Which is better for a PS5?

The T500 with the heatsink. Sony requires a heatsink on expanded PS5 storage, and the T500 ships in a heatsink version. The bare SN7100 would need a separate heatsink.

Which is better for a laptop or handheld?

The SN7100. It is single-sided, light and built for low power draw, so it runs cooler in tight spaces. The T500 heatsink version is too thick for many laptop slots.

Does the DRAM cache on the T500 matter?

It helps with sustained random reads and writes, such as large file transfers and heavy multitasking. In game loading the two feel close, because both are fast PCIe 4.0 TLC drives.

They are rated the same at 1TB, 600 TBW each. The T500 adds a 5-year limited warranty and a 1.5 million hour MTBF rating, which gives clearer long-term coverage.

Is the SN7100 worth stepping up to over the T500?

Only if you need faster writes or a cooler, lower-power drive for a portable device. For a desktop or PS5, the T500's DRAM cache, encryption and heatsink are the better fit.

Do either need a firmware app?

The SN7100 uses WD_BLACK Dashboard, which is Windows only, for health checks and Game Mode. Crucial offers its own storage software for the T500.

WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD vs Crucial T500 NVMe SSD

Both are PCIe 4.0 TLC drives that feel fast in games and everyday work. The Crucial T500 has a DRAM cache, hardware AES 256-bit encryption and a 5-year warranty, which makes it the sturdier pick for a desktop or PS5 build. The WD_BLACK SN7100 is DRAM-less but runs cooler and draws less power, so it suits laptops and gaming handhelds. Owners rate both well; the SN7100 has far more ratings behind its score.

Choose the WD_BLACK SN7100 if you are upgrading a laptop or handheld and want low power draw and heat in a single-sided drive.
Choose the Crucial T500 if you want a DRAM cache, hardware encryption and a heatsink for a desktop or PS5.

Prices

WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD: $59.99 at JR'S Western Wear (checked today)
Crucial T500 NVMe SSD: $179.00 at DirectDial (last seen Nov 3)
Difference: the WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD is $119.01 cheaper than the Crucial T500 NVMe SSD at the latest prices (Nov 3 and Nov 15)

What separates them

	WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD	Crucial T500 NVMe SSD
Cache	DRAM-less, uses host memory buffer	Dedicated DRAM cache
Sequential write	Up to 6,900 MB/s	Up to 5,700 MB/s on the 1TB model
Sequential read	Up to 7,250 MB/s	Up to 7,400 MB/s
Encryption	Non-SED, no hardware encryption	AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Heatsink	Bare single-sided drive	Heatsink version available
Power and heat	Tuned for laptops and handhelds, low power draw	Runs warmer, heatsink helps
Endurance (1TB)	600 TBW	600 TBW
Warranty	Limited warranty, terms vary by region	5-year limited warranty

Specs compared

Spec	WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD	Crucial T500 NVMe SSD
Interface	M.2 NVMe Gen 4.0 x 4	PCIe 4.0 NVMe
Form factor	2280mm	M.2
Weight	5.80 g	10g
Type	Internal	SSD
Color	Black	Black
Use	Internal	Internal
Device Compatibility	PC	PC, Desktop, Laptop, PS5
Wireless Connectivity	No	No
Read Speed	7250 MB/s	7400 MB/s
Write Speed	6900 MB/s	5700 MB/s
NVMe Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Support	Yes	Yes

Show all 40 specs

Spec	WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD	Crucial T500 NVMe SSD
Cache	DRAM-less	DRAM
Data Encryption	NON-SED	Yes
Security Highlights	Supports TRIM functions, Supports ECC, Supports…	Encryption support
Design Highlights	Single-sided	Heatsink
Typical Users	Gamers	Gamers
Removable	No	Yes
Power Consumption	Low power consumption	Less power, 40% higher performance to power rat…
Size (GB)	1000	2000
Storage capacity	1TB	—

WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD vs Crucial T500 NVMe SSD

Prices

WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD vs Crucial T500 NVMe SSD

Prices

Crucial T500 NVMe SSD

What separates them

Price history

Prices at every store