Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB SSD vs SanDisk Optimus GX 7100 1TB SSD

The Samsung 9100 PRO is the faster drive on paper: PCIe 5.0 with rated reads around 14,800 MB/s, roughly double the SanDisk. It also ships with a heatsink and DRAM cache, which suits a desktop gaming build. The SanDisk Optimus GX 7100 is a PCIe 4.0 drive rated up to 7,250/6,900 MB/s with a power-efficient design aimed at laptops and handhelds, and owners rate it well at 4.5 out of 5. Buy the Samsung for a PCIe 5.0 desktop where speed is the point; buy the SanDisk for a PCIe 4.0 machine, a laptop or a handheld, where it runs cooler and draws less power.

• Choose the Samsung 9100 PRO if your motherboard has a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot and you want the fastest sequential speeds, a heatsink included and DRAM cache for heavy gaming or large file work.
• Choose the SanDisk Optimus GX 7100 if your system is PCIe 4.0, or you are upgrading a laptop or handheld console where low power draw and heat matter more than peak speed.