Compare WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB and TeamGroup MP44 4TB: prices, speeds, $/TB. Which to buy in October 2026? Full spec breakdown.
Both the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB and TeamGroup MP44 4TB sit in the Gen 4 category at 4 TB, so the matchup turns on controller efficiency, cache topology, and current pricing rather than raw class differences.
Hardware-wise, the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB runs on WD's second-generation G2 in-house controller, tuned for sustained gaming I/O. The TeamGroup MP44 4TB pairs MaxioTech's MAP1602 silicon, the default choice for budget Gen 4 drives in 2024-2026.
Price separates these two meaningfully. The TeamGroup MP44 4TB costs $127.50/TB versus $175.00/TB for the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB — a 27% premium that needs justification in real benchmarks, not just spec-sheet bragging.
The WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB carries a dedicated DRAM chip for FTL (Flash Translation Layer) mapping; the TeamGroup MP44 4TB relies on HMB (Host Memory Buffer), borrowing 64 MB from system RAM. The practical gap shows up only under sustained random write loads.
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 SN850X 4TB and TeamGroup MP44 4TB as interchangeable here and let price decide. Heavy write workloads — video editing, RAW photo libraries, backup operations — favor the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB's 6,600 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.
How do these two fit the wider Gen 4 4 TB field? Out of 6 tracked drives, the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB is #5 on $/TB and the TeamGroup MP44 4TB is #1. That puts at least one of them near the top of the value table — a reasonable head-to-head to be choosing from.
At $127.50/TB, the TeamGroup MP44 4TB is already among the cheapest 4 TB drives we track — nothing in this class undercuts it. See the full $/TB ranking.
Pick the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB if you value a dedicated DRAM cache chip. The SN850X has been the best-selling Gen 4 NVMe in PCPartPicker builds for two consecutive years — Game Mode 2.0 prioritizes I/O when supported titles need it.
Pick the TeamGroup MP44 4TB if you value the lower retail price ($510 vs $700), and better $/TB economics ($127.50/TB). Budget-tier drives like the TeamGroup MP44 4TB have closed the gap with premium NVMes — the MAP1602 controller is genuinely competitive for everyday workloads at half the price.