Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB ($769) vs WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB ($829). $/TB analysis, performance, and use-case recommendations.
Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB and WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB are direct competitors — same generation, same capacity. Choose by controller behavior under sustained load, DRAM/HMB cache strategy, and $/TB economics.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB runs on the proprietary Samsung Presto silicon found only in the 9100 PRO line. The WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB pairs SMI's SM2508 silicon, which became the default Gen 5 controller for power-conscious flagships.
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. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB'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 4TB nor WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB fits without modification.
The Samsung 9100 PRO 4TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($769 vs $829), better $/TB economics ($192.25/TB), 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).
The WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB fits buyers who prefer its specific performance profile or have brand preference for WD.