WD recently released the WD Black SN770, an M.2 SSD with PCIe Gen4 technology. According to WD, the Black SN770 is aimed to improve load times, letting gamers get into games faster. Compared to the previous generation model, the SSD now offers 40% faster performance and up to 20% more power efficiency at maximum speed, thanks to the new DRAM-less four-channel SSD controller and TLC flash.
With the PCIe Gen4 technology, WD has also managed to bump up the sequential read and write speeds to 5,150MB/s and 4,900MB/s respectively. With that out of the way, let’s see if the WD Black SN770 manages to live up to its claim, in the realm of gaming.
WD Black SN770 SSD – Specifications
| Capacity | 1TB |
| Interface | PCIe Gen 4 |
| Connector | M.2 |
| Dimensions | 80.15″ x 22.15″ x 2.38″ (mm) |
| Sequential Read Performance | 5,150MB/s |
| Sequential Write Performance | 4,900MB/s |
What’s In The Box
There’s literally just one thing in the box, the SSD itself:
- WD Black SN770 SSD
Performance
The WD Black SN770 comes in four storage variants starting from the 256GB to 500GB model, then the 1TB variant (which we have), to the largest variant which is the 2TB model. For our review, we’ll be conducting benchmarking tests with the 1TB variant. For the 1TB variant, it has both the highest read and write speeds among its series variants, clocking in at 5,150MB/s read, and 4,900MB/s write.
From our testing, the WD SN770 manages to keep up pretty closely to its claim of 5,150MB/s read speed and 4,900MB/s write speed, somewhat. Pricing is one of the highlights of the SSD, so let’s keep that in mind while we go through the performance review.
First things first, we filled up the SSD as much as we can to simulate a more real-life use case scenario. 4K performance is pretty good, and with its pricing, it’s a real tempting offer for the price segment it’s in. For day to day use, regardless of gaming or productive work, it’s very hard to notice the difference the SN770 brings. But when it comes to numbers, this drive offers one of the best value for those who are on a budget and want to jump on some speedy PCIe 4.0 SSD’s.
Note that we did try the drive on a PCIe 3.0 motherboard, and as expected, read write speeds got bottlenecked to an average of about 3,500MB/s and 3,300MB/s respectively.
Temps wise, it does get a little heated after a long day of testing. But, if you apply a heatsink or if your motherboard has some cooling solutions for SSDs, then it shouldn’t be a problem.
Software wise, it’s compatible with the WD SSD Dashboard. Once the software detects it’s a Black series SSD, the theme of the software would automatically change to match it. This is where you can perform firmware updates, check capacity, drive health, and turn on Game Mode too. Game Mode improves the SSD’s performance by disabling the drive’s ability to transition into lower power states, thereby giving you reduced latency and maximum performance when you need them.
Cost Per GB
(Last updated: 12th July 2022)
| Capacity | SRP | TBW Rating | Cost Per GB | Max Throughput (Read/Write) |
| 500GB | RM409 | 300TBW | RM1.22 | R: 5,000MB/s | W: 4,000MB/s |
| 1TB | RM879 | 600TBW | RM1.13 | R: 5,150MB/s | W: 4,900MB/s |
| 2TB | RM1,939 | 1,200TBW | RM1.03 | R: 5,150MB/s | W: 4,850MB/s |
The chart above shows the cost per GB you get when purchasing the WD Black series SSD, specifically the SN770 model. This would differ on the SN850 model. From the chart, the higher the capacity, the lower the cost per GB you’re buying. However, the price for high storage capacity SSDs might be steep, so most would opt for maybe the 500GB or 1TB models. For the SN770 series, there is no 256GB variant.
Do take note that these are suggested retail prices and prices may vary depending on the market condition. Do check out Western Digital official stores in Lazada and Shopee for more updated and accurate pricing.
Conclusion
The WD Black SN770 SSD offers really solid performance for an entry-level PCIe 4.0 SSD, along with an in-house controller and flash. It’s also backed with a 5-year warranty from WD, just in case anything goes wrong with the drive. Despite the SSD having a relatively small SLC cache, and some heat when under long hours of load, it is still an SSD that looks good, runs fast, and stays reliable under all conditions. If you’re a gamer, this drive would be a good pick. But if you want an extra kick of speed, maybe go for the SN850 instead.
