Kingston NV3 4TB vs Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB
The site holds no current price for at least one of these, so what follows compares specifications alone.
| Specification | KingstonNV3 4TB | Western DigitalWD_BLACK SN7100 4TB |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity (GB) | 4000 | 4000 |
| Sequential read (MB/s) | 6000 | 7000better |
| Sequential write (MB/s) | 5000 | 6700better |
| Current best price | — | — |
| Price per TB | — | — |
| Endurance (TBW) | 1280 | 2400better |
| Warranty (years) | 5 | 5 |
| DRAM cache | — | No |
| NAND type | — | tlc |
| Controller | — | WD/SanDisk in-house Polaris 3 (4-channel, DRAM-less) |
How these two compare
Sequential throughput
Kingston NV3 4TB is rated 6000 MB/s read and 5000 MB/s write; Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB, 7000 MB/s read and 6700 MB/s write. These are peak sequential rates over PCIe — the speed you would see copying one large file. For boot, app launches and everyday feel, random access matters more than this headline figure.
Endurance
The makers warrant 1280 TBW on Kingston NV3 4TB and 2400 TBW on Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB — how much writing each is rated to take before the endurance clause lapses. Most desktop workloads never come close, so read the two against each other rather than as a limit you are likely to reach.
DRAM cache
the catalog does not state whether Kingston NV3 4TB carries a DRAM cache; Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB is DRAM-less. A DRAM cache holds the drive's mapping table — the index of where each block physically sits — so the controller places and finds data without an extra flash lookup. A DRAM-less drive borrows a little system memory (HMB) or a slice of its own flash instead, and is likelier to slow once a long run of random writes outlasts its fast cache.
NAND, controller and warranty
NAND: Kingston NV3 4TB's NAND is not stated and Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB uses TLC. The tier is bits per cell — SLC, MLC, TLC and QLC from one to four — trading density against endurance and sustained-write speed: QLC is cheapest per gigabyte, TLC the mainstream balance, and the denser the cell the sooner sustained writes taper. On the controller: Kingston NV3 4TB's controller is not stated, and Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB uses the WD/SanDisk in-house Polaris 3 (4-channel, DRAM-less). It is the chip handling error correction, wear-levelling and where each write lands — much of how a drive holds up under load — even if the part number on its own tells you little. On the cover: Kingston NV3 4TB carries a 5-year warranty, Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB carries a 5-year warranty. The length is the maker's own vote of confidence, and on an SSD it tends to track the endurance rating — a longer warranty usually meaning more rated writes.
Which to buy
With a price missing for at least one side, there is no cost verdict to give. What separates two otherwise-similar drives is up in the sections above — sustained and random behaviour, whether there is a DRAM cache, the flash tier and the warranty — so weigh those against what your build needs.
Common questions about this pair
- Which is faster, Kingston NV3 4TB or Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB?
- Kingston NV3 4TB is rated 6000 MB/s read and 5000 MB/s write; Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB, 7000 MB/s read and 6700 MB/s write. These are peak sequential rates over PCIe — the speed you would see copying one large file. For boot, app launches and everyday feel, random access matters more than this headline figure.
- Should you buy Kingston NV3 4TB or Western Digital WD_BLACK SN7100 4TB?
- With a price missing for at least one side, there is no cost verdict to give. What separates two otherwise-similar drives is up in the sections above — sustained and random behaviour, whether there is a DRAM cache, the flash tier and the warranty — so weigh those against what your build needs.