WD 2TB SSDs

The WD 2TB SSDs here cover three interfaces. The WD Green 2TB SATA 2.5 reads at up to 545 MB/s. The PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 drives are the WD Blue SN5100 (up to 7100/6700 MB/s), WD Black SN7100 (7250/6900 MB/s) and WD Black SN850X (7300/6600 MB/s). At the top sits the PCIe Gen5 WD Black SN8100 at up to 14900/14000 MB/s. The SN850X and SN8100 also come in heatsink versions. WD covers the NVMe drives with a 5 year warranty and the Green SATA drive with 3 years.

Start with the slot. An older laptop or desktop with only a 2.5 inch bay needs the Green SATA drive, which is on the 2.5" SATA page. Most current boards and laptops take M.2 NVMe. The Blue SN5100 suits everyday use and the Black SN7100 and SN850X suit gaming builds; these are grouped on the M.2 NVMe Gen 4 page. The SN8100 only reaches its rated speed in a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and both versions are on the M.2 NVMe Gen 5 page. Pick a heatsink version when the board has no M.2 cover of its own.

Frequently asked questions

Which WD 2TB SSD works in a PS5? The WD Black SN850X 2TB with Heatsink is listed as PS5 compatible. It is a PCIe Gen4 drive with the heatsink already fitted.

Will the SN8100 work in a Gen4 M.2 slot? Yes, PCIe is backward compatible, but the drive will run at Gen4 speeds. The SN850X or SN7100 is the closer match for a Gen4 slot.

Do I need the heatsink version? Only if the motherboard's M.2 slot has no heatsink, or the drive is going into a PS5. Otherwise the version without a heatsink fits under the board's own cover.