Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB ($669) vs WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB ($580). $/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 990 EVO Plus 4TB runs on the dual-mode Samsung Piccolo silicon that uniquely runs PCIe 5.0 x2 or PCIe 4.0 x4. The WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB pairs an A101 controller that replaced the older WD designs in the SN7100 generation.
The cheaper drive — WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB at $145.00/TB — saves you $22.25 per TB versus the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB. Worth it if you're capacity-constrained; either works if you just want one fast drive.
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 WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB wins this matchup on $/TB. The Gen 5 Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB 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. Note for handheld gamers: M.2 2280 is the desktop/laptop standard. Steam Deck and the ROG Ally line need 2230 drives — neither Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB nor WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB fits without modification.
Market context: the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB ranks #2 of 6 Gen 5 4 TB drives we track by $/TB, while the WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB ranks #4 of 6 Gen 4 4 TB drives. One of them is genuinely among the cheapest options in its class, so this matchup includes a real value pick.
As of October 26, 2026, these tracked drives undercut both the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB and WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB on $/TB:
Among Samsung's lineup, the 990 EVO Plus is the only consumer drive that physically supports dual-generation PCIe — same hardware, different bus speed depending on platform.
The WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($580 vs $669), and better $/TB economics ($145.00/TB) matter to you.