It was just last week when we saw the 4TB version of the WD_BLACK SN850X SSD listed for more than $300 on Amazon. Suddenly, the blazing fast PCIe NVMe Gen 4 solid-state drive is down to $279.99, making it the lowest price that we have seen in a while, giving desktop, laptop, or PS5 owners the perfect opportunity to not only upgrade their storage but experience unprecedented speeds. Bear in mind that the WD_BLACK SN850X trades blows with Samsung’s 990 PRO in the sequential read and write department, so this comparison alone will want to make you upgrade.
To obtain the actual PCIe NVMe Gen 4 bandwidth of this 4TB SSD, you need to ensure that your desktop or laptop computer features an unoccupied M.2 drive that supports the latest-generation standard. While you can easily slot the WD_BLACK SN850X in a PCIe NVMe Gen 3 drive, you will lose out on a ton of performance if you do. According to the company, the drive’s peak speeds can touch 7,300MB/s, and since the PCIe NVMe Gen 4 also supports the DirectStorage API, games will load up significantly faster than before, and your programs will fire up in the blink of an eye.
If you wish to keep a closer eye on the WD_BLACK SN850X, the Dashboard software that you can install from the company’s website gives you a closer look at important metrics, including drive health, RGB lighting control and Game Mode 2.0. Of course, some will find the asking price a little too steep for their liking. In that case, if you do not mind compromising on the total storage, you can check out our comprehensive list of 2TB SSDs that are priced at $120 and under. While you check that out, there are a multitude of 4TB solid-state drives that we have compiled in a different list if the WD_BLACK SN850X does not appeal to you.