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This is a buyer's guide compiled from manufacturer specifications and published reviews. GameRath did not test this product.
The WD Black SN770 is a DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that became a common budget gaming pick after its launch. It has since been followed by a successor, so the question for buyers is whether it is still the better deal.
Key specs
- Form factor and interface: M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 (StorageReview)
- Controller: in-house WD (SanDisk) design, four channels, no DRAM (StorageReview, PCGamesN)
- Flash: 112-layer TLC (Tech Advisor)
- Capacities: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB; no 4TB model
- Rated sequential speed: up to 5,150MB/s read and 4,900MB/s write on the 1TB (StorageReview); PCGamesN and Tech Advisor list 4,850MB/s write for the 2TB
- Rated random performance: up to 740K read and 800K write IOPS at 1TB (StorageReview)
- Endurance: up to 600TBW on the 1TB
- Warranty: 5 years limited
- Encryption: no hardware AES encryption (Tom's Hardware, Tech Advisor)
What published reviews found
Tom's Hardware had a positive reaction. In its gaming-focused tests the drive finished close to the Kingston KC3000 and WD Black SN850 in 3DMark, and it posted the fastest PCMark 10 result among the drives in its comparison. Its sustained write test showed the cache absorbing about 377GB at roughly 4,850MB/s before speeds fell to about 560MB/s. It noted the drive idles at around one watt and called out the missing hardware encryption.
PCGamesN stress-tested the drive without a heatsink and measured 5,226MB/s reads and 4,970MB/s writes at 71 degrees Celsius, above the rated speeds. Its criticism was about value: at the time, it said the SN770 was not much cheaper than the faster SN850, while the WD Blue SN570 delivered similar practical results for about $35 less.
Tech Advisor reported CrystalDiskMark results of about 5,189MB/s reads and 4,909MB/s writes and saw the same post-cache write slowdown, to about 550MB/s. It also listed the drive as not meeting PS5 requirements, no 4TB option, and a lack of hardware encryption.
StorageReview was the most critical. In its database-style tests the SN770 showed the worst 4K random read in its comparison group, and 64K sequential write of only 415MB/s. It said the drive suits only very tight budgets and pointed buyers to the SN850 as better value.
The split is mostly about workloads: gaming and everyday tests look good, while heavy random and sustained write tests show the DRAM-less trade-off.
Price and availability
Launch pricing reported by outlets for the 1TB ranged from a $99.99 MSRP (PCGamesN) to about $130 (StorageReview), and Tech Advisor found a 1TB street price of $114.99 at the time of its review. Those are old figures. The drive has been on the market for years and prices fluctuate with sales, so check current listings; our SSD deals page can help.
TheFPSReview described the WD Black SN7100 as the upgrade to the SN770, released three years later, with rated speeds of 7,250MB/s reads and 6,900MB/s writes at 1TB and a DRAM-less design. If an SN7100 sells at a similar price, it is the stronger option on paper.
Who it's for
The SN770 suits budget and mid-range gaming PCs where the drive mostly holds installed games, and it works as a secondary game drive. Reviews show it is fast enough for load times in everyday use. It also fits a tight build like the one in our budget gaming PC build guide.
Skip it if you copy large files regularly, need hardware encryption, or want a PS5 expansion drive, since Tech Advisor said it does not meet PS5 requirements. For a drive with higher rated speeds, look at the Samsung 990 EVO Plus. For heavy writes and a PS5-compatible heatsink option, the Seagate FireCuda 530 is the higher-endurance choice at a higher price.
Bottom line
The SN770 earned praise for gaming responsiveness and a 5-year warranty, but outlets also found that its write speed falls steeply after the cache fills and that it lacks encryption. It remains a reasonable budget Gen4 drive when it is clearly cheaper than the alternatives. Compare it with the newer SN7100 and the Samsung 990 EVO Plus before paying anything near launch pricing.
Still choosing storage? Our Best Gaming Hardware in 2026 hub places the WD Black SN770 next to the other four SSD guides and explains what matters beyond the headline speed.
Sources: Tom's Hardware - WD Black SN770 SSD Review: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, PCGamesN - WD Black SN770 review, StorageReview - WD Black SN770 SSD Review, Tech Advisor - WD Black SN770 review, TheFPSReview - WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD Review
Pros
- Rated up to 5,150MB/s reads on PCIe 4.0 x4, and PCGamesN measured above the rated speeds
- Tom's Hardware found competitive 3DMark gaming results and the fastest PCMark 10 score in its comparison
- 5-year warranty with up to 600TBW at 1TB
- Ran at 71 degrees Celsius without a heatsink in PCGamesN's stress test
Cons
- Writes fell to roughly 560MB/s once the SLC cache filled in Tom's Hardware's test
- No hardware AES encryption, per Tom's Hardware and Tech Advisor
- StorageReview found weak random I/O against other Gen4 drives
- PCGamesN said it was not much cheaper than the faster SN850 at launch
