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WD Blue 500GB 3D NAND SATA SSD (WDS500G2B0A): features and who it suits
A 500GB 2.5-inch, 7mm SATA III SSD rated at up to 560 MB/s reads and 530 MB/s writes. What the specs mean, and what to check before upgrading.
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The Western Digital WD Blue 500GB (model WDS500G2B0A) is an internal solid state drive in the 2.5-inch, 7mm format with a SATA III interface. It's designed as a straightforward upgrade for laptops and desktops that still use a hard drive or an older SSD. Here is what the specifications mean and what to confirm before installing it.
SATA III and the 2.5-inch format
SATA III runs at 6 Gb/s, which caps real-world speeds at roughly 550 MB/s. This drive is rated by Western Digital at up to 560 MB/s for sequential reads and 530 MB/s for sequential writes, close to the limit of the interface. The 2.5-inch, 7mm body is the long-standing laptop drive size, and it also fits desktop drive bays, often with a mounting bracket. It is not an M.2 drive, so it won't fit an M.2 slot.
What a SATA SSD changes
Compared with a mechanical hard drive, a SATA SSD typically makes starting up, launching programs and opening files noticeably quicker, because there are no spinning platters or moving heads. It also tends to make less noise and use less power. Newer NVMe drives are faster still, but many older machines only have SATA connections, and for those this is a suitable format.
3D NAND and reliability figures
The drive uses 3D NAND, which stacks flash cells in layers. Western Digital lists a mean time to failure of 1.75 million hours, based on its internal testing under Telcordia stress testing, and up to 600 terabytes written (TBW). TBW is an endurance measure: how much data the maker expects you can write to the drive over its life. It is calculated using the JEDEC client workload and varies by capacity. Everyday users typically write far less than that.
Power draw
The brand says active power draw is up to 25% lower during sequential reads than in previous generations of WD Blue SSD, at the 500GB capacity. Western Digital ties this to longer work between laptop charges. Actual battery life depends on the whole system.
Compatibility and software
Western Digital says the drive has WD F.I.T. Lab certification, a compatibility check across a wide range of computers. It also provides free downloadable software to monitor drive status and to clone or back up data. The listing advises updating the operating system to the current version before installing the drive.
A note on capacity
As with all storage, Western Digital counts 1 TB as one trillion bytes, and says accessible capacity varies by operating environment. A 500GB drive will therefore show somewhat less usable space in your operating system.
Who it suits
A 500GB capacity suits a main system drive for a laptop or desktop with moderate storage needs: operating system, applications and everyday files. People with large media libraries may prefer a bigger drive or an additional one.
What to check before you buy
- Connection: confirm your device uses a 2.5-inch SATA drive, not M.2 only.
- Thickness: 7mm fits most laptops, but check slim devices.
- Desktop mounting: you may need a 3.5-inch adapter bracket.
- Cables: desktops need a SATA data cable and power connection.
- Cloning: plan how to copy your old drive, and back up first.
- Capacity: check whether 500GB covers your files.
The short version
- 500GB 2.5-inch, 7mm SATA III SSD with 3D NAND.
- Rated at up to 560 MB/s read and 530 MB/s write.
- Up to 600 TBW and 1.75 million hours MTTF, per Western Digital.
- Free software for monitoring, cloning and backup.
- Not an M.2 drive; check your device's connection first.
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