives like the P3 Plus. At up to 3,500 MB/s sequential read, large application installs complete in seconds, and the 1,200 TBW endurance rating comfortably covers years of daily OS writes, pagefile activity, and browser caches. The 5-year warranty is a key differentiator versus budget drives with 3-year coverage.
Recommended
External Enclosure Storage
The Gold P31 works well inside USB 3.2 Gen2x2 or Thunderbolt NVMe enclosures, where its efficiency keeps drive temperatures manageable in passively cooled aluminum shells. Even though the enclosure link may cap throughput below the drive's 3,500 MB/s native speed, the P31's strong sustained write behavior (DRAM caching, TLC NAND) prevents the mid-transfer slowdowns seen with DRAM-less QLC drives. Its single-sided layout fits the thinnest enclosures, and the 5-year warranty covers portable-drive duty where handling shocks are a concern since SSDs have no moving parts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for P31 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | Platinum P41 | 970 EVO Plus | T500 | P3 Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 - same | M.2 2280 - same | M.2 2280 - same | M.2 2280 - same |
| Brand | SK Hynix | SK Hynix | Samsung Electronics | Crucial (Micron) | Crucial (Micron) |
| Interface | PCIe Gen3 x4 | PCIe Gen4 x4 | PCIe Gen3 x4 | PCIe Gen4 x4 | PCIe Gen4 x4 |
| Sequential Read | Up to 3,500 MB/s | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Sequential Write | Up to 3,200 MB/s | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| NAND Technology | 128-layer NAND (world's first consumer SSD) | SK hynix 128-layer NAND platform | Samsung V-NAND | [DATA_NEEDED] | QLC (DRAM-less) |
| DRAM Cache | Yes (DRAM-enabled) | Yes | Yes | [DATA_NEEDED] | No (DRAM-less) |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | [DATA_NEEDED] |
Key Differentiators
- World's first 128-layer NAND consumer SSD (vs 970 EVO Plus)
- Validated high endurance (vs P3 Plus)
- Value on Gen3 platforms (vs Platinum P41)
Design Notes
The Gold P31 relies on the host M.2 slot or chassis for cooling. In desktops, always use the motherboard's supplied M.2 heatsink when performing long sustained writes (large file transfers, video exports). Estimated: at typical Gen3 drive power levels of 5-7 W under load, a bare M.2 module on an open motherboard can approach thermal-throttling temperatures within minutes of continuous sequential writes. In laptops, the P31's class-leading efficiency makes it a preferred choice where throttling is a known risk.
Verify your system supports NVMe M-key M.2 slots before purchase. Some older laptops provide SATA-only M.2 B-key sockets that are physically similar but electrically incompatible with the P31. Additionally, check BIOS/firmware NVMe boot support on pre-2015 platforms. Note that OEM drives such as the SK hynix PC711 share similar silicon but differ in firmware and encryption features (e.g., TCG Opal) and are not interchangeable with retail Gold P31 warranty support.
Install the Gold P31 in the CPU-attached M.2 slot on desktop platforms to guarantee full PCIe Gen3 x4 bandwidth. Chipset-attached slots may share lanes with SATA or other M.2 ports, reducing achievable speed below the drive's 3,500 MB/s capability. Check the motherboard manual for lane-sharing tables before finalizing slot choice, and avoid populating both a shared M.2 slot and its paired SATA ports simultaneously.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not stated in the provided web data; consult the official SK hynix product page for RoHS/REACH declarations.
