Hardware Review: Crucial MX300 SSD (PS4)

Final Thoughts

There are some key points to note when comparing the Crucial MX300 with the Seagate Hybrid drive:

• The MX300 is quicker at almost everything we asked it to do, with the strange exception of XCOM 2.
• The speed difference though is nothing like as dramatic as I’d expected, only shaving off the odd few seconds here and there.
• The MX300 feels like it’s the nippier drive in and around the main system, but there’s very little in it.
• The SSD is considerably more expensive than the hybrid.
• Both options trump the stock drive by a mile.

So if presented with the option of buying a 1Tb hybrid drive, or the same sized SSD, it depends on a few things:

Do you want the fastest experience you can get? Do you want to get into games as fast as you can, no matter the expense? If so, then you’ll want the MX300.

Do you actually want this for your PC and you’ve somehow drifted into a review focusing purely on the PS4 performance? Then you’ll want the MX300.

However, and here’s the crunch: having done these comparisons I’m not at all sure just how much of a bottleneck the hard drive is. Getting some element of solid state storage most definitely improves things, there can be no doubt of that, but look at the Project CARS replay times – 42 seconds instead of 44, suggesting that it’s the PS4’s ability to process the data itself that is limiting the speed. Loading the XCOM game took the exact same time on both drives, despite it being entirely on the hard drive.

This could also be down to the hard drive connection used on the PS4, which doesn’t necessarily allow the SSD drive to fully stretch its legs, or the idea that SSDs are better at hammering lots of small files as opposed to fewer larger ones.

Whatever the reason, it’s very difficult to recommend any SSD drive right now over the hybrid alternatives. The MX300 is a fantastic hard drive, there’s no doubting that, but then so is the Seagate hybrid which gives very similar performance in a PS4 than it’s far more expensive cousin.

My recommendation then? For your PS4, grab a hybrid drive; you’ll get very similar results, save a bucket of cash and as much as it pains me to say it, the Crucial MX300 just isn’t a viable option until the prices of SSD drives start to tumble a bit more.