Which is better, WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB or Crucial P310 4TB? July 2026 side-by-side with prices, specs, and verdict.
Cross-generation comparisons reveal whether you're paying for peak speed or sustained value. WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB vs Crucial P310 4TB at 4 TB is a perfect lens for that question.
Hardware-wise, the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB runs on SMI's SM2508 silicon, which became the default Gen 5 controller for power-conscious flagships. The Crucial P310 4TB pairs the DRAM-less Phison E27T, common in value-tier 2TB and 4TB Gen 4 drives.
At a 26% price gap, the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB needs to be measurably better in your specific use case to justify the spend. For gaming and general PC use, the Crucial P310 4TB's lower $/TB tilts the value equation decisively in its favor.
On sequential reads the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB pulls ahead by 7,800 MB/s (14,900 MB/s versus 7,100 MB/s). That matters for moving large files but rarely shows up in game loads.
Write speeds skew toward the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB: 11,000 MB/s sustained against 6,000 MB/s. Content creators feel this; gamers do not.
WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB bundles a DRAM cache chip; Crucial P310 4TB is DRAM-less. This sounds like a big deal but reviewers have been arguing for years about whether it actually matters in consumer use. For most workloads, no.
Endurance leans toward the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB at 2,400 TBW (versus 1,760 TBW for the Crucial P310 4TB). For most consumers this never becomes a real concern — 600 TBW lasts a decade of normal writes — but heavy daily writers should weight it.
PS5 owners get no measurable benefit from either drive's peak speed because Sony's internal NVMe controller throttles to ~5,500 MB/s; treat WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB and Crucial P310 4TB as interchangeable here and let price decide. Generational difference matters mainly for sequential-heavy workloads. The WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB's 14,900 MB/s read beats Crucial P310 4TB's 7,100 on paper, though in practice both feel identical loading games. Video editors will gravitate toward the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB for its write headroom (11,000 MB/s sustained). Project saves and proxies move faster, which compounds across a workday. 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.
Market context: the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB ranks #3 of 6 Gen 5 4 TB drives we track by $/TB, while the Crucial P310 4TB ranks #3 of 6 Gen 4 4 TB drives. Neither is a value leader right now — if $/TB is your priority, check the cheaper alternatives below before committing.
As of July 27, 2026, these tracked drives undercut both the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB and Crucial P310 4TB on $/TB:
Lean toward the WD_BLACK SN8100 4TB when 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 top your priority list.
Lean toward the Crucial P310 4TB when the lower retail price ($519 vs $700), and better $/TB economics ($129.75/TB) top your priority list.