I’m usually hesitant to take on SSDs like the 4TB WD Blue SN5000 for review. These drives aren’t really designed for gaming since they’re geared toward content creators and working professionals, and because of that, their speeds often suffer compared to the competition. What’s more, 4TB SSDs today can rack up some downright ludicrous prices, and oftentimes they simply aren’t worth it when you can grab a couple of 2TB drives as and when you need the storage space.
But alas, the best SSDs for gaming are constantly evolving, and the folks at Western Digital have identified a gap in the market. The WD Blue SN5000 4TB sports speeds that today’s budget gaming drives aim for, and its price compared to a new 4TB gaming option is surprisingly reasonable. So my interests both as a gamer who wants quick loading times and a content creator who needs lots of space were definitely piqued when this hit my inbox.
Could a 4TB content creation drive with boosted speeds and a somewhat affordable price be worth it for gamers today?Honestly, I’m surprised to say that yes, it can be. Its $299.99 / £275 MSRP isn’t a lot better than the $289/£261 you can still pay for the 4TB WD Black SN850X.
That said, it’s already seeing discount prices down to $231/£229 while the SN850X barely drops from its launch cost. While the SN850X is a faster drive, I’d argue that the few seconds more of loading screens you’ll see with the Blue option aren’t going to be as noticeable as the extra.
