WD 1TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD

The WD 1TB PCIe Gen 4 drives here are all M.2 NVMe SSDs: the WD Black SN850X in bare and heatsink versions, the WD Black SN7100 and the WD Blue SN5100. Rated sequential speeds sit close together, from 7100/6700 MB/s read/write on the SN5100 to 7250/6900 MB/s on the SN7100 and 7300/6300 MB/s on the SN850X. WD covers them with a 5 year warranty.

The choice comes down to the slot and the workload more than headline speed. The SN850X carries its own DRAM cache and suits heavy gaming, large game libraries and sustained file work. Pick the SN850X with Heatsink (WDS100T2XHE) for a PlayStation 5 expansion slot or a desktop board without an M.2 cover; take the bare SN850X if the motherboard already has an M.2 heatsink. The SN7100 is a DRAM-less design that runs cool and efficient, which makes it a good fit for laptops, mini PCs and handhelds. The WD Blue SN5100 is the general-purpose option for office and everyday builds.

Frequently asked questions

Will a Gen 4 SSD work in a PCIe Gen 3 M.2 slot? Yes, these drives are backward compatible and run at Gen 3 speeds in a Gen 3 slot.

Which WD 1TB SSD is suited to the PS5? The WD Black SN850X with Heatsink, as the PS5 expansion slot calls for a cooled Gen 4 drive.

Is the heatsink version needed for a laptop? No, laptops need a bare drive such as the SN7100, SN5100 or the standard SN850X.