Side-by-side: WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB ($535) vs Crucial P310 4TB ($519). $/TB winner, specs, real-world picks for July 2026.
Gen 4 at 4 TB is one of the most contested SSD segments in 2026, and WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB versus Crucial P310 4TB captures that competition well. The decision rarely comes down to peak speeds — both drives saturate typical workloads.
Hardware-wise, the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB runs on the proprietary WD G2 silicon, optimized for the WD_BLACK line. The Crucial P310 4TB pairs an E27T controller built specifically for DRAM-less Gen 4 SSDs.
The DRAM-vs-HMB question divides opinion: WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB's on-board DRAM theoretically helps under sustained workloads, while Crucial P310 4TB's HMB approach has matured enough that most users won't see the difference. Pick on price if everything else is similar.
WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB earns higher TBW ratings (2,400 vs 1,760 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 SN850X 4TB and Crucial P310 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 WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB's 6,600 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 SN850X 4TB nor Crucial P310 4TB fits without modification.
Zoom out from this pair for a moment. Among the 6 Gen 4 4 TB drives we track, the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB ranks #4 by $/TB and the Crucial P310 4TB ranks #3. Neither cracks the top of the value table, so it's worth glancing at the alternatives below before picking either.
As of July 27, 2026, these tracked drives undercut both the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB and Crucial P310 4TB on $/TB:
Go with the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB for a higher TBW endurance rating (2,400 TBW), and a dedicated DRAM cache chip. WD_BLACK's SN850X earned its reputation through consistent sustained performance under gaming workloads — fewer micro-stutters during open-world streaming than budget alternatives.
Go with the Crucial P310 4TB for the lower retail price ($519 vs $535), and better $/TB economics ($129.75/TB).