Compare WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB and Crucial P310 4TB: prices, speeds, $/TB. Which to buy in May 2026? Full spec breakdown.
WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB vs Crucial P310 4TB pits two different generations against each other at 4 TB. The question isn't which is faster on paper — that's settled — it's whether the bandwidth gap shows up in your specific workload.
Hardware-wise, the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB runs on an SMI SM2508 controller that drew industry attention in 2024 for finally taming Gen 5 thermals. The Crucial P310 4TB pairs an E27T controller built specifically for DRAM-less Gen 4 SSDs.
Price separates these two meaningfully. The Crucial P310 4TB costs $74.75/TB versus $207.25/TB for the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB — a 64% premium that needs justification in real benchmarks, not just spec-sheet bragging.
In the read department, the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB leads by roughly 7 GB/s. The difference is more academic than practical for typical use, but it does matter for video editors moving multi-GB project files.
Write performance separates them too. The WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB sustains 11,000 MB/s writes versus 6,000 MB/s for the Crucial P310 4TB — a real advantage for video editors and anyone doing heavy file operations.
The WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB carries a dedicated DRAM chip for FTL (Flash Translation Layer) mapping; the Crucial P310 4TB relies on HMB (Host Memory Buffer), borrowing 64 MB from system RAM. The practical gap shows up only under sustained random write loads.
WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB earns higher TBW ratings (2,400 vs 1,760 TBW) — relevant for sustained write workloads, irrelevant for everything else.
For PS5 expansion, both are PCIe Gen 4 M.2 2280 drives that meet Sony's minimum spec (7,100 MB/s read). The console can't take advantage of speeds beyond that, so save money by choosing the Crucial P310 4TB. The leap from Gen 4 to Gen 5 doubles peak throughput on paper but produces single-digit-percent improvements in game load times, OS boot, and most productivity benchmarks. The Crucial P310 4TB is the better default unless you have a specific workload that needs the extra lanes. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB's 11,000 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 4TB nor Crucial P310 4TB fits without modification.
Pick the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB if you value meaningfully faster reads (14,900 MB/s), higher sustained writes (11,000 MB/s), a higher TBW endurance rating (2,400 TBW), and a dedicated DRAM cache chip.
Pick the Crucial P310 4TB if you value the lower retail price ($299 vs $829), and better $/TB economics ($74.75/TB).