Western Digital vs Samsung: The SSD Showdown
When it comes to premium storage solutions, two brands consistently rise above the rest: Western Digital and Samsung. Both offer blistering speeds, exceptional reliability, and frequently appear at wallet-friendly prices during sales events. Amazon Prime Day delivered excellent discounts on Samsung's latest M.2 SSDs, including their cutting-edge PCIe Gen5 models. Now Western Digital counters with significant price drops on their flagship Black Series drives - including what industry experts hail as the fastest SSD currently available.
WD Black Series Prime Day Deals
WD Black SN7100 2TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD
- Regular: $159.99
- Prime Day: $119.98 (25% off)
- Speeds: 7,250MB/s read | 6,900MB/s write
WD Black SN8100 2TB PCIe Gen 5 M.2 SSD
- Regular: $319.99
- Prime Day: $189.99 (41% off)
- Speeds: 14,950MB/s read | 14,000MB/s write
Western Digital's Black Series represents their performance flagship line. The SN7100 competes directly with Samsung's 990 Evo Plus as a DRAM-less Gen4 drive, while the SN8100 challenges Samsung's Gen5 offerings with what leading tech publications call "the pinnacle of SSD engineering" and "the most balanced Gen5 solution available."
Samsung SSD Prime Day Deals
Samsung 990 EVO Plus Series
- 2TB Model: $113.99 (38% off $184.99)
- 4TB Model: $234.99 (32% off $344.99)
- Speeds: 7,250MB/s read | 6,300MB/s write
Ideal for both gaming PCs and PS5 consoles, the 990 Evo Plus uses Host Memory Buffer technology to compensate for its DRAM-less design without noticeable performance impact. These speeds comfortably exceed Sony's requirements for PS5 storage expansion.
Samsung 990 Pro Series (With Heatsink)
- 2TB Model: $149.99 (29% off $209.99)
- 4TB Model: $275.49 (43% off $479.99)
- Speeds: 7,450MB/s read | 6,900MB/s write
Widely regarded as the fastest PCIe Gen4 SSD available, the 990 Pro features Samsung's proprietary Pascal controller and 7th-gen TLC NAND flash. Its built-in DRAM cache provides slightly better performance than the Evo Plus, though most users won't notice significant differences.
Samsung 9100 Pro Gen5 Series
- 2TB Model: $189.99 (37% off $299.99)
- 4TB Model: $384.99 (30% off $549.99)
- Speeds: 14,800MB/s read | 2,600K IOPS
These cutting-edge Gen5 drives deliver unprecedented performance, though their capabilities exceed what most gaming PCs and consoles can actually utilize. The 4TB model at under $385 presents rare value for professionals needing extreme bandwidth.
PS5 Storage Recommendations
For PlayStation 5 storage expansion, both the 990 Evo Plus and 990 Pro make excellent choices. Performance differences between them are negligible in console applications, though the Pro's included heatsink offers convenience. Budget-conscious buyers can save money with the Evo Plus by adding an aftermarket heatsink (available for under $10).
Alternative PS5 SSD Options
- Crucial T500 2TB: $124.99 (40% off)
- Lexar NM790 2TB: $127.88 (22% off)
- Crucial P310 4TB: $234.99 (30% off)
- Nextorage Japan 2TB: $119.99 (20% off)
Why Trust Our Recommendations?
Our experienced deals team combines decades of industry knowledge with hands-on product testing. We focus on identifying genuine bargains from reputable brands - never pushing unnecessary purchases or inflated "discounts." For complete transparency about our evaluation process, visit our Deals Standards page or follow @IGNDeals on Twitter.
