Side-by-side: Samsung 990 PRO 1TB ($135) vs WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB ($199). $/TB winner, specs, real-world picks for May 2026.
Both run on Gen 4 hardware but at different capacities: 1 TB for the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB versus 2 TB for the WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB. Whether the larger drive's $/TB advantage justifies the higher upfront cost depends on how much you actually need.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB runs on Samsung's Pascal controller, fabricated on the company's 8nm process. The WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB pairs WD's second-generation G2 in-house controller, tuned for sustained gaming I/O.
Money matters here — $99.50/TB on the WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB versus $135.00/TB on the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB. That's enough of a spread that for budget-conscious builders, the WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB becomes the default unless reviews of your specific workload prefer the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB.
Endurance leans toward the WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB at 1,200 TBW (versus 600 TBW for the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB). For most consumers this never becomes a real concern — 600 TBW lasts a decade of normal writes — but heavy daily writers should weight it.
For PlayStation 5 builds, the console's internal M.2 slot tops out around 5,500 MB/s sustained, so both Samsung 990 PRO 1TB and WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB hit the same wall — pick whichever is cheaper at the moment you buy. 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.
Go with the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB for the lower retail price ($135 vs $199). Samsung backs the PRO series with one of the strongest warranty experiences in consumer storage — RMAs typically process within 5 business days globally.
Go with the WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB for better $/TB economics ($99.50/TB), and a higher TBW endurance rating (1,200 TBW). The SN850X has been the best-selling Gen 4 NVMe in PCPartPicker builds for two consecutive years — Game Mode 2.0 prioritizes I/O when supported titles need it.