Western Digital SN770 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280

The WD_BLACK SN770 is a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that delivers fast boot times and game load speeds without the flagship price. It's DRAM-less but still performs well above average, with 5150 MB/s reads and 4900 MB/s writes. Buy it for gaming or as a Windows 11 boot drive, but shop around since prices vary by USD 95 between vendors.

Sequential reads top out at 5150 MB/s and writes at 4900 MB/s. Those numbers put it well above average in our database, though not at the absolute top. Random performance is where it gets interesting: 740K read IOPS and 800K write IOPS. That's a standout result for a DRAM-less drive and explains why it feels snappy in real-world use, even when you're not moving giant files around.

In practice, boot times are quick and game load screens shrink compared to PCIe 3.0 or SATA drives. If you're on an older motherboard with only PCIe 3.0 slots, you'll leave some performance on the table, but the SN770 still beats most older drives. Buyers on PCIe 3.0 boards consistently report it feels fast, just not as fast as the spec sheet suggests.

The Samsung 990 PRO is the obvious step up. It's faster across the board and has DRAM, but it costs more. If you're chasing benchmark numbers or doing heavy sustained writes, the 990 PRO is worth the extra cash. The Crucial T500 is another strong alternative, often priced close to the SN770 but with slightly better sustained performance. The Kingston Fury Renegade is a wildcard: it trades blows with the SN770 on speed but tends to run hotter, so you'll want a heatsink.

For budget builds, the Team Group MP44 is worth a look. It's usually cheaper and still delivers PCIe 4.0 speeds, though endurance and brand trust aren't quite at Western Digital's level. The Lexar Professional NM1090 PRO is more of a niche pick for content creators who need sustained write performance. For most gamers, the SN770 hits the sweet spot between price, speed, and reliability.

Pricing is all over the place right now. We're seeing USD 175 to USD 270 across two US listings, which is a USD 95 spread. That's a big enough gap that you should shop around before clicking buy. At the lower end, the SN770 is one of the best value drives in its class. At the higher end, you're getting into Samsung 990 PRO territory, and that drive is faster. Check Newegg and Amazon, but don't assume either one has the best deal on a given day.

The WD_BLACK SN770 is a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD aimed squarely at gamers and anyone who wants a fast boot drive without paying flagship prices. It sits in that mid-range sweet spot where you get 5150 MB/s reads and 4900 MB/s writes, which is plenty for most people. The drive uses TLC NAND and skips the DRAM cache, a cost-cutting move that Western Digital compensates for with a solid controller and firmware. In our database, it lands at the 76th percentile for speed and 88th for endurance, so it punches above its weight for the price.

A lot of shoppers ask whether the SN770 is good for gaming. The short answer is yes. Load times drop noticeably compared to older SATA drives, and it supports DirectStorage for future titles. It also works fine as a Windows 11 boot drive, which is exactly how many buyers use it. The 600 TBW endurance rating and 5-year warranty mean you don't have to baby it either.

One thing to know up front: this is a DRAM-less design. That used to be a red flag, but modern NVMe drives with HMB (Host Memory Buffer) handle everyday tasks just fine. You'll only notice the difference in sustained heavy writes, and even then, most people won't care.

Skip the SN770 if you're doing heavy video editing, constant large file transfers, or running a workstation that hammers the drive with sustained writes. The DRAM-less design will show its limits there, and you'd be better off with a Samsung 990 PRO or Crucial T500. Also skip it if you're on an older PCIe 3.0 system and don't plan to upgrade, since you're paying for PCIe 4.0 speeds you can't use. A cheaper PCIe 3.0 drive like the Team Group MP44 would make more sense.

Should you buy the WD_BLACK SN770? If you're building a mid-range gaming PC or upgrading an older laptop, yes. It's fast enough for everyday use and gaming, reliable, and backed by a brand people trust. The DRAM-less design isn't a dealbreaker for most workloads, and the 600 TBW endurance rating means it'll last years.

But if you're on a PCIe 3.0 motherboard and don't plan to upgrade soon, you won't get the full benefit. A cheaper PCIe 3.0 drive would do the job. And if you're doing heavy video editing or constant large file transfers, step up to something with DRAM like the 990 PRO or T500. For everyone else, the SN770 is an easy recommendation, especially if you catch it at the lower end of that price range.