Which is better for a laptop?

The WD Blue SN580. It is low-power, comes in 2TB, and PCIe 4.0 is what most laptops support. The SN8100's speed is largely wasted in a laptop without a PCIe 5.0 slot.

The WD_BLACK SN8100, by a large margin. It is rated up to about 14.9 GB/s read versus 4,150 MB/s for the SN580, but only on a PCIe 5.0 connection.

Is the SN8100 worth the extra cost?

Only if you move very large files or run a PCIe 5.0 desktop and want top speed. For everyday use and gaming load times, the SN580's PCIe 4.0 speed is already fast.

The SN8100 has the higher endurance rating, 600-700 TBW on 1TB versus 450 TBW on the 2TB SN580. Both are far above typical consumer write loads.

Does either support hardware encryption?

The SN8100 does. The SN580 does not; it offers TCG Pyrite 2.01 and ATA security instead.

Can I use the SN8100 in a PCIe 4.0 slot?

Yes, it is backward compatible, but it will run at PCIe 4.0 speeds, close to the SN580's range, so you lose most of its advantage.

WD Blue SN580 2TB NVMe SSD vs WD_BLACK SN8100 1TB NVMe SSD

The WD_BLACK SN8100 is the faster drive by a wide margin, but it holds half the capacity and costs more. The WD Blue SN580 is the better value for most laptops and general use, while the SN8100 is for desktop and workstation builds that can use PCIe 5.0 speed. Check current prices at each store before deciding, since the gap between them moves.

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