WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD vs WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB NVMe SSD with Heatsink

The SN850X with heatsink is the safer pick for most desktop gamers. It has a proven controller, a heatsink that keeps speeds steady during long installs and play sessions, and Game Mode 2.0 in the WD_BLACK Dashboard. The SN7100 is the newer, leaner drive: slightly higher rated sequential read and write, single-sided and lighter, so it fits thin laptops and tight M.2 slots. Owners rate the SN850X higher (4.7 from 611 ratings vs 4.4 from 382), and its 1,100,000 IOPS random write rating dwarfs the SN7100's figure. Both are DRAM-less 1TB Gen4 drives with 600 TBW endurance.

• Choose the WD_BLACK SN7100 if you need a slim single-sided drive for a laptop or a tight slot, or you want the highest rated sequential write speed in this pair.
• Choose the WD_BLACK SN850X with heatsink if you are building or upgrading a desktop and want cooler sustained performance, Game Mode 2.0 and the stronger owner track record.