Samsung PM9A3 3.84TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe U.2
Samsung
57 Overall Score
vs
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
Western Digital
99 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Samsung PM9A3 3.84TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe U.2
No customer feedback yet
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
92 out of 100 medium confidence 17 reviews
The WD_BLACK SN850X is highly praised for its exceptional speed and reliability, often compared favorably to competitors like Samsung and Solidigm. Users highlight its value for money, especially when on sale, and its suitability for both gaming and general high-performance tasks. Some concerns about potential issues are mitigated by firmware updates, and the drive is confirmed to work well with PS5 and Windows 11.
Pros
- Blazing fast speeds
- Reliable performance
- Great value for money
- Easy PS5 installation
- Works with Windows 11
Cons
- Potential firmware issues
- 4TB version double-sided
- May require heatsink for intense use
Speed 6
Reliability 5
Value for money 3
Ps5 compatibility 3
Firmware concerns 2
Windows 11 boot 1
Scores
Budget
Workstation
Gaming
Console
Laptop
Portable
Specifications
| Samsung PM9A3 | Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | ||
| Capacity | ||
| Form Factor | U.2 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| Protocol | NVMe | NVMe |
| PCIe Generation | 4 | 4 |
| External | ✗ | ✗ |
| Performance | ||
| Sequential Read (MB/s) | No data | |
| Sequential Write (MB/s) | No data | |
| Random Read (IOPS) | No data | |
| Random Write (IOPS) | No data | |
| Hardware | ||
| NAND | — | TLC★ |
| DRAM Cache | — | ✓★ |
| Reliability | ||
| Endurance (TBW) | No data | |
| MTBF (hours) | No data | |
| Warranty (years) | — | 3★ |
| Features | ||
| Heatsink | — | ✓★ |
| Hardware Encryption | — | ✓★ |
Pros & Cons
Samsung PM9A3 3.84TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe U.2
- Strong capacity (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong speed (67th percentile)
- Below average feature (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average endurance (14th percentile)14th %ile
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280
- Strong social proof (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong feature (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong random (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (95th percentile)95th %ile
Pricing
Samsung PM9A3 3.84TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe U.20.001score per dollar
vs
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 22800.008score per dollar
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2280 offers 8.0x better value for money
Verdict
Winner: Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850X
Scores 99 overall, wins 6 of 6 usage categories and 11 of 17 specs.
