Storage technology is advancing rapidly. A high-performance NVMe SSD is no longer a luxury for high-end PCs. It is an essential piece of hardware for gamers and everyday users alike.
The WD_BLACK series of SSDs has always been known for its high performance and reliability. Recently, the launch of the SN7100 has attracted the attention of many PC gamers. Can this PCIe 4.0 SSD meet the speed demands of enthusiasts? Let’s dive in and experience it today.
The packaging of the WD_BLACK SN7100 continues the series’ signature black and orange color scheme. At first glance, you can clearly see the prominent SN7100 model in the top left corner. The speed indicator of 7250MB/s appears in the bottom right. It directly communicates its performance capabilities.
The moment you open the packaging, you instantly notice the all-black PCB of the SN7100. It showcases the iconic WD_BLACK logo. This reflects the series’ signature minimalist yet sophisticated style. With no flashy heatsink armor, the single-sided PCB design makes the drive appear exceptionally slim and lightweight. Its standard 2280 form factor ensures compatibility with most motherboards and laptops.
On the PCB of the SN7100, you can clearly see that it has only one flash memory chip. The model number is 022644 1T00. It has a capacity of 1TB per chip. This is SanDisk’s latest generation 3D NAND TLC flash memory. Additionally, the controller chip is labeled SanDisk A101-000172-A1. This is SanDisk’s latest DRAM-less SSD controller. It supports the PCIe Gen4 interface. It also supports HMB technology and intelligent SLC cache technology.
As a DRAM-less SSD, the SN7100 performs better in terms of power consumption and heat dissipation. Under full load, it achieves about a 100% improvement in energy efficiency compared to the earlier generation SN770. This makes it a further improvement for devices like laptops, where battery life is a key consideration.
Flagship-level performance, dessert-level pricing.
Users familiar with building PCs know that the theoretical bandwidth limit of a PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD interface is 8GB/s. Typically, flagship SSDs reach a full-load performance of around 7300MB/s. The SN7100, yet, offers flagship-level performance at a mid-range SSD price. Official specifications claim that the 1TB version delivers sequential read speeds of up to 7250MB/s. It also states sequential write speeds of up to 6900MB/s. This can certainly be seen as a major move.
After installing the SN7100 into the PCIe 4.0 slot on the test platform, I first ran a benchmark using CrystalDiskMark. The sequential read and write speeds came in at 7100MB/s and 6500MB/s, respectively. These figures are slightly lower than the official specifications. This is mainly because I used an Intel platform for testing. It couldn’t fully unlock the SSD’s peak performance on an AMD platform.
The random 4K read and write speeds in Q1T1 are impressive. The SN7100 reaches up to 116MB/s. This performance places it in the top tier. It’s important to note that random performance is crucial for determining the launch speeds of applications like games.
In the AS SSD Benchmark test, which simulates daily usage, the SN7100 achieved a read speed of up to 6. This read speed was 6.58GB/s. It also achieved a write speed of 6.45GB/s. These results stand out among products in the same class, showcasing its powerful ability to handle small data transfers.
In real-world application scenarios, it’s clear that the loading times in Cyberpunk 2077 are significantly reduced when using the SN7100. The game even feels like it launches in seconds, which is a real blessing for impatient players.
The top choice for gamers and professional content users.
We conducted several days of testing and gained experience. We believe the SN7100 is especially suitable for gamers and professional content users. It is particularly beneficial for laptop users who need long battery life. First, it significantly shortens game loading times, and the feeling of instant startup greatly enhances the gaming experience.
Additionally, it handles large file transfers more efficiently, eliminating lag and wait times, while its stable performance ensures productivity. Considering that most motherboards now support PCIe 4.0, investing just around 200 yuan more for a significant performance boost is definitely a worthwhile investment.