SK hynix Gold P31 500GB vs Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB

SK hynixGold P31 500GB500 GB · 3500 MB/s · 3100 MB/s · YesLeads on Sequential write
Western DigitalWD Blue SN570 500GB500 GB · 3500 MB/s · 3000 MB/s · No
In short

At least one of these has no price the site currently tracks, so what follows weighs specifications alone.

SpecificationSK hynixGold P31 500GBWestern DigitalWD Blue SN570 500GB
Capacity (GB)500500
Sequential read (MB/s)35003500
Sequential write (MB/s)3100better3000
Current best price
Price per TB
DRAM cacheYesNo
NAND typetlctlc
ControllerSK hynix Cepheus controller

How these two compare

Sequential throughput

SK hynix Gold P31 500GB states 3500 MB/s read and 3100 MB/s write; Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB states 3500 MB/s read and 3000 MB/s write, both over PCIe. Sequential numbers like these describe large sustained transfers; the responsiveness you notice day to day tracks random access more closely than the peak figures do.

DRAM cache

On the cache question: SK hynix Gold P31 500GB carries a DRAM cache, and Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB is DRAM-less. The DRAM keeps the flash-translation table close, sparing a lookup on nearly every access; a drive without it leans on host memory or its own flash, which usually shows as slower sustained random writes rather than in the headline sequential numbers.

NAND, controller and warranty

On the flash itself: SK hynix Gold P31 500GB uses TLC, and Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB uses TLC. NAND tiers count bits per cell — more bits pack more capacity into the same silicon but shorten write endurance and slow sustained writes, which is why QLC sits below TLC on lasting performance even when the sequential numbers match. Controller: SK hynix Gold P31 500GB uses the SK hynix Cepheus controller and Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB's controller is not stated. The controller runs wear-levelling, error correction and the mapping table, so it shapes sustained and random behaviour as much as the flash does — though the model name alone predicts little without testing. SK hynix Gold P31 500GB carries a 5-year warranty and Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB does not state one — the length the maker will stand behind the drive, and usually a proxy for the endurance it is rated to.

Which to buy

The site holds no current price for at least one of these, so it cannot call the buy on cost. Judge them on the specifications above — at the same capacity and interface, two drives usually part on things like the DRAM cache, the NAND tier, endurance and warranty, so weigh whichever of those the sections above report.

Common questions about this pair

Which is faster, SK hynix Gold P31 500GB or Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB?
SK hynix Gold P31 500GB states 3500 MB/s read and 3100 MB/s write; Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB states 3500 MB/s read and 3000 MB/s write, both over PCIe. Sequential numbers like these describe large sustained transfers; the responsiveness you notice day to day tracks random access more closely than the peak figures do.
Should you buy SK hynix Gold P31 500GB or Western Digital WD Blue SN570 500GB?
The site holds no current price for at least one of these, so it cannot call the buy on cost. Judge them on the specifications above — at the same capacity and interface, two drives usually part on things like the DRAM cache, the NAND tier, endurance and warranty, so weigh whichever of those the sections above report.
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