Conclusion
The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 is a brand new SSD from Western Digital for 2025, sporting gaming-focused high-performance in a slim, power-efficient, and affordable package. The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 is a PCIe 4.0 Gen4x4 NVMe SSD with capacities ranging from 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB in a DRAM-less configuration at affordable pricing. The 1TB and 2TB models have a rated read speed of 7,250MB/s and a write speed of 6,900MB/s using Western Digital’s (SanDisk) Polaris in-house controller, and Kioxia 218-L 3D TLC NAND Flash.
The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 SSD is positioned as an affordable gaming SSD, and made to fit in small spaces, like laptops and console handhelds with its slim one-sided design and low power usage. It is also geared to be fast, and save cost using a controller that does not require a DRAM-cache, but instead relies on HMB and caching. With the acquisition of SanDisk, Western Digital has put forth its branding and carries the WD_BLACK and other well-known Western Digital series.
On SanDisk’s site, we find the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 500GB priced at $59.99, the 1TB model priced at $84.99, and the 2TB model available for $139.99. Today, we reviewed the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD model WDS100T4X0E-00CJA0 for $84.99.
Cooling
The goal of our temperature testing is to push the SSDs as hard as possible by performing a stress test of read and write. We run PerformanceTESTS’s advanced disk benchmark with a 10GB file, set to run each read/write test for 3 iterations, culminating in a 30-minute run. This is not typical usage behavior, but our goal is to find the maximum limits of the cooling. We utilize HWiNFO64 for reporting SSD temperatures.
The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB SSD was tested as is, as it came out of the box. We installed it as a bare drive, with no heatsink. We utilized a fan blowing across it (left screenshot) as well as just the bare drive, without a fan (right screenshot) to see the performance differences. With the fan, the temperatures were fine and well-controlled. Drive Temperature 2 indicates the NAND flash temperature, while Drive Temperature 3 is the ASIC or controller temperature. The key point here is that without active cooling across the drive (with no heatsink), it does reach 81c on the ASIC, and 105c on the NAND flash. However, with just simply turning the fan on, the temps dropped a lot.
This drive did not come with a heatsink or heatspreader, and it was installed as a bare drive. This shows that you do want to make sure you install your motherboard’s M.2 heatsink on a PC desktop, to maintain cooling. If you are installing into a laptop or handheld console, we do recommend purchasing a graphene heatspreader sticker to place over the component side of the SSD if they do not have their own cooling options.
Western Digital Dashboard
Western Digital has its own software for download called Western Digital Dashboard. This is one of the better software programs we have found for SSD management, it has a lot of features, is well-skinned with an appealing interface, and is very easy to use, it provides a lot of functionality. Western Digital Dashboard shows the drive’s health importantly, and temperature as well with interface speed noted and current live performance as it is happening that you can monitor.
It provides a firmware update tool to check for the latest firmware and download and install it, so that is a huge plus. It also has the ability to perform a Secure Erase function and run S.M.A.R.T. tests. There is also a button to run TRIM and setup a TRIM schedule as well, and enable or disable Write-Cache and Windows Write-Cache Buffer Flushing. Uniquely, the WD_BLACK SN7100 also supports a Gaming Mode feature that you can toggle in the Western Digital Dashboard interface. You can read about Gaming Mode here, suffice it to say that is a unique feature that WD supports on this WD_BLACK gaming SSD. Western Digital also has a download for Acronis True Image for Western Digital on its website as well for this drive.
Final Points
The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 has proven to be true to its namesake. In our benchmarks today, we had phenomenal performance when anything gaming-oriented was tested. For example, starting in 3DMark’s Storage test, which uses real gaming traces, it performed at the top of the charts, besting even the Samsung 990 Pro, which is extremely impressive. It also had great game load times, and was also at the top of the charts for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail load times, only second to the Teamgroup MP44. It also provided the highest DirectStorage benchmark result we have yet experienced in 3DMark’s DirectStorage testing, which makes a lot of sense.
The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 also proved its worth in pure performance. Though it is rated at 7,250MB/s read and 6,900MB/ write, it exceeded that in CrystalDiskMark testing. In fact, one of the more impressive facts we picked up on was the write performance of this SSD. It was actually on par with the write performance of the Samsung 990 Pro, which used to be the fastest SSD for write performance in our lineup, but now the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 is proving to be just that good. It also really impressed us with the random read performance.
Overall system performance isn’t too shabby either, with above-average PCMark storage benchmarks, and access times. It was even close to the top of the charts in the quick system drive test, second again only to the Samsung 990 Pro, which is much more expensive mind you. In PassMark, the WD_BLACK SN7100 was competitive with the Samsung 990 Pro. We were also impressed to find that the WD_BLACK SN7100 can stand tall as a workstation-class SSD as well, with great SPECworkstation 3.1 performance.
Overall, the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 is an impressive SSD for the price range. It is true to its name at providing an excellent level of performance for gamers. If gaming is your focus, then the WD_BLACK SN7100 will fulfill your needs in that department. Our only two negatives is the fact that there isn’t a 4TB capacity available and that it doesn’t come with any kind of heatspreader or heatsink option. Ideally, you’ll use your own heatsink with your motherboard, but there may be some situations on more budget motherboards where heatsinks aren’t available for every M.2 slot.
The Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 has proven to be a fast, affordable, high-performance SSD that has everything you need to put a fast gaming build together at a price that won’t disappoint. It can hang with higher-priced SSDs above it, and yet provide a similar experience for a gaming rig. If you are in the market for a high-performance SSD that won’t break the bank, check out the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100.
