Affordable Gaming Performance with Some Trade-offs in Speed and Features
The Western Digital WD_BLACK 1TB SN770 NVMe SSD is a budget-friendly Gen4 drive aimed at gamers, offering impressive speed for the price, but with some limitations that potential buyers should be aware of before making their purchase.
Design and Build Quality
The WD_BLACK SN770 has a clean, minimalist design with no
added heat sinks or fancy RGB lighting, which is typical for a budget gaming
SSD.
While the design makes installation simple and the drive
lighter, it lacks the additional cooling features found in high-end models like
the WD_BLACK SN850, which includes an optional heat sink to help manage
temperatures during heavy gaming sessions.
Performance and Speed
In terms of performance, the SN770 boasts sequential read
speeds of up to 5,150 MB/s and write speeds of 4,900 MB/s, which is impressive
for its price bracket.
However, in real-world testing, the SN770's performance
falls short when compared to premium Gen4 drives like the Samsung 980 Pro,
particularly in write speeds and sustained performance during prolonged gaming
sessions or large file transfers.
While the SN770 offers a noticeable speed boost over older
Gen3 drives like the WD Blue SN570, it doesn’t fully match the capabilities of
higher-tier Gen4 options.
Gaming Performance
When it comes to gaming, the SN770 handles most modern
titles well, offering fast load times and smooth in-game data streaming for
less demanding games like Fortnite or Apex Legends.
However, when tested on more demanding open-world games like
Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2, the SN770 showed slower
level loads compared to the WD_BLACK SN850, which offers faster speeds and
better performance under intense, data-heavy gaming scenarios.
While it's still a solid choice for budget-conscious gamers,
those seeking top-tier gaming performance might find it lacking in comparison
to more premium drives.
Thermal Performance
Thermal performance is one of the key trade-offs of the
SN770, as it lacks a heat sink, which can lead to higher operating temperatures
during extended use.
In our testing, the drive reached warmer temperatures under
heavy load, such as prolonged gaming or large file transfers, which could
potentially lead to thermal throttling.
Compared to competitors like the Seagate FireCuda 530, which
includes better heat management, the SN770 is more likely to suffer from
performance dips when running under intense conditions.
Durability and Endurance
With a Total Bytes Written (TBW) rating of 600TB, the
WD_BLACK SN770 has a respectable endurance rating for a 1TB drive, which should
be more than sufficient for most gamers and everyday users.
However, for content creators or professionals who regularly
work with large datasets, this TBW rating may feel limiting, especially when
compared to drives like the Kingston KC3000, which offers a higher TBW rating
and longer endurance for heavy workloads.
For casual users, though, the SN770’s endurance should
provide years of reliable performance without issue.
Installation and Compatibility
Installation of the SN770 was straightforward, and it works
seamlessly with most modern motherboards, including those that support PCIe
Gen4 for faster speeds.
The drive is backward compatible with Gen3 slots, but users
will not experience its full speed potential unless they are using a
Gen4-capable motherboard.
Compared to other Gen4 drives like the Crucial P5 Plus,
which also offers easy installation but with more thermal issues, the SN770
fares well for users building or upgrading their systems.
Price-to-Performance Ratio
One of the strongest selling points of the SN770 is its
price-to-performance ratio, offering Gen4 speeds at a budget-friendly price.
For gamers looking for an affordable NVMe SSD that delivers
good speed without going overboard on price, the SN770 is hard to beat.
It’s a clear improvement over Gen3 drives like the Kingston
NV1, offering faster speeds for gaming and general use at a reasonable cost.
However, for users willing to spend a little more, drives
like the Sabrent Rocket 4.0 offer better overall performance and durability.
Power Efficiency
One area where the SN770 excels is in power efficiency,
making it a good choice for laptops or portable gaming setups where battery
life is a concern.
In our testing, the SN770 consumed noticeably less power
than the Samsung 970 EVO Plus during everyday tasks, making it a solid choice
for users who need a drive that won’t drain their laptop battery too quickly.
This lower power consumption is a standout feature,
especially when compared to more power-hungry drives like the ADATA XPG Gammix
S70.
Downsides for Power Users
For power users, the WD_BLACK SN770 might not be the best
choice, as it lacks DRAM cache, which impacts its ability to handle large file
transfers and data-intensive tasks like video rendering or 3D modeling.
In sustained heavy workloads, the drive’s performance
diminishes, making it less suitable for professionals who need consistent,
high-speed data throughput.
Competitors like the Samsung 980 Pro, which includes DRAM
cache and better thermal management, are better suited for such intensive
tasks.
Conclusion
The Western Digital WD_BLACK 1TB SN770 NVMe SSD is a solid
budget option for gamers and general users who want Gen4 speeds without the
high price tag, but it comes with some notable compromises in performance and
features that may not satisfy more demanding users.
Pros:
- Great
price-to-performance ratio for Gen4
- Easy
installation and wide compatibility
- Low
power consumption, ideal for laptops
Cons:
- No
heat sink, leading to potential thermal throttling
- Slower
write speeds compared to high-end Gen4 drives
- Lacks
DRAM cache, impacting performance in heavy workloads
For users seeking a faster and more robust SSD with better
sustained performance, the WD_BLACK SN850 or Samsung 980 Pro
would be better alternatives, offering superior speeds, thermal management, and
features for more demanding tasks.
[affiliate name="WD_BLACK 1TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSD Solid State Drive - Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,300 MB/s - WDS100T2X0E" url="https://amzn.to/3Nub86C" discounted_price="79.99" discount="30" img="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61KeSQhDm4L._AC_SX466_.jpg"]
[affiliate name="SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD with Heatsink 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe M.2 Internal Solid State Drive , Heat Control, Max Speed, PS5 Compatible (MZ-V8P1T0CW)" url="https://amzn.to/3Yr6gFB" discounted_price="99.99" discount="39" img="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81L3oXKJFFL._AC_SX466_.jpg"]
Post a Comment