Table of Contents
The WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe™ SSD is a top-of-the-line storage solution designed to cater to the demanding needs of hardcore gamers. It boasts a combination of lightning-fast speeds, ample storage capacity, and features specifically tailored to enhance your gaming experience. Few of its key aspects are given below:
Storage
The WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe™ SSD boasts not just phenomenal speed, but also ample storage capacities to house your ever-growing game library. Here’s a closer look at what it offers:
Capacities Catering to Modern Games:
Gone are the days of carefully managing storage space to fit in the latest titles. The WD_BLACK SN850X comes in a range of capacities, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your needs:
- 1TB: A solid starting point for gamers with a decent collection of titles.
- 2TB: Ideal for those with a larger library or who frequently play AAA games with hefty file sizes.
- 4TB: The ultimate option for hardcore gamers who want to store their entire collection without limitations.
Modern Games Demand Modern Storage:
Modern games are notorious for their ever-increasing file sizes. Some titles can easily exceed 100GB, and some even reach 200GB or more. With the WD_BLACK SN850X, you won’t have to constantly juggle installations and uninstalls to make room for new releases.
Peace of Mind for Your Growing Library:
Knowing you have enough storage to hold your entire game collection allows for a more relaxed gaming experience. You can download new titles without worrying about deleting old favorites, letting you focus on what truly matters – enjoying the games you love.
Things to Consider:
- Storage Needs: Evaluate your current game library size and consider the types of games you typically play. Aim for a capacity that accommodates your existing collection and allows room for future growth.
- Future-Proofing: If you plan on building a long-lasting gaming PC, opting for a larger capacity like the 2TB or 4TB model might be a wise investment.
Performance
The most defining characteristic of the WD_BLACK SN850X is its incredible speed. With read speeds reaching up to a staggering 7,300 MB/s, it dwarfs traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and even SATA SSDs. This translates to real-world benefits for gamers:
Games will launch and levels will load in a blink of an eye, minimizing waiting times and maximizing your playtime. You’ll spend less time staring at loading screens and more time immersed in the action. Stuttering and lag caused by slow storage become a thing of the past. The WD_BLACK SN850X ensures a more responsive and fluid gaming experience, allowing you to react quickly and stay ahead of the competition.
Credit: Techtesters
Recommended Read: Sabrent SSDs: A Dive into Performance, Reliability, and Value
Beyond Sequential Speeds: Random Reads and Writes Matter for Games
While sequential read speeds are impressive, random read and write speeds are equally important for gaming performance. These represent how quickly the drive can access small chunks of data scattered across the storage space, which is crucial for in-game tasks like loading textures, objects, and character models.
The WD_BLACK SN850X boasts impressive random read and write speeds as well. While exact figures may vary depending on capacity and workload, these speeds ensure smooth and uninterrupted gameplay by efficiently handling the constant data access that modern games require.
Game Mode 2.0: Prioritizing Performance When You Need It Most
The WD_BLACK SN850X includes a unique feature called Game Mode 2.0 (Windows only). When activated, this mode optimizes the drive’s performance for gaming by:
The drive prioritizes reading and writing data related to your running game, ensuring it receives the resources it needs for smooth performance. The SSD minimizes non-essential background tasks that could compete for resources and potentially slow down your game.
With Game Mode 2.0 enabled, you can be confident that your WD_BLACK SN850X is focused on delivering the best possible performance for your games.
Designed for the Future of Gaming: Supporting DirectStorage
The WD_BLACK SN850X is built with an eye towards the future of gaming. It supports Microsoft’s DirectStorage technology, which is expected to revolutionize game loading times in upcoming titles. This technology bypasses the traditional CPU bottleneck for storage access, allowing games to utilize the full potential of high-performance NVMe SSDs like the WD_BLACK SN850X.
By supporting DirectStorage, the WD_BLACK SN850X ensures that your storage won’t become a bottleneck as games become even more demanding in terms of data access speeds.
Features
The WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe™ SSD isn’t just about raw speed. It’s a feature-rich powerhouse designed to elevate every aspect of your gaming experience. Here’s a breakdown of some key features that make this SSD stand out:
- Blazing Speed: The headliner is undoubtedly the incredible speed. With read speeds reaching 7,300 MB/s, games load in a flash and stuttering becomes a relic of the past.
- Spacious Storage: Forget juggling installations. Capacities ranging from 1TB to a whopping 4TB ensure you have ample space for your entire game library, even the ever-growing modern titles.
- Game Mode 2.0 (Windows only): This unique feature prioritizes game data and minimizes background activities, ensuring your games get the resources they need for peak performance.
- WD_BLACK Dashboard: This software suite is your command center for the drive. Monitor its health, optimize performance, and even control RGB lighting on compatible models.
- Optional Heatsink: The 1TB and 2TB variants offer an optional heatsink model. This helps dissipate heat during intense gaming sessions, maintaining optimal performance.
- DirectStorage Support: The WD_BLACK SN850X is built for the future. It supports Microsoft’s DirectStorage technology, which is expected to revolutionize game loading times in upcoming titles.
- Focus on Random Reads/Writes: Modern games rely heavily on random data access. The SN850X excels in this area, ensuring smooth gameplay by efficiently handling scattered data requests.
- Built for Durability: Gamers can expect reliability with WD_BLACK’s commitment to quality and endurance.
Drawbacks
- Premium Price: The WD_BLACK SN850X comes at a premium price tag compared to traditional storage options.
- NVMe Interface and M.2 Form Factor: Ensure your motherboard has compatible slots before purchasing, as it won’t work with older systems.
- Performance Gains May Vary: The benefits of such high speeds might be less noticeable in older games or those not heavily reliant on fast storage.
- Heatsink Model Availability: The optional heatsink might not be readily available in all regions and can add to the cost.
Specifications Table
| Feature | Specification |
| Interface | NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Capacities | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 7,300 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 6,600 MB/s |
| Random Read IOPS | Up to 1,000,000 (may vary by capacity) |
| Random Write IOPS | Up to 800,000 (may vary by capacity) |
| Endurance | Up to 600 TBW (may vary by capacity) |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Software | WD_BLACK Dashboard (monitoring, performance optimization, RGB control on compatible models) |
| Optional Heatsink | Available for 1TB and 2TB models (may vary by region) |
| Security | TCG Opal Encryption (256-bit AES) |
| Power Consumption | Active: Up to 8.5W (may vary), Idle: Up to 1.5W (may vary) |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 80°C |
| Dimensions | 80.0mm x 22.0mm x 2.38mm |