WD Black SN850X Review: The Perfect Balance of Performance, Reliability, and Value

Storage is an often-neglected aspect of a gaming PC, with the CPU, GPU, motherboard, cooler, and RAM rightfully grabbing all the attention. However, the benefits of fast SSD storage cannot be overstated. And when it comes to PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the WD Black SN850X is just about as good as it gets for gaming.

The WD Black SN850X features a starting price of Rs 8,699 for the 1TB variant or Rs 11,479 for the 1TB model with the Heatsink. The SN850X SSD also comes in 2TB and 4TB versions with or without a Heatsink. Now, let's dive into the specifications, performance and features of the WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD.

WD Black SN850X Specifications

The WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage configurations. Our model included a heatsink that is designed to keep the SSD cold under pressure. Moreover, the heatsink also comes with RGB lighting that can be controlled using WD's Dashboard software. Unfortunately, only a small part of the heatsink lights up.

112-Layer BiCS5 TLC

The WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD can be utilized on either a PC or PS5, although those RGB benefits won't do any good inside a PlayStation 5. Additionally, the SSD has excellent endurances ratings with WD offering a five-year warranty on it.

Performance

The WD Black SN850X PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD features a read speed of 7,300MB/s and a write speed of 6,600MB/s. Moreover, the SSD also managed a Crystal DiskMark read score of 87.5MB/s and a write speed of 276.85MB/s. Here are some more results from our testing:

• PC Mark 10 Overall Storage Benchmark - 3,311 Points
• 3DMark Storage - 3891 Points
• PC Mark10 Quick Benchmark - 501 Points

The SSD is also accompanied by WD's Dashboard management software, which features several tools and settings to display important information about the SSD quickly. Game Mode can be used to prioritize cutting in-game load times.

Apart from Game Mode, you can also control the little RGB LED light on the top of the heatsink, monitor temperatures, check health status, access various tools and settings, and more using the WD Dashboard software.

During intense gaming for over a couple of hours, the SSD temperature did spike in our extreme stress test, although this isn't something to be concerned about. However, our model did include the heatsink, so there are chances of the SSD overheating without one. A case would good airflow or a third-party heatsink will also help keep temperatures in check, thus preventing throttling.

Verdict

The WD Black SN850X is one of the best PCIe Gen 4.0 SSDs to complement your gaming PC setup and this is primarily down to the way it balances price and performance. And while it may seem like a minor bump over the SN850, that isn't the case as it features a much higher sequential-write speed and better sequential-read speeds.

Apart from the speed, the PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD also offers several tweaks under the hood to improve load times, while offering excellent software support and a solid warranty. Moreover, the optional heatsink is perfect to ensure optimal performance without any overheating. If you are looking to upgrade your PS5 or PC storage, without the exorbitant price tag of PCIe Gen 5.0, then the WD Black SN850X SSD won't disappoint.