WD Blue SN5000 1TB NVMe SSD: PCIe Gen 4 specs explained

The WD Blue SN5000 is an internal NVMe solid-state drive from Western Digital, in the M.2 2280 size and using PCIe Gen 4. This page covers the 1TB model (WDS100T4B0E). It is meant for people upgrading a laptop or desktop, or adding fast storage for creative work, with a range of capacities up to 4TB in the product family.

What NVMe and PCIe Gen 4 mean

NVMe is the protocol that lets an SSD talk directly to the processor over the PCIe bus, instead of through the older SATA interface. SATA drives typically top out around 550MB/s. PCIe Gen 4 doubles the per-lane bandwidth of Gen 3, and an M.2 drive uses up to four lanes. That headroom is why Gen 4 drives can reach several thousand megabytes per second.

Western Digital quotes read speeds of up to 5,500MB/s for the 4TB model, and the listing gives up to 5,150MB/s for this 1TB drive. Those are the brand's peak figures under specific test conditions. Everyday speeds vary with the file type, the system and how full the drive is.

nCache 4.0

The drive uses Western Digital's nCache 4.0 technology. In general, caching of this kind uses part of the flash memory in a faster mode to absorb bursts of writing, then moves the data to its final place in the background. The result is that short, heavy writes, such as saving a large project, typically feel quick. During very long continuous writes, speeds can drop once that fast area fills.

Endurance

Western Digital quotes endurance of up to 1,200TBW (terabytes written) for the 4TB model. TBW is the total amount of data a drive is specified to have written to it over its life, and the figure scales with capacity, so the 1TB drive's own number will be lower. Check the figure for your exact capacity on the datasheet. For most home and office use, TBW figures are far above what typical users write.

Form factor and fit

M.2 2280 means the drive is 22mm wide and 80mm long. Before buying, confirm that your laptop or motherboard has an M.2 slot of that length that supports NVMe, since some M.2 slots are SATA-only. A Gen 4 drive also works in a Gen 3 slot; it simply runs at the slower slot speed. The listing gives no physical dimensions or weight beyond the 2280 designation.

Migration software

The listing says a download of Acronis True Image for Western Digital is available to help move files from an old drive. Cloning software like this copies your existing system to the new drive, which can save a clean reinstall.

Who it suits

It suits creators working with large photo, video and design files, people upgrading an ageing laptop drive, and anyone building or refreshing a PC who wants quick load times. Western Digital positions it for professionals and creators.

What to check before you buy

• Slot type: confirm your device has an M.2 2280 slot that supports NVMe and PCIe.
• Gen 4 support: check your platform, as the full speed needs a Gen 4 connection.
• Heat: some laptops and motherboards include a heatsink or spacer; check how yours handles M.2 drives.
• Capacity: the family goes up to 4TB; make sure you are looking at the 1TB model.
• Backup plan: decide whether to clone your current drive or install fresh.
• Warranty: check the terms on Western Digital's support pages.

The short version

• An internal M.2 2280 NVMe SSD with a PCIe Gen 4 interface.
• 1TB model WDS100T4B0E, with speeds up to 5,150MB/s according to the listing.
• nCache 4.0 technology, with the family offering up to 4TB capacity.
• Acronis True Image for Western Digital available for data migration.
• Check slot type and compatibility before installing.

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