Western Digital
WD_Black SN8100
$179.99Cheaper
Released 2025-05
Best Internal Ssds · head-to-head
WD_Black SN8100 vs Seagate FireCuda 540
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. WD_Black SN8100 is cheaper at $179.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Seagate
Seagate FireCuda 540
$189.99
Released 2023
Which is better: the WD_Black SN8100 or Seagate FireCuda 540?
The WD_Black SN8100 wins 2 of the 2 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The WD_Black SN8100 is the cheaper at $179.99. The WD_Black SN8100 both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | WD_Black SN8100 | Seagate FireCuda 540 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $179.99 | $189.99 |
| Brand | Western Digital | Seagate |
| Released | 2025-05 | 2023 |
| Capacity options (TB) | 1, 2, 4, 8 | 1, 2 |
| Form factor | M.2 2280 | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe |
| Seq read (Mbps) | 14900 | 10000 |
| Seq write (Mbps) | 14000 | 10000 |
| Random read kiops | 2300 | — |
| Random write kiops | 2300 | — |
| Nand type | TLC | TLC |
| Has dram cache | Yes | Yes |
| Endurance tbw | — | 1000 |
| Warranty years | 5 | 5 |
Sources — WD_Black SN8100: sandisk.com (verified 2026-07-11). Seagate FireCuda 540: seagate.com (verified 2026-07-11).
What's the difference between the WD_Black SN8100 and Seagate FireCuda 540?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 11). Matching specs are omitted.
- Capacity options (TB): WD_Black SN8100 1, 2, 4, 8 vs Seagate FireCuda 540 1, 2
- Seq read (Mbps): WD_Black SN8100 14900 vs Seagate FireCuda 540 10000
- Seq write (Mbps): WD_Black SN8100 14000 vs Seagate FireCuda 540 10000
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
WD_Black SN8100
Three whitelisted labs (Tom's Hardware, StorageReview, PCWorld) benchmarked the 2TB WD_Black SN8100 and rate it among the fastest consumer Gen5 SSDs tested, with class-leading synthetic throughput and top-tier random IOPS plus strong power efficiency. Tom's Hardware and PCWorld flag premium pricing; PCWorld also hit write-speed inconsistency on an older motherboard that vanished on a new test bed. (TechPowerUp's review was dropped because only its intro/spec page was retrievable, leaving no verifiable quotes or measurements.) (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fastest consumer Gen5 SSD tested; record-setting synthetic throughput and top-tier random-read IOPS; Power-efficient and runs cool (peak under 50 degrees C in PCWorld's testing); Excellent all-around real-world performance, including gaming, DirectStorage and AI-model loading.
Flagged: Premium pricing versus Gen4 and rival Gen5 drives; Real-world gains over the best drives are small; overkill for most users; Write-speed inconsistency / severe drops on an older motherboard slot.
Seagate FireCuda 540
Three whitelisted testers hands-on benchmarked the 2 TB FireCuda 540: Tom's Hardware and StorageReview at its 2023 launch, and TechPowerUp in a 2025 re-review. Consensus: a fast PCIe 5.0 drive with high sequential throughput, class-leading sustained/full-drive write speeds, and a standout support package (high TBW endurance plus 3-year data recovery), offset by poor power efficiency, high heat, and a hard requirement for a heatsink to avoid throttling. Both later-lens findings and StorageReview's enterprise tests show it only marginally leads top Gen 4 drives in real use and is weak in some write workloads. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: High sequential throughput / impressive transfer rates; Class-leading sustained and full-drive write performance; Strong warranty, high TBW endurance and 3-year data recovery service.
Flagged: Poor power efficiency and high heat output; Requires cooling; throttles without a heatsink; Does not fully leverage Gen 5 - only marginally faster than top Gen 4 drives in real use, and weak in some write tests.