Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD vs WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against NVMe SSDs at a similar price

The WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD at 5.9/10.

The Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD leads on software.

The WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD leads on performance and endurance.

They score the same on warranty and efficiency and thermals.

The biggest difference is endurance, where the WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD scores 8/10 to the Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD's 4/10.

Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

The Kingston NV3 suits buyers who want a cool, low-power PCIe 4.0 M.2 drive for everyday use and light server or homelab duty. It is a budget-minded option with a five-year warranty and Kingston's SSD Manager tool. It is a weaker fit for anyone who writes large amounts of data or needs confirmed hardware details.

Typically about £130 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD

7.0/10verdict: buy

The WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB is for buyers who want a PCIe Gen 4x4 M.2 2280 drive with low power draw. It suits desktops and Windows machines where the Dashboard software is usable. Linux and macOS users, and anyone who needs a heatsink variant, should read the limitations first.

Typically about £270 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD	WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD
Performance	35%	5/10	7/10
Endurance	20%	4/10	8/10
Warranty	15%	9/10	9/10
Efficiency and thermals	15%	7/10	7/10
Software	15%	6/10	4/10
Overall		5.9/10	7.0/10

Specifications

Spec	Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD	WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD
Interface	PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe	PCIe Gen 4x4 NVMe
Sequential read	6,000 MB/s (1TB model)	7,250 MB/s (up to)
Sequential write	4,000 MB/s (1TB model)	6,900 MB/s (up to)
Endurance (2TB)	320 TBW (1TB model)	1,200 TBW (2TB)
Form factor	M.2 2280 (22x80mm, single-sided)	M.2 2280
Warranty	5 years limited warranty with free technical support	5-year limited (or Max Endurance TBW limit, whichever occurs first)

Strengths and weaknesses

Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

+ Owners praise low power draw and low heat
+ Five-year warranty with free technical support
+ Owners report good value for money
− 640 TBW at 2TB is modest for heavy writing
− No heatsink included

Skip it if:

Anyone running sustained heavy writes, such as build servers, logging or scratch disks.
Buyers who need confirmed NAND type and a DRAM cache.
Buyers who want a heatsink included with the drive.

Read the full Kingston NV3 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD review ›

WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD

+ Rated 7,250 MB/s read and 6,900 MB/s write
+ 1,200 TBW and a five-year warranty
+ Low measured power draw during transfers
− Dashboard software is Windows-only
− No heatsink variant listed
− Owner complaints about laptop idle power and ASPM

Skip it if:

Linux or macOS users who want manufacturer health-monitoring software
Buyers who want a drive with a factory-fitted heatsink
Laptop owners who prioritise the lowest possible idle power

Read the full WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD review ›

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