WD_Black SN8100 2TB NVMe SSD - PCIe 5.0x4, M.2 2280, Up to 14,900MB/s Read Speed, up to 11,000MB/s Write Speed, Best for AI Applications, Gaming, and Video Editing - WDS200T1X0M

Western Digital is continuing to do what they always do. Excellent products at reasonable prices. I bought this to put into a new PC I bought when I was forced to move to Windows 11. It was a super easy install and setup. It was completely compatible. I had no issues with heat resistance or storage capacity. It's RAM so it doesn't need formatted. WD is famous for their durability, so I expect this to live up to that reputation. It has been living up to their reputation all the way so far.

Coming from SN850x, those m.2 were already so fast but this one is almost double the speed, loading window only takes 3s (after initial mobo check). Heat management is not an issue at all unlike Samsung 9100 Pro that runs much hotter and very easy to install and I had no problem with the benchmark from CrystalDisk neither. Only downside is that it’s not yet affordable enough for many, $240 for 2tb, BUT don’t sleep on SN8100, they are very very reliable, great heat management and incredible random read/write. If budget is not an issue, by all means, get these!

First off, for someone reading this review that may not be fully aware, do NOT buy this hard drive if you have an older or more cost-efficient motherboard that only has up to PCIe Gen4 capability, as it will not allow you to achieve the manufacturer's target speeds. This is a PCIE Gen 5 NVMe SSD, which means it is made to pump with the latest PCIe Gen5 technology to maximize throughput. My Gaming Rig Build: I have an MSI MEG X670E ACE motherboard in a full MSI build prioritized for gaming, with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X 16-core CPU with all performance cores. I went this route becuase WD Black NVMe SSD's were/are arguably more optomized for performance gaming over the Samsung Pro's, but you cannot go wrong with a Samsung Pro SSD either. I originally ran (2) WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen4 SSD's in the build, as PCIe Gen5 SSD's were still new at that time, so I wanted to wait until they were more mainstream, tested, and the kinks were worked out. I finally decided to clone my primary boot drive (Using Acronis True Image for Sandisk) and upgrade to this one, and it is literally double the speed. Using Blackmagic's Disk Speed Test for Comparison w/ 5GB loading: - WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen4 - 5,200 MB/s Write and 5,250 MB/s Read (Avg. rounded up) - WD Black SN8100 PCIe Gen 5 - 10,500 MB/s Write and 10,200 MB/s Read (Avg. rounded up) The results speak for themselves. I would assume that even newer PCIe Gen5 motherboards with the latest CPU's can get more performance out of this drive, but it is literally double the speed of it's fastest predecessor the SN850X. So far, it is stable and zero issues. Thermals also running around 82-degrees Farenheit right now on the SN8100, as my Gen5 SSD slot has a dedicated heat sink and the drive is fully exposed to the open case.

Performs really well. Super fast. Faster than anything I'll use it for. Storage capacity is great. Back when it was 250 dollars it was well worth it. I don't know if I'd buy it again until prices drop back down.

Upgraded from an SN850. As others have said this thing is FASSSSSSSSST! It boots into Win 11 in like 3-4 secs max. Only downside is RAM prices. Once prices come down, this will be a no brainer upgrade.

Western Digital really did it this time! WOW, these things are fast, but super reliable as well. They also run cooler than the other brand they replaced. They were super easy to install and if they are like other WD products they should continue to out perform for a very long time.

Just what I Needed, The SN8100 2T NVMe SSD is fast and definitely doesn’t disappoint either. The Installation is super easy as I’m sure most of you know. I definitely think the on sale price was great for the value as well. The Design is perfect for adding heat sinks if you didn’t want to spend lots more on the one they offer. All in all the compatibility and durability on this ssd is no joke. 10/10 in my book.

I just installed the 4TB WD Black SN8100 and tested it with CrystalDiskMark. The results were insane. I got over 14,000 MB/s read and write speeds. Coming from a Gen3 RAID 0 setup, the difference is night and day. I run a Ryzen 9 9800X3D with an RTX 3080, so the rest of my system was strong already. I just didn’t realize how much my older drives were holding me back. After switching to this Gen5 SSD, load times dropped across the board and games feel much smoother. Microstutters I used to get during intense moments are now completely gone. If you're gaming on modern hardware and still using Gen3 drives, you're probably not getting the performance you think you are. This SSD is fast, stable, and absolutely worth the upgrade. I posted my benchmark screenshot so others can see the numbers for themselves. Very happy with the purchase.