WD Blue SN5000 4TB NVMe SSD vs SanDisk SSD Plus SATA III SSD

The WD Blue SN5000 is the far faster drive and the only one of the two that makes sense as a main system or game drive. The SanDisk SSD Plus is an older SATA 2.5-inch design with a fraction of the throughput, but it fits machines with no M.2 slot and works well as a secondary or upgrade drive for an old laptop. On build and support, WD backs the SN5000 with a five-year warranty and a 1,200 TBW endurance rating, while the SanDisk's QLC-free SATA design is simple and proven but limited by the SATA interface. Buyers who want speed and capacity in one slot pick the WD; buyers reviving an older SATA-only machine pick the SanDisk.

• Choose the WD Blue SN5000 if your PC or laptop has an M.2 2280 PCIe slot and you want Gen4 speed for gaming, large game libraries, or 4K video work.
• Choose the SanDisk SSD Plus if you are upgrading an older desktop or laptop that only has a 2.5-inch SATA bay and no M.2 slot.