File Copy and Workstation Performance
DiskBench
With DiskBench we run two different tests. First, we place a 50GB single file onto the test drive. We copy this file from the test drive to a new folder on the test drive, volume to volume. This tests the performance of the drive’s ability to copy a single large file from itself to itself as if you were copying files on the same drive, it replicates this drive being your primary and only drive. Second, we do the same thing but with the SteamLibrary folder. The SteamLibrary folder is a 243GB folder containing 570 smaller files. This replicates a folder with varying different file sizes and copying those files.
Copying a large 50GB file from volume to volume on the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD resulted in an 18.1-second duration. This is not near the best, though it is faster than a few of the drives by a long shot. Capacity can affect this file copy, the 2TB capacity SSD could potentially perform this test faster, but at least for this single-file copy, it is below the average on this benchmark, but not terribly so.
When copying a very large Steam Library folder, the tables turn here and the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD actually does perform very well for this larger folder with multiple file sizes. This is something a gamer would use a lot, as moving game folders around, or backing up STEAM libraries, contain files of multiple file sizes. In this scenario at 1.96 minutes, it is much better than many of the drives, and above average on multiple file sizes copying, capacity can also affect this, the 2TB model could potentially be faster since it doesn’t fill up the capacity as much.
SPECworkstation 3.1
We are using SPECworkstation 3.1 and specifically the WPCstorage test. “The storage workload is based on storage transaction traces from a wide variety of professional applications engaged in real work.” It includes media and entertainment, product development, life sciences, energy, and general operations. Each program receives a score, and they are averaged together for an overall score, higher is better.
In SPECworkstation 3.1 WPCstorage testing, Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD does exceptionally well! In fact, the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD is the second fastest SSD on this graph, only bested by the Samsung 990 Pro. The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD provides even better professional performance than the professional branded SSDs! This bodes well for the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD being used in workstation-class stations as well.