Key information
In January 2026, Western Digital's well-known WD_BLACK and WD Blue SSD series transitioned to the new Sandisk "SANDISK Optimus" brand following Western Digital's 2025 spin-off of its flash memory business. The revamped lineup includes the top-tier Optimus GX PRO series, the mid-tier Optimus GX series, and the consumer-focused Optimus series.
The flagship SANDISK Optimus GX PRO 8100 NVMe SSD supports PCIe 5.0 and delivers maximum sequential read speeds of 14900MB/s and write speeds of 11000MB/s for its 1TB model. It utilizes BiCS TLC CBA NAND developed jointly by Sandisk and Kioxia, and is available in standard form as well as with a high-performance heatsink.
Other models in the refreshed family include the PCIe 4.0 high-end Optimus GX PRO 850X, which features DRAM cache, and the power-efficient Optimus GX 7100 designed for environments with thermal and power constraints like gaming laptops and mini PCs. Additionally, the entry-level SANDISK Optimus 5100 replaces the WD Blue SN5100 series while utilizing BiCS QLC CBA NAND.
Users can upgrade their system drives using the free Acronis backup software True Image for Sandisk, which requires a Sandisk SSD to function and allows for quick data cloning. Furthermore, the Sandisk Dashboard app enables players to monitor drive health, temperature, and interface speeds, such as confirming a PCIe 5.0 connection.
