Western Digital (WD) announced, in collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), that it has officially launched its new M.2 SSD that is fully licensed and compatible with the latter’s PlayStation 5 (PS5). That SSD, by the way, is known as the WD_Black SN850 NVMe SSD.
As with all PS5-certified SSDs, the SN850 must meet specific criteria before it can actually be used with the console. Firstly, the SSD must obviously be of the M.2 form factor and can range in sizes 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, or 22110. With M.2 2280 being the common size in the industry.
With the SN850, the new WD SSD also covers an important criterion: speed and interface. For it to even be considered as a possible entry to the PS5, the SSD is built around using the PCIe 4.0 interface and has average sequential read speeds of 7000MB/s, which is well above the Sony required 5500MB/s.
“We’re excited for this new journey with Sony Interactive Entertainment and the opportunity to bring the officially licensed drive to PS5 gamers,” Susan Park, vice president of Consumer Solutions Product Management, Western Digital, said about the SN850. “Western Digital’s WD_BLACK brand was created to bring high-performance products to gamers everywhere. Combined with this innovative partnership, we aim to deepen our current commitment to developing storage solutions that enhance the gaming experience for all gamers.”
Other specifications for the SN850 include a choice between 1TB and 2TB capacities. For that matter, the sequential write speeds for the SSD is different between the two, with the 1TB variant having a sequential write speed of 5300MB/s, while the 2TB model is slightly slower at 5100MB/s. Adding on to the premium feel of the SSD, both models also come with their own heatsink that should fit into the PS5’s dedicated M.2 SSD enclosure.
Lastly, and like all WD products, the SN850 comes with a limited warranty of five years. Price-wise, the it starts at US$169.99 (~RM753) for the 1TB model and US$279.99 (~RM1240) for the 2TB version. Both SKUs are expected to be available from mid-August onwards.
At the time of writing, WD did not specify local pricing or availability.
