SanDisk WD Blue SN5100 SSD Debuts with 30% Faster Speeds, Starting at $54
▼ Summary
– Sandisk has released the WD Blue SN5100, a PCIe 4.0 SSD that offers up to 30% better performance than its predecessor, the SN5000.
– The SN5100 uses QLC NAND across all capacities and incorporates Kioxia’s BiCS8 QLC NAND, differing from the SN5000’s mixed TLC/QLD strategy.
– It features Sandisk’s nCache 4.0 technology for improved performance and power efficiency, similar to that used in the flagship WD Black SN8100 model.
– The drive delivers sequential speeds up to 7,100 MB/s read and 6,700 MB/s write, with random performance reaching 1 million read and 1.3 million write IOPS.
– Endurance remains unchanged from the SN5000, but prices have increased by 22-36% across capacities, and it comes with a five-year warranty and Acronis True Image software.
The new SanDisk WD Blue SN5100 SSD brings a significant performance boost over its predecessor, offering up to 30% faster speeds while maintaining the accessible pricing that has made the WD Blue series a favorite among mainstream users. This latest model continues to use the PCIe 4.0 interface but incorporates updated hardware and advanced technologies to deliver improved efficiency and responsiveness.
Built around a familiar recipe, the SN5100 pairs SanDisk’s proprietary PCIe 4.0 controller with Kioxia’s BiCS8 QLC NAND flash memory. Unlike the previous SN5000, which used a mix of TLC and QLC NAND depending on capacity, the SN5100 standardizes on QLC across all models. This shift is supported by nCache 4.0 technology, a dynamic SLC caching system that enhances both performance and power efficiency. Data is initially written at high speed to SLC blocks before being moved to QLC during idle periods, a feature also found in SanDisk’s flagship WD Black SN8100.
Available in four capacities, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, the drive retains the popular M.2 2280 form factor and single-sided design, ensuring broad compatibility with both desktops and laptops. Performance figures are impressive: the 1TB and 2TB models reach sequential read speeds of 7,100 MB/s and write speeds of 6,700 MB/s, marking improvements of up to 29% and 34% over the SN5000. Random performance also sees a notable uplift, with random read and write operations hitting up to 1 million and 1.3 million IOPS respectively.
Endurance ratings remain unchanged from the previous generation, with TBW (terabytes written) values of 300 for the 500GB model, 600 for 1TB, 900 for 2TB, and 1,200 for the 4TB variant. Pricing starts at $54.99 for the 500GB model and goes up to $299.99 for the 4TB version. These represent increases over the SN5000, ranging from 22% for the 500GB drive to 36% for the 4TB model.
As with earlier models, SanDisk includes a five-year limited warranty and bundles Acronis True Image software to simplify data migration from an existing drive.
(Source: Tom’s Hardware)
