Which is better, Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB or WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB? May 2026 side-by-side with prices, specs, and verdict.
Both run on Gen 5 hardware but at different capacities: 4 TB for the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB versus 2 TB for the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB. Whether the larger drive's $/TB advantage justifies the higher upfront cost depends on how much you actually need.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB runs on Samsung's Presto controller — built in-house to push V-NAND to its Gen 5 ceiling. The WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB pairs the SMI SM2508 — a 6nm Gen 5 controller running notably cooler than first-gen Phison E26 designs.
Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB's $192.25/TB pricing edges out WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB's $229.50/TB by about 16%. Not transformative, but a real difference at 2-4 TB capacities where it adds up.
Endurance leans toward the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB at 2,400 TBW (versus 1,200 TBW for the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB). For most consumers this never becomes a real concern — 600 TBW lasts a decade of normal writes — but heavy daily writers should weight it.
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 4TB wins this matchup on $/TB. Video editors will gravitate toward the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB for its write headroom (13,400 MB/s sustained). Project saves and proxies move faster, which compounds across a workday. Heads-up — these are full-length 2280 drives. Steam Deck and most current handhelds require shorter 2230 modules, so check capacity-specific 2230 variants if that's your target platform.
Lean toward the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB when better $/TB economics ($192.25/TB), higher sustained writes (13,400 MB/s), and a higher TBW endurance rating (2,400 TBW) top your priority list. Samsung backs the PRO series with one of the strongest warranty experiences in consumer storage — RMAs typically process within 5 business days globally.
Lean toward the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB when the lower retail price ($459 vs $769) top your priority list.