80
Jon Jacobi
PCWorld
“At the right (low) price, this drive will deliver the PCIe 4.0 goods and deliver them consistently.”
Critical Assessment
What Critics Praise
- PCIe 4.0 Performance
- Compact Single-sided Design
- Reputable Brand
- Strong 4K Read Benchmark Results
- Above‑Par PCMark 10 Overall Score
- Energy‑Efficient Architecture
Points of Contention
- QLC Write Slowdown
- Relatively Low TBW Rating
- Lacks Heat Spreader or Heatsink
- Does Not Support Hardware‑Based Encryption
- High Pricing
Professional Reviews
3 reviews from 3 critics80
Tony Hoffman
PCMag
The WD Blue SN5100 delivers strong PCIe 4.0 performance and energy efficiency at a competitive price, making it a compelling budget option. However, its low TBW rating, weak 4K write speeds, and lack of a heatsink or hardware encryption are notable drawbacks.
80
Shane Downing
Tom's Hardware
“The Sandisk WD Blue SN5100 is the best QLC SSD we’ve tested to date.”
