Compare Crucial T705 4TB and WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB: prices, speeds, $/TB. Which to buy in July 2026? Full spec breakdown.
Crucial T705 4TB vs WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB pits two different generations against each other at 4 TB. The question isn't which is faster on paper — that's settled — it's whether the bandwidth gap shows up in your specific workload.
Hardware-wise, the Crucial T705 4TB runs on an original Phison E26 chip that defined the Gen 5 reference design. The WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB pairs an A101 controller that replaced the older WD designs in the SN7100 generation.
In the read department, the Crucial T705 4TB leads by roughly 7 GB/s. The difference is more academic than practical for typical use, but it does matter for video editors moving multi-GB project files.
Write performance separates them too. The Crucial T705 4TB sustains 12,700 MB/s writes versus 6,700 MB/s for the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB — a real advantage for video editors and anyone doing heavy file operations.
The Crucial T705 4TB carries a dedicated DRAM chip for FTL (Flash Translation Layer) mapping; the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB relies on HMB (Host Memory Buffer), borrowing 64 MB from system RAM. The practical gap shows up only under sustained random write loads.
For PS5 expansion, both are PCIe Gen 4 M.2 2280 drives that meet Sony's minimum spec (7,000 MB/s read). The console can't take advantage of speeds beyond that, so save money by choosing the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB. The leap from Gen 4 to Gen 5 doubles peak throughput on paper but produces single-digit-percent improvements in game load times, OS boot, and most productivity benchmarks. The WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB is the better default unless you have a specific workload that needs the extra lanes. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the Crucial T705 4TB's 12,700 MB/s sustained write is the deciding factor — multi-GB project files land noticeably faster than on the alternative. Note for handheld gamers: M.2 2280 is the desktop/laptop standard. Steam Deck and the ROG Ally line need 2230 drives — neither Crucial T705 4TB nor WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB fits without modification.
Market context: the Crucial T705 4TB ranks #2 of 6 Gen 5 4 TB drives we track by $/TB, while the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB ranks #5 of 6 Gen 4 4 TB drives. That puts at least one of them near the top of the value table — a reasonable head-to-head to be choosing from.
As of July 27, 2026, these tracked drives undercut both the Crucial T705 4TB and WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB on $/TB:
Pick the Crucial T705 4TB if you value meaningfully faster reads (14,500 MB/s), higher sustained writes (12,700 MB/s), and a dedicated DRAM cache chip. Crucial typically delivers the best $/TB among DRAM-equipped NVMes because Micron sells direct rather than going through brand licensing.
Pick the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB if you value the lower retail price ($570 vs $613), and better $/TB economics ($142.50/TB).