Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB ($248) vs WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB ($249). $/TB analysis, performance, and use-case recommendations.
When generations cross paths in a comparison like this one, the older-spec drive almost always wins on value while the newer one wins on benchmarks. Whether that benchmark advantage matters depends entirely on what you do with the drive.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB runs on the proprietary Samsung Presto silicon found only in the 9100 PRO line. The WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB pairs WD's G2 controller — manufactured by SanDisk and tuned for low-latency gaming workloads.
In the read department, the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB 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 Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB sustains 13,400 MB/s writes versus 6,300 MB/s for the WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB — a real advantage for video editors and anyone doing heavy file operations.
Heading to a PlayStation 5? Both drives drop into the console's M.2 bay and report identical real-world benchmarks since the PS5 caps storage at PCIe 4.0 speeds. The Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB wins this matchup on $/TB. The Gen 5 Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB pulls ahead on sequential bandwidth, but Gen 5 advantages rarely surface during everyday tasks — most software hasn't been rewritten to exploit 14,000+ MB/s pipelines. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB's 13,400 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 Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB nor WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB fits without modification.
Market context: the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB ranks #3 of 6 Gen 5 1 TB drives we track by $/TB, while the WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB ranks #3 of 4 Gen 4 1 TB drives. Neither cracks the top of the value table, so it's worth glancing at the alternatives below before picking either.
As of September 7, 2026, these tracked drives undercut both the Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB and WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB on $/TB:
The Samsung 9100 PRO 1TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($248 vs $249), better $/TB economics ($248.00/TB), meaningfully faster reads (14,700 MB/s), and higher sustained writes (13,400 MB/s) matter to you. Among consumer SSD makers, Samsung's PRO series consistently scores highest on long-term reliability surveys (Backblaze, Puget Systems Q1 2026 data).
Among Gen 4 flagships, the SN850X strikes a sweet spot — premium silicon at sub-Samsung pricing, with WD's established RMA process to back it up.