WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB ($459) vs Crucial P310 2TB ($155). $/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 WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB runs on the SMI SM2508 — a 6nm Gen 5 controller running notably cooler than first-gen Phison E26 designs. The Crucial P310 2TB pairs Phison's E27T — a four-channel Gen 4 controller for HMB designs.
The cost difference is hard to ignore: 66% per TB (Crucial P310 2TB at $77.50/TB versus WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB at $229.50/TB). Unless you specifically need the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB's peak performance, the Crucial P310 2TB delivers more storage for the money.
Read speeds favor the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB: 14,900 MB/s versus 7,100 MB/s for the Crucial P310 2TB, a 52% advantage. Sequential-heavy workloads notice; transactional workloads don't.
The WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB writes about 45% faster (11,000 MB/s vs 6,000 MB/s). Whether that matters depends entirely on what you write to the drive — gameplay capture and large project saves benefit, browsing and gaming do not.
Cache architecture differs: WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB has DRAM hardware, Crucial P310 2TB uses HMB. For OS, gaming, browsing — indistinguishable. For databases, large file ops, or 4K video editing — DRAM has a small but consistent edge.
On warranty endurance the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB carries 1,200 TBW against Crucial P310 2TB's 880 TBW. Both will outlast typical use, but the gap matters if you're doing professional content work.
If this purchase is for a PS5 storage expansion, the comparison flattens — Sony's PCIe Gen 4 controller normalizes both WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB and Crucial P310 2TB to roughly equal in-game load times. The cheaper drive is the smart pick. The Gen 5 WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB 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. Heavy write workloads — video editing, RAW photo libraries, backup operations — favor the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB's 11,000 MB/s sustained write speed. Both drives use the 2280 form factor, which is too long for Steam Deck or ROG Ally — you'd need a 2230 variant if either manufacturer offers one, or a dedicated handheld-format drive instead.
The WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB is the right call if meaningfully faster reads (14,900 MB/s), higher sustained writes (11,000 MB/s), a higher TBW endurance rating (1,200 TBW), and a dedicated DRAM cache chip matter to you.
The Crucial P310 2TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($155 vs $459), and better $/TB economics ($77.50/TB) matter to you.