SSD family comparison · Updated July 27, 2026 · Prices verified July 27, 2026

Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs WD_BLACK SN8100

Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs WD_BLACK SN8100 at every capacity: prices, $/TB, speeds, endurance. Which to buy in July 2026 — full family comparison.

Verdict: Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs WD_BLACK SN8100

Comparing Samsung 990 EVO Plus against WD_BLACK SN8100 model-to-model means looking across the whole capacity range: the winner at 1 TB isn't always the winner at 4 TB, because per-TB pricing shifts with capacity. Here's the full picture.

The WD_BLACK SN8100 posts the higher sequential read spec (14,900 MB/s vs 7,250 MB/s). Whether that shows up for you depends on workload: game load times won't change, sustained transfers will.

On value, the Samsung 990 EVO Plus family wins at most capacities — its best configuration lands at $146.25/TB versus $175.00/TB for the WD_BLACK SN8100's best. During the 2026 NAND shortage that spread compounds quickly at 2-4 TB.

Architecturally, the WD_BLACK SN8100 family uses a dedicated DRAM cache while the Samsung 990 EVO Plus relies on HMB (Host Memory Buffer). For OS and gaming duty they behave identically; sustained random writes favor DRAM.

Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs WD_BLACK SN8100: price by capacity

CapacitySamsung 990 EVO PlusWD_BLACK SN8100
1 TB$244 · $244.00/TB
2 TB$369 · $184.50/TB$380 · $190.00/TBFull comparison →
4 TB$585 · $146.25/TB$700 · $175.00/TBFull comparison →

Spec comparison (4 TB models)

Generation
Gen 5
Gen 5
Interface
PCIe 4.0x4/5.0x2
PCIe 5.0 x4
Sequential read
7,250 MB/s
14,900 MB/s
Sequential write
6,300 MB/s
11,000 MB/s
Controller
Samsung Piccolo
SMI SM2508
DRAM cache
No (HMB)
Yes
Warranty
5 years
5 years
PS5 compatible
Yes
Yes

Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs WD_BLACK SN8100 — common questions

Which is cheaper per TB, Samsung 990 EVO Plus or WD_BLACK SN8100?

As of July 27, 2026, the Samsung 990 EVO Plus family offers the better $/TB: its best configuration is $146.25/TB versus $175.00/TB for the WD_BLACK SN8100. The exact winner varies by capacity — see the capacity table for per-size pricing.

Which capacity of the Samsung 990 EVO Plus or WD_BLACK SN8100 should I buy?

2 TB is the sweet spot for most builds: better $/TB than 1 TB and better availability than 4 TB+ during the 2026 NAND shortage. Check the capacity table above — the per-TB winner can flip between capacities.

Are the Samsung 990 EVO Plus and WD_BLACK SN8100 PS5 compatible?

Both families are PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 and work in the PS5 expansion slot. The PS5 caps sustained speeds at ~5,500 MB/s, so pick on price, not peak speed, and add a heatsink.