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Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB
Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB

Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB

Common Features

  • ✓ Both products are M.2 type SSDs.
  • ✓ Both products have HMB (Host Memory Buffer) for SSD cache.
  • ✓ Both products are NVMe SSDs.
  • ✓ Both products have 2000GB of internal storage.
  • ✓ Both products use PCIe 4.0.
  • ✓ Both products have 4 controller channels.
  • ✓ Both products come with a 5-year warranty.
  • ✓ Neither product has an integrated heatsink.

Main Differences

  • • Sequential read speed is 7250 MB/s on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and 7100 MB/s on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
  • • Sequential write speed is 6900 MB/s on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and 6700 MB/s on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
  • • Random write speed is 1400000 IOPS on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and 1300000 IOPS on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
  • • NVMe version is 1.4 on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and 2 on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
  • • Controller is Polaris 3 A101-000172-A1 on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and WD Polaris 3 A101-000103-A1 on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
  • • SSD storage type is TLC on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and QLC on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
  • • Terabytes Written (TBW) is 1200 on Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and 900 on Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB.
Specs Comparison
Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB

Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB

Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB

Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB

Read speed:
sequential read speed 7250 MB/s 7100 MB/s
random read speed 1000000 IOPS 1000000 IOPS

The Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB offers a sequential read speed of 7250 MB/s, while the Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB comes in slightly lower at 7100 MB/s. This difference of 150 MB/s in sequential read speed is the only distinction in their respective read speed specifications.

Both products have identical random read speeds, with each offering 1000000 IOPS. There is no difference between the two models in terms of random read performance.

Overall, while the WD Black SN7100 has a marginally faster sequential read speed, both drives perform equally well in random read speed tasks.

Write speed:
sequential write speed 6900 MB/s 6700 MB/s
random write speed 1400000 IOPS 1300000 IOPS

The Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB offers a higher sequential write speed of 6900 MB/s compared to the Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB, which has a sequential write speed of 6700 MB/s. This difference of 200 MB/s gives the WD Black a slight edge in sequential write performance.

In terms of random write speeds, the WD Black SN7100 again takes the lead with 1400000 IOPS, while the WD Blue SN5100 reaches 1300000 IOPS. The difference of 100,000 IOPS in random write speed reflects a noticeable performance gap between the two models.

Overall, the WD Black SN7100 outperforms the WD Blue SN5100 in both sequential and random write speeds, though the difference is relatively small.

General info:
type M2 M2
SSD cache HMB (Host Memory Buffer) HMB (Host Memory Buffer)
Is an NVMe SSD ✓ ✓
NVMe version 1.4 2
internal storage 2000GB 2000GB
release date March 2025 August 2025
controller Polaris 3 A101-000172-A1 WD Polaris 3 A101-000103-A1
SSD storage type TLC QLC
PCI Express (PCIe) version 4 4
Controller channels 4 4
Terabytes Written (TBW) 1200 900
warranty period 5 years 5 years
Has an integrated heatsink ✕ ✕
bits of encryption supported 0 0
has RGB lighting ✕ ✕

Both the Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and the Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB are M.2 NVMe SSDs with HMB (Host Memory Buffer) for caching. The WD Black SN7100 uses an NVMe version 1.4, while the WD Blue SN5100 features the newer NVMe version 2, offering a difference in protocol support.

In terms of storage, both products offer 2000GB (2TB) of internal storage, though their NAND storage types differ. The WD Black SN7100 uses TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND, while the WD Blue SN5100 uses QLC (Quad-Level Cell) NAND, which typically impacts endurance and write performance.

Other shared features include a 5-year warranty, 4 PCIe controller channels, and no integrated heatsinks or RGB lighting. However, there is a difference in their Terabytes Written (TBW) ratings, with the WD Black SN7100 supporting 1200 TBW, compared to 900 TBW for the WD Blue SN5100. The controllers also differ slightly, with the WD Black SN7100 using a Polaris 3 A101-000172-A1 controller, while the WD Blue SN5100 uses a Polaris 3 A101-000103-A1 controller, though the exact performance implications of these variants are not specified.

Comparison Summary

This is a specification comparison between Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB and Western Digital WD Blue SN5100 2TB. Both products share the same M.2 form factor, HMB (Host Memory Buffer) for SSD cache, 2000GB of internal storage, and 5-year warranty. Key differences include sequential read speed of 7250 MB/s on the WD Black and 7100 MB/s on the WD Blue, sequential write speed of 6900 MB/s on the WD Black and 6700 MB/s on the WD Blue, and NVMe version 1.4 on the WD Black and 2 on the WD Blue. The WD Black also offers 1200 TBW while the WD Blue is rated for 900 TBW.