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WD Blue 2TB SATA SSD (WDS200T2B0A): features, specs and who it suits
A 2 TB 2.5-inch, 7 mm SATA III SSD with 3D NAND, rated at up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write. What the specs mean and what to check.
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The Western Digital WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD (model WDS200T2B0A) is a 2 TB internal solid-state drive in the 2.5-inch, 7 mm format. It uses the SATA III interface, which makes it a drop-in upgrade for many desktops and laptops that still use a SATA drive bay.
What the speeds mean
Western Digital rates the drive at up to 560 MB/s sequential read and up to 530 MB/s sequential write. The SATA III interface runs at 6 Gb/s, which limits transfers to roughly 550-ish MB/s, so these figures are close to what the connection allows. Faster NVMe drives in the M.2 format can be several times quicker, but a SATA SSD is still much quicker than a mechanical hard drive at booting, opening programs and loading files, and it has no moving parts.
The listing defines a megabyte per second as one million bytes per second, and speeds are peak sequential figures. Real results depend on the system and what is being copied.
3D NAND and power draw
The drive uses 3D NAND, in which memory cells are stacked in layers. Western Digital says this supports capacities up to 4 TB across the range and enhanced reliability. It also states that active power draw is up to 25% lower than previous generations of WD Blue SSDs, measured during sequential reads at the 500 GB capacity point. The brand ties this to working longer before recharging a laptop. Since that comparison is for a different capacity, the effect on this 2 TB drive may differ.
Format and fit
The 2.5-inch, 7 mm form is the common size for SATA SSDs and fits most laptop bays and desktop drive cages. The listing gives dimensions of about 3.9 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (roughly 100 x 71 x 7 mm) and a weight of about 0.1 lb. The listing's compatibility line names desktop computers on the PC platform, for business or personal use. Desktop cases with only 3.5-inch bays typically need a mounting bracket.
Capacity note
One terabyte, as used for storage capacity, equals one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on the operating environment, so the operating system will report slightly less than 2 TB.
Who it suits
It suits owners of older desktops or laptops who want to replace a hard drive, people adding a second drive for files and games, and builders with spare SATA ports. It will not work in a slot that only accepts M.2 NVMe drives.
What to check before you buy
- Connection: make sure your system has a free SATA data port and power lead, or a 2.5-inch laptop bay.
- Thickness: confirm that your laptop bay accepts 7 mm drives.
- Mounting hardware: check whether you need a 3.5-inch bracket for a desktop; the listing doesn't say what's in the box.
- Migration: plan how to clone or reinstall the operating system.
- Software: the description mentions a free offer in a sentence that is incomplete, so check Western Digital's site for what software is available.
- Backup: keep copies of important files on another device.
The short version
- 2 TB internal SSD, 2.5-inch, 7 mm, SATA III 6 Gb/s.
- Up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write, according to Western Digital.
- 3D NAND; active power draw up to 25% lower than earlier WD Blue drives in the brand's comparison.
- A SATA upgrade for desktops and laptops; not an M.2 drive.
- Check the bay, thickness and mounting needs first.
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