WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB ($380) vs Crucial T705 4TB ($613). $/TB analysis, performance, and use-case recommendations.
Both run on Gen 5 hardware but at different capacities: 2 TB for the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB versus 4 TB for the Crucial T705 4TB. Whether the larger drive's $/TB advantage justifies the higher upfront cost depends on how much you actually need.
Hardware-wise, the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB runs on an SMI SM2508 controller that drew industry attention in 2024 for finally taming Gen 5 thermals. The Crucial T705 4TB pairs Phison's E26 silicon, which kicked off the consumer Gen 5 era and typically requires a heatsink.
The cheaper drive — Crucial T705 4TB at $153.25/TB — saves you $36.75 per TB versus the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB. Worth it if you're capacity-constrained; either works if you just want one fast drive.
Crucial T705 4TB earns higher TBW ratings (2,400 vs 1,200 TBW) — relevant for sustained write workloads, irrelevant for everything else.
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 T705 4TB to roughly equal in-game load times. The cheaper drive is the smart pick. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the Crucial T705 4TB's 12,700 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 WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB nor Crucial T705 4TB fits without modification.
Market context: the WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB ranks #5 of 11 Gen 5 2 TB drives we track by $/TB, while the Crucial T705 4TB ranks #2 of 6 Gen 5 4 TB drives. One of them is genuinely among the cheapest options in its class, so this matchup includes a real value pick.
The WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB is the right call if the lower retail price ($380 vs $613) matter to you.
The Crucial T705 4TB is the right call if better $/TB economics ($153.25/TB), higher sustained writes (12,700 MB/s), and a higher TBW endurance rating (2,400 TBW) matter to you. Crucial's T-series tends to undercut Samsung and WD on price while using comparable Micron silicon — a value play hiding in a flagship form factor.