WD SSDs

The WD SSDs here span four lines. The WD Green 2.5 inch SATA drives run from 240GB to 2TB with reads up to 545 MB/s. The WD Blue SN5100 (500GB to 4TB), WD Black SN7100 (1TB to 4TB) and WD Black SN850X (1TB to 8TB) are PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe drives rated up to 6600 to 7300 MB/s reads. The WD Black SN8100 is PCIe Gen5, reading up to 14900 MB/s, from 1TB to 8TB. The SN850X and SN8100 also come in heatsink versions. WD covers the Green drives with a 3 year warranty and the Blue and Black NVMe drives with 5 years.

Start with the slot. A laptop or older desktop without an M.2 slot needs a 2.5 inch SATA Green, which also suits a secondary drive. For an M.2 slot, the Gen4 drives suit most current boards and laptops. The SN850X suits gaming builds, while the SN5100 and SN7100 cover everyday and work machines. The SN8100 only reaches its rated speed in a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. Pick the heatsink versions for desktops and the PS5, and the bare versions for laptops or boards with their own M.2 cover. The Gen 4, Gen 5, 2.5 inch SATA and 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB ranges each have their own page.

Frequently asked questions

Will the WD Black SN8100 work in a Gen4 M.2 slot? Yes, PCIe is backward compatible, so it works but runs at Gen4 speeds.

Which WD SSD suits a PS5? The SN850X with heatsink is listed as PS5 compatible. The PS5 needs a Gen4 or faster M.2 drive with a heatsink.

Do the Green drives fit M.2 slots? No, they are 2.5 inch SATA drives that connect with a SATA data and power cable.