Western Digital Black SN750 NVMe: Up 2TB M.2 SSD for Gamers

Western Digital Corp. introduced its second-generation, high-performance Black SN750 NVMe SSD with up to 2TB capacity on a single-sided M.2 form factor, and showcased a version for desktop systems or custom-built gaming rigs, which has an integrated heatsink that helps maintain speed and temperature.

This enhanced drive enables gamers and hardware enthusiasts to snag a tangible, next-level competitive boost during intense PC gameplay.

Advancements in PC and graphics technologies are taking PC gaming to new heights. To take advantage of the increasingly immersive and responsive in-game experiences, gamers must navigate several challenges, including higher performance demands and large file sizes, with some games approaching file sizes exceeding 100GB. Transfer speeds give users near-instant access to their games and files, getting them back into game action more quickly and boosting the system’s overall responsiveness.

To support fast read and write data speeds, traditional NVMe SSDs are designed to throttle performance in order to keep the drive’s operating temperature within acceptable parameters. In collaboration with EKWB, a provider in PC cooling technology, the Black SN750 NVMe SSD will offer an option for a sleek EKWB-designed heatsink for capacities ranging from 500GB to 2TB, with estimated availability in Spring 2019. The heatsink dissipates heat from the drive during intense operation, allowing the SSD to run for longer periods of sustained read and write performance, compared with non-heatsink versions.

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The company also has added a ‘Gaming Mode’ feature to a Black-exclusive SSD Dashboard, allowing users the flexibility to disable low power mode and keep the SSD running at peak levels for longer sustained execution when they want non-stop, consistent high performance.

“VR, immersive features and larger game file sizes mean longer load times for levels, maps and other in-game actions. All of these require faster storage and higher capacity,” said Eyal Bek, VP, marketing, data center and client computing, Western Digital. “More intense, longer game play also requires well-managed thermal performance, particularly for high-performance NVMe SSDs. The new WD Black SN750 NVMe SSD delivers unrivaled performance with an architecture designed for gaming, built-in passive cooling and gaming-mode features with heatsink options to be incorporated. We have pushed the boundaries of storage to give hardcore gamers the competitive edge they desire.“

Level up with Black SN750 NVMe SSD
The second-generation NVMe SSD to be built on the company’s own 3D NAND technology, firmware and controller, the Black SN750 NVMe SSD features a vertically integrated SSD platform designed to maximize NVMe SSD performance for gaming and hardware enthusiasts looking to build or upgrade their gaming PC or a custom PC.

Delivering  sequential read (up to 3,470 MB/s ⁽¹⁾ for 500GB and 1TB model) and write performance (up to 3,000MB/s ⁽¹⁾ for 1TB model), combined with large capacity, the drive reduces the time required for users to access their programs and files, load games and transfer large games, 4K/8K videos and other data-intensive content.

Additionally, the SSD features up to 515,000 random-read and 560,000 random-write IO/s (for 1TB model) for throughput, allowing the SSD to manage multi-threaded applications and data-intensive environments. This enables higher responsiveness when accessing multiple files in various locations to load new levels or games, with less time required to save in-game progress during gameplay.

Pricing and availability
The company will be showcasing products at PAX South in San Antonio, TX. The Black SN750 NVMe SSD offers a five-year limited warranty with up to 600TBW endurance for the 1TB model and up to 1,200TBW for the upcoming 2TB model. With a single-sided M.2 2280 form factor, it comes in capacities from 250GB up to 2TB ^[2] and ranges in price in the United States from $79.99 up to $499.99 MSRP, depending on model and capacity, and will be available in select firm’s retailers, e-tailers, resellers, system integrators, as well as the company webstore.

For enthusiasts building custom desktops or gaming rigs, the heatsink version will be available globally in Spring 2019 in select company’s retailers, e-tailers, resellers, system integrators and distributors.

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^[1] 1MB/s = one million bytes per second. Based on internal testing; performance may vary depending on host device, usage conditions, drive capacity, and other factors.
^[2] WD Black SN750 NVMe SSD 2TB estimated availability February 2019