WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB

In this wd_black sn7100 4tb review, the short answer is that the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB is the fourth pick in our eight-drive guide and the best 4TB NVMe SSD for handheld gaming PCs. Sandisk built it for laptops and portable consoles, so it uses a PCIe Gen4 interface in the standard M.2 2280 size and reaches up to 7,000 MB/s reads and 6,900 MB/s writes. The 4TB model sells for $579.99 and holds a 4.8 rating from 6,518 Amazon ratings. Buyers who want one drive for a handheld gaming device or a gaming laptop get fast load times without giving up battery life.

Performance comes from next generation TLC 3D NAND and a PCIe x4 Gen4 link, which means game installs, streaming captures and level loads finish fast on a laptop or handheld. In practice, up to 100% better power efficiency than the previous generation matters more on a handheld than raw benchmark numbers, because every watt saved turns into extra play time. The 2,400TBW endurance rating on this 4TB model covers years of installs, streaming and constant writes. On top of that, the drive weighs just 4.54 grams and measures 3.14 by 0.86 by 0.04 inches, so it adds almost nothing to a handheld. The WD_BLACK Dashboard keeps firmware updates and tuning in one place.

Value depends on what you need from 4TB. At $579.99 the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB costs more than several drives in our guide, and its 3 year limited warranty is shorter than the 5 year coverage Samsung and other Sandisk models offer. Even so, the mix of 4TB capacity, Gen4 speed and handheld-friendly power efficiency is what earns it the best for handheld gaming PCs label here. Sandisk's own listing notes that this generation has been replaced by the SANDISK Optimus GX 7100, so compare prices before ordering. For example, a desktop builder who wants the longest coverage may prefer a 5 year drive. If you game on a laptop or a portable console and care about battery life, this is the one to get. Skip it if you need the fastest writes for heavy editing work.