Overview

• SanDisk/Western Digital released the WD Blue SN5100 as the WD Blue SN5000’s successor, with 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB models on sale now and a 4TB version due to ship in October.
• MSRPs are set at $54.99 for 500GB, $79.99 for 1TB, $149.99 for 2TB, and $299.99 for 4TB.
• The drive uses a DRAM-less SanDisk PCIe 4.0 controller with Kioxia BiCS8 QLC NAND, employs Host Memory Buffer and nCache 4.0, and comes in a single‑sided M.2 2280 design.
• SanDisk claims up to 30% generational gains with peak sequential speeds up to 7,100 MB/s read and 6,700 MB/s write on the 1TB–2TB models.
• Endurance ratings match the prior generation at 300–1,200 TBW, and the drive includes a five‑year limited warranty plus SanDisk Dashboard management and Acronis migration software.