Which is faster for gaming?

They are close. The T500 has a slightly higher rated read speed at 7,400 MB/s, while the SN850X rates higher on writes at up to 6,300 MB/s. In real game loading the difference is small.

Is the T500 worth the savings?

Yes for most buyers. At $189.99 versus $245, the T500 saves about $55 and includes a heatsink. The SN850X mainly wins on software and capacity range.

Which is better for a PS5?

The T500 on this listing includes a heatsink and is listed as PS5 compatible, so it drops in directly. The SN850X needs its heatsink version for a PS5.

Does either have DRAM cache?

Both use DRAM cache, which helps sustained performance. Neither is a DRAM-less budget drive.

Both are rated for years of normal use, and endurance figures scale with capacity. The SN850X has far more user ratings behind it, which gives more confidence in long-term reliability.

WD Black SN850X NVMe SSD vs Crucial T500 NVMe SSD 1TB

Both are fast PCIe 4.0 gaming SSDs. The Crucial T500 is the better value here: $189.99 at its lowest as of November 2, versus $245 for the WD Black SN850X as of October 30. Buy the SN850X if you want WD's software ecosystem and a long track record; buy the T500 if you want the lower price and a bundled heatsink.

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