SSD
Good8/10Mid-rangeSandisk now owns the WD_Black and WD Blue SSD lines, which are being relabelled Sandisk Optimus, Optimus GX and Optimus GX Pro during 2026. The drives themselves are among the better all-rounders, especially the SN850X-class models. Check the model number, as older WD-branded stock will sit alongside the new names.
Good at
- Former WD_Black drives are fast, efficient and well reviewed
- Own NAND with Kioxia; in-house controllers on most models
- Five-year warranty on NVMe lines
- Dashboard software for firmware and health
Weak at
- Renaming to Optimus in 2026 makes shopping confusing
- WD Blue SN550 had a slower NAND swap in 2021
- 2024 Windows 11 HMB crash hit some SN770/SN580 (fixed)
- Extreme portable SSD failures in 2023 hurt trust
- Reliability
- Value
- Features
- Service & warranty
Optimus GX Pro (ex-WD_Black, PCIe 5.0)Optimus GX (ex-WD_Black)Optimus (ex-WD Blue)WD_Black SN850X (legacy stock)Extreme portable
Best for: gamers wanting a fast, efficient drive under the top price tier
nzauukushk