The big picture: As the storage requirements for blockbuster video games march past the triple-digit mark, 1TB SSDs have felt increasingly cramped. While 2TB probably suffices for most users and 4TB still feels positively roomy, perhaps 8TB isn’t out of the question for customers who want quick access to entire libraries of media and software and have the cash to burn.
Pre-orders are now open for an 8TB variant of the WD Black SN850X NVMe. The PCIe 4.0 SSD starts at $850 without a heatsink, and adding one – necessary for PlayStation 5 users – costs an extra $50.
For most users, storage sizes beyond 2TB likely occupy the realm of mass cold storage for media libraries and backups. Drives reaching 8TB designed for fast, active daily software performance are rare, but not unheard of. Western Digital is arguably the biggest manufacturer to introduce such a device.
A storage beast enters the arena. The WD_BLACK SN850X – now available in capacities up to 8TB. Preorder now on https://t.co/NICzuBaxlM pic.twitter.com/guWZG0Na46
– WD_BLACK (@wd_black) July 15, 2024
Furthermore, the 8 TB SN850X only suffers a minor performance compromise compared to the smaller versions. Its sequential read performance is listed at 7.2 GB/s, slightly less than the 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB variants which manage 7.3 GB/s. The new jumbo offering also increases random write speeds from 1,100K IOPs to 1,200K IOPs. All models are more than fast enough for maximum performance in modern PC games.
The SN850X is slightly cheaper than similar 8TB PCIe 4.0 drives, too. For example, Corsair’s largest MP600 PRO XT is currently around $950, while the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus sits at $1,200. Teamgroup currently offers an 8 TB MP44 at a competitive $825, which appears to be a Prime Day price.
Those fortunate enough to live within driving distance of a Micro Center can grab an Inland Performance Plus on sale for $800. All of these SSDs read at 7 GB/s.
Amazon Prime Day currently hosts multiple good deals on SSDs at more common capacities. TechSpot’s list of cherry-picked promotions contains 2 TB models for under $150 and 4 TB drives for around $230.
Storage prices have generally increased throughout 2024 as manufacturers limited production to halt last year’s freefall (I caught a 4 TB SSD for $200 late last year), but demand for AI might have a silver lining for customers. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Kioxia have started boosting NAND flash memory production to supply AI data centers, which could stabilize prices or drive them back down.