Western Digital helps PC gamers upgrade their gaming rigs and PCs and adapt them to new emerging next-generation gaming platforms. The proof is the launch of three new upcoming products and storage solutions in the WD_Black series. Among the novelties is the first NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen4 technology, as well as a fully bootable AIC (add-in-card) Gen3 x8 and gaming docking stations with NVMe SSD and Thunderbolt 3 technology. All new products have RGB backlighting and thus increase their attractiveness.
"As game developers offer more and more immersive titles, more performance will be demanded, and users will want to equip themselves with the best tools to achieve new gaming speeds," said Jim Welsh, Western Digital's vice president of consumer solutions. and adds: “Innovative, high-performance storage solutions are essential for gamers to keep up with the ever-changing gaming platform. Our latest products in the WD_Black range have been tailor-made to enable gamers to reach the increasingly high standards of the new games of the future and new gaming platforms. We have optimized these products not only to provide players with higher storage capacity, but also to elevate their gaming experience as a whole.” So let's take a look at the products that are coming right now.
WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD
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This SSD is designed to deliver the unprecedented performance of PCIe Gen4 technology. The product, which is already ready for future demands, will provide high read/write speeds of up to 7000/5300 MB/s1 (1TB model). The new SSD has its own WD_Black G2 driver and is optimized for high-end and demanding gaming (not suitable for NAS or server environments). The WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD drive will help gamers achieve unparalleled performance with their PC builds. It reduces the time it takes to launch games and transfer files faster than its predecessors, in addition, it uses a completely new buffering technology.
The high performance is then added to the improved queue depth values, allowing both gamers and everyday users to launch applications without problems. There will also be a model with a cooler and RGB backlight to improve the design and appearance of the set. The cooler then reduces heating and increases performance for this SSD. The WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD in the version without a cooler will be available in capacities of 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB at a price of 140 EUR.
WD_BLACK AN1500 NVMe SSD Add-inCard
This is a device for gamers who want to achieve next-generation performance using their current computer setup. This fully bootable, plug-and-play AIC card is one of the fastest PCIe Gen3 x8 solutions on the market. The basis is two SSD disks in RAID 0 mode and PCIe Gen3 x8 technology, which allows gamers to achieve download speeds of up to 6500 MB/s1 and write speeds of up to 4100 MB/s1 (valid for 2TB and 4TB models). These speeds give players lightning-fast gameplay, so they can spend less time waiting and more time playing.
The card is supplemented with adjustable RGB backlighting (only Windows) to increase the impression and the resulting effect of the entire game set. Furthermore, the card is equipped with an integrated cooler that overcomes heating and reduces the temperature and maintains a stable high performance. WD_BLACK AN1500 NVMe Add-in SSD DeviceCard is available in capacities of 1 TB, 2 TB and 4 TB. Prices start at 272 EUR.
WD_BLACK D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD docking station
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This compact docking station delivers high performance with the benefits of an SSD drive, features a designer cooler, and turns a Thunderbolt 3-compatible laptop into an integrated gaming PC for an immersive gaming experience. This optimal solution for all gamers who want to streamline their gaming setup offers super-fast speeds with NVMe technology, more capacity for games and numerous ports for peripherals - all powered by a single Thunderbolt 3 cable connection.
The WD_BLACK D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD docking station is complemented by adjustable RGB backlight controlled using the WD_BLACK Dashboard control panel (only Windows). The WD_BLACK D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD docking station is available in 1 TB capacity. The price starts at EUR 491. A version without an SSD disk is also available for a price of EUR 299.
Availability
- The WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD standard model without cooler is expected to be available at the end of October 2020. The WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe model with cooler is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2021.
- The AIC WD_BLACK AN1500 NVMe SSD card is available now at select retailers, system integrators and distributors, as well as on the online store Western Digital store.
- The WD_BLACK D50 Game Dock (including the model without an SSD) is available for pre-order at selected retailers, system integrators and distributors, as well as in the online store Western Digital store.
