Western Digital Gaming 512GB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Samsung 9100 PRO 8TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
What Buyers Say
Western Digital Gaming 512GB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Most buyers are satisfied with the speed and performance of this M.2 SSD, noting it works well as an upgrade for laptops and desktops. However, several verified reviews raise concerns about receiving used or refurbished drives advertised as new, with some reporting heavy prior usage or even a pre-installed Windows system. While the drive generally functions as expected, authenticity and condition issues lead to mixed feelings.
Pros
- Fast performance
- Easy installation
- Good value for price
- Works as upgrade
- Reliable over time
Cons
- May arrive used or refurbished
- Authenticity concerns
- Not recognized by WD cloning software
- No retail packaging
- Pre-installed Windows on some units
Samsung 9100 PRO 8TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
The Samsung 9100 Pro is generally praised for its blazing-fast speeds, especially in data transfers and large file loads, with several users noting it's noticeably faster than the 990 Pro. However, one verified buyer experienced a complete drive failure within two weeks, which is a significant concern. Most reviewers recommend it for high-end builds, but advise getting the heatsink version or a good aftermarket cooler.
Pros
- Blazing fast speeds
- Noticeably faster than 990 Pro
- Great for data transfers
- Quality product
- Recommended for high-end builds
Cons
- Potential drive failure within weeks
- Requires heatsink for optimal performance
- Speed difference not noticeable in daily tasks
Scores
Specifications
| Western Digital Gaming | Samsung 9100 PRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | ||
| Capacity | ||
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x4 |
| Protocol | NVMe | NVMe |
| PCIe Generation | 4 | 5★ |
| External | ✗ | ✗ |
| Performance | ||
| Sequential Read (MB/s) | ||
| Sequential Write (MB/s) | ||
| Random Read (IOPS) | ||
| Random Write (IOPS) | ||
| Hardware | ||
| NAND | — | TLC★ |
| DRAM Cache | — | ✓★ |
| Controller | — | In-House Controller |
| Reliability | ||
| Endurance (TBW) | No data | |
| MTBF (hours) | No data | |
| Warranty (years) | 1 | 5★ |
| Features | ||
| Heatsink | — | ✓★ |
| Hardware Encryption | — | ✓★ |
Pros & Cons
Western Digital Gaming 512GB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
- Strong random (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong speed (72nd percentile)
- Strong social proof (68th percentile)
- Below average feature (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (29th percentile)
- Below average endurance (34th percentile)
- Below average capacity (35th percentile)
Samsung 9100 PRO 8TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
- Strong random (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong feature (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong speed (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong capacity (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Below average affordability (2nd percentile)2nd %ile
- Below average user sentiment (29th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 98 overall, wins 5 of 6 usage categories and 13 of 18 specs.