Crucial MX500 2 TB
SATA · 560 MB/s · TLC
WD BLACK SN8100 2TB
2TB · PCIe 5.0 NVMe · 14,900 MB/s read · PassMark #13
Dead heat — it comes down to priorities.
In our weighted Specdex score, Crucial MX500 2 TB lands at 84 and WD BLACK SN8100 2TB at 84. With scores tied, the decision hinges on which sub-scores matter most to you.
Pick Crucial MX500 2 TB if…
- ✓Cheapest reliable 2 TB SATA SSD
- ✓5-year warranty
- ✓Good for older laptops + secondary storage
Pick WD BLACK SN8100 2TB if…
- ✓PassMark Disk Score top-20 (89,069) — sustained-write class-leading
- ✓PCIe 5.0 interface for next-gen platforms (AM5, LGA 1851)
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testValue for money
Crucial MX500 2 TBSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Crucial MX500 2 TB more score per dollar ($119 vs $279).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Crucial MX500 2 TB | WD BLACK SN8100 2TB |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 500 GB / 1 / 2 / 4 TB | — |
| Interface | SATA III 6 Gb/s | PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 |
| Sequential read | 560 MB/s | 14,900 MB/s |
| Sequential write | 510 MB/s | 14,000 MB/s |
| NAND | Micron 3D TLC | 218-layer BiCS8 CBA 3D TLC |
| Endurance | 700 TBW (2TB) | 1,200 TBW |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years |
| Form factor | — | M.2 2280 (single-sided) |
| Random read | — | 2,300,000 IOPS |
| Random write | — | 2,400,000 IOPS |
| Controller | — | SanDisk-tuned Silicon Motion SM2508 (6nm, quad Cortex-R8) |
| DRAM | — | yes (onboard DRAM) |
| PassMark Disk Score | — | 89,069 |
| PassMark rank | — | #13 of 100 consumer SSDs |
Crucial MX500 2 TB
- +Cheapest reliable 2 TB SATA SSD
- +5-year warranty
- +Good for older laptops + secondary storage
- −SATA bottleneck (560 MB/s ceiling)
- −TLC NAND
- −No NVMe option
WD BLACK SN8100 2TB
- +PassMark Disk Score top-20 (89,069) — sustained-write class-leading
- +PCIe 5.0 interface for next-gen platforms (AM5, LGA 1851)
- −PCIe 5.0 drives run hot — heatsink or motherboard M.2 cooling recommended
- −Pricing varies — confirm current retail before purchase
FAQ: Crucial MX500 2 TB vs WD BLACK SN8100 2TB
Which is better, Crucial MX500 2 TB or WD BLACK SN8100 2TB? +
Both score 84 on our weighted rubric — tied. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Crucial MX500 2 TB worth the price? +
At $119, Crucial MX500 2 TB delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in value.
Is WD BLACK SN8100 2TB worth the price? +
At $279, WD BLACK SN8100 2TB delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in passmark_disk.
Does Crucial MX500 2 TB or WD BLACK SN8100 2TB last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is the better value, Crucial MX500 2 TB or WD BLACK SN8100 2TB? +
Crucial MX500 2 TB — more score per dollar ($119 vs $279). Specdex score per dollar at MSRP.