The WD_Black SN7100 2TB is the larger-capacity version of Western Digital’s gaming SSD, one of the better-reviewed Gen 4 NVMe options in PC builds and PS5 upgrades since launch. Two terabytes of storage on a single-sided M.2 2280 stick, 7,250 MB per second peak reads, 6,900 MB per second writes, all in a form factor that drops into the PS5 expansion bay, a laptop M.2 slot, or any modern desktop motherboard with a Gen 4 x4 slot free.
An extra SSD perfect for adding storage space to your computer
What really sets the SN7100 apart from other older NVMe SSDs is its real-world performance. Starting a cold boot into Windows takes about 10 seconds to reach the login screen, then the desktop. Launching a game like Cyberpunk 2077 and reaching the main menu takes less than 20 seconds. For creative users who need fast loading times, opening large Photoshop project files takes only a few seconds, rather than the long wait experienced with older SATA SSDs and hard drives.
For a PS5, any expansion drives must read data sequentially at 5500 MB/s or higher. The SN7100 is fast enough and has about 1700 MB/s of headroom, allowing for faster install times and quicker transitions between levels when using PS5 SSD-style architecture. A heatsink is required to install in the PS5 expansion bay. Western Digital sells the SN7100 in two variants, one bare and one with a pre-mounted heatsink. The bare version on sale here is the one to grab if you already own a heatsink or plan to use a desktop motherboard slot with a built-in cooler.
Endurance on this 2TB version is rated at 1,200 TBW, meaning the drive is rated to handle 1,200TB written across its lifespan before degradation. For context, a household writing 50GB per day would take more than 65 years to hit that limit. But, if you’re antsy about longevity, the SN7100 has a 5-year limited warranty.
The drive comes with a free utility called WD_Black Dashboard that monitors drive health, runs benchmarks, sends firmware updates, and flags any reliability indicators that drop into warning territory. The nCache 4.0 firmware running on the drive itself handles thermal and write-cache management, which smooths out sustained writes when restoring a system image or migrating a Steam library.
Western Digital normally sells the SN7100 2TB for $690, but right now it’s $342 on Amazon. There’s also an on-pace coupon available that brings the final price down even further to $330. So, if you’re shopping for a PS5 storage upgrade, building a new gaming PC, or stretching out the life of a current rig that’s run out of room, this SSD is hard to beat at half off.
