Crucial
Crucial T705 2TB
2,000 GB · PCIe 5.0 x4 · M.2 2280
8.1
$304Nov 93 videos
WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB
Among the fastest PCIe 5.0 drives, with strong random reads and good efficiency, held back mainly by price.
- 2,000 GB
- PCIe 5.0 x4
- M.2 2280
- TLC
- 14,900 MB/s
PCPR score
8.2
Great
Best price we’ve seen
$280MSRP
List price from the maker. Street prices may be higher.
R1
The short version
The WD_BLACK SN8100, now also sold under Sandisk's Optimus GX Pro 8100 name, is a PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe SSD using Silicon Motion's controller and BiCS8 TLC flash. The 2TB model is rated at 14,900 MB/s reads and 14,000 MB/s writes with 1,200 TBW and a five-year warranty. Tom's Hardware ranks it among the best high-end Gen5 drives. It suits enthusiast and creator builds; price is the main drawback.
Pros
- Up to 14,900 MB/s reads and 14,000 MB/s writes
- Strong random performance and low read latency per Tom's Hardware
- Good power efficiency for a Gen5 drive
- 1,200 TBW and a five-year warranty
Cons
- Priced at a premium over PCIe 4.0 drives
- Heatsink version is thicker, so check clearance in laptops and under motherboard shields
- Real-world gains over good Gen4 drives are small for most users
Best for
- Enthusiast and creator builds with a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
- Buyers who want a top-tier Gen5 drive with an optional heatsink
J3
Full specifications
Core
- Capacity
- 2,000 GB
- Interface
- PCIe 5.0 x4
- Form factor
- M.2 2280
Performance
- NAND
- TLC
- Controller
- Silicon Motion (SMI) PCIe 5.0 controller
- Sequential read
- 14,900 MB/s
- Sequential write
- 14,000 MB/s
Features
- Endurance
- 1,200 TBW
- Warranty
- 5 years
Physical
- Heatsink included
- No
Compatibility notes
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 2280 slot for rated speeds.
- The with-heatsink SKU is 0.38 in thick; the bare drive is 0.09 in.
P1
Where to buy
- Buy from the maker
Sandisk official page
Direct link
- Check price on Amazon
Amazon
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- See it at Newegg
Newegg
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- See it at Best Buy
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- See it at B&H
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- See it at Micro Center
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We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our scores or what we recommend. Prices move quickly, so confirm the final price at the retailer.
AV1
Video reviews
Positive · Review
We Were Not Expecting This! | WD_BLACK SN8100 Review
Scan Computers
Scan Computers reviews the SN8100 as the follow-up to the SN7100, covering its PCIe 5.0 speed claims.
Positive · Review
The BEST... Period - WD_BLACK SN8100
Tech Guy Beau
Tech Guy Beau tests the SN8100 and highlights how steady it stays during very long sustained writes.
Positive · Review
Sandisk WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB Review: The $230 SSD that beats the best
APH Networks
APH Networks reviews the 2TB SN8100 and rates it among the best-performing PCIe 5.0 SSDs.
AV2
What reviewers and owners say
Tom's Hardware
PositiveIn its buying guide, Tom's Hardware names the SN8100 a top high-end PCIe 5.0 SSD, crediting good all-round performance, low read latency and efficiency, and docking it mainly for price.
Review
Read the sourceWindows Central
PositiveWindows Central found the SN8100 delivers on its claimed Gen 5 read speeds with strong value per MB/s for creators, but it runs hot enough that a heatsink is effectively required and capacity costs more than Gen 4.
Review
Read the sourceStorageReview
PositiveStorageReview calls this flagship Gen5 SSD elite, praising its SM2508 controller, nCache 4.0 caching, top-tier sequential speeds, and strong efficiency over prior Gen4 drives.
2025-05-13
Read the source
Summaries are written in our words. Follow the links for each source’s own review.
R9
Common questions
Is the WD_BLACK SN8100 the same as the Sandisk Optimus GX Pro 8100?
Tom's Hardware describes them as the same drive under different names, and Sandisk's own page notes the rename.
Do I need the heatsink version?
Many motherboards ship with M.2 heatsinks that suit the bare drive; the heatsink model is aimed at boards or systems without one.
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