Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB vs Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB
The site holds no current price for at least one of these, so what follows compares specifications alone.
| Specification | Western DigitalWD_BLACK SN770 2TB | Western DigitalWD Blue SN5000 2TB |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity (GB) | 2000 | 2000 |
| Sequential read (MB/s) | 5150 | 5150 |
| Sequential write (MB/s) | 4850 | 4850 |
| Current best price | — | — |
| Price per TB | — | — |
| DRAM cache | No | No |
| NAND type | tlc | tlc |
| Controller | — | Western Digital in-house Polaris 3 (4-channel, HMB) |
How these two compare
Sequential throughput
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB is rated 5150 MB/s read and 4850 MB/s write; Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB, 5150 MB/s read and 4850 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.
DRAM cache
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB is DRAM-less; Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB 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: Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB uses TLC and Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB 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: Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB's controller is not stated, and Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB uses the Western Digital in-house Polaris 3 (4-channel, HMB). 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: Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB does not state one, Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB 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, Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB or Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB?
- Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB is rated 5150 MB/s read and 4850 MB/s write; Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB, 5150 MB/s read and 4850 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 Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 2TB or Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 2TB?
- 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.