Monday, January 5th 2026

WD Black Drives Now Called SANDISK Optimus

CES Press Release by
TheLostSwede
 Discuss (29 Comments)
Today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026), Sandisk announced Sandisk Optimus as the new name for its renowned internal SSD lineup for gamers, creators, and professionals. The new branding for this family of products reflects a focus on performance leadership, engineering excellence, and a heritage of trust in flash memory. The powerful collection of Sandisk Optimus internal storage solutions, encompasses three product lines: Sandisk Optimus, Sandisk Optimus GX, and Sandisk Optimus GX PRO.

Featuring a striking new packaging and product design inspired by the company's innovation and iconic branding, the introduction of Sandisk Optimus creates room for future growth as the company expands its offerings to support the needs of gamers, creators, and professionals. The new design is inspired by the company's pioneering brand heritage and relentless focus on delivering innovation that delights end users. While the overall look and feel of the Sandisk Optimus brand is boldly different, its product portfolio carries forward Sandisk's long-standing reputation for superior quality and reliability, characteristics that have shaped the company's longstanding legacy of flash innovation.
"The Sandisk Optimus brand redefines what performance means for consumer needs," said Heidi Arkinstall, VP Global Consumer Brand and Digital Marketing at Sandisk. "Our products span multiple segments and with this change we are making it easier for consumers to find the right solution for their needs."

Giving customers a more intuitive way to understand performance tiers and navigate the lineup with confidence, the Sandisk Optimus portfolio is segmented to help consumers easily identify the product they need:
  • Sandisk Optimus product line - Designed as a benchmark performance hero, built for content creators who demand faster, smoother computing. These drives deliver the right balance of speed and affordability. Previously branded as WD Blue, including the WD Blue SN5100 NVMe SSD.
  • Sandisk Optimus GX product line - Gaming without limits, designed for players who want lightning-fast load times, expanded capacity, and power efficiency. Previously branded as WD_BLACK, including the WD_BLACK SN7100 NVMe SSD.
  • Sandisk Optimus GX PRO product line- The flagship of the Sandisk Optimus brand portfolio, the Sandisk Optimus GX PRO represents the pinnacle of performance. These drives are designed for developers, professionals and gamers in the pursuit of the latest technological breakthrough and uncompromising performance who are looking to build AI PCs, workstations, or high-end PCs. Sandisk Optimus GX PRO combines cutting-edge storage technologies with increased capacity. Previously branded as WD_BLACK, including the WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe SSD.
"Millions of people around the world know and trust our internal drives, and the new Sandisk Optimus branding perfectly matches the strength of our portfolio," said Anil Moolchandani, VP Product Management Client at Sandisk. "The family of internal SSD products are engineered to meet the demands of developer workflows and gaming environments for professionals, gamers, and other prosumers alike."

The transition from the WD_BLACK and WD Blue brands to the Sandisk Optimus brand identity begins with today's announcement, with products featuring the updated branding expected to reach select retailers worldwide in the first half of 2026 for purchase, pre-order or notification.

Source: Sandisk

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29 Comments on WD Black Drives Now Called SANDISK Optimus

#1
Chaitanya
Looks like they are still continuing parts of old WD name/model numbers.
Posted on Reply
#2
wNotyarD
ChaitanyaLooks like they are still continuing parts of old WD name/model numbers.
Thankfully. Otherwise trying to understand whatever rebadging happened would be hell.
Posted on Reply
#3
TheLostSwede
News Editor
ChaitanyaLooks like they are still continuing parts of old WD name/model numbers.
Judging by the picture that came with the press release, even the "old" 850X gets to live on.
Posted on Reply
#4
Chaitanya
TheLostSwedeJudging by the picture that came with the press release, even the "old" 850X gets to live on.
Even the heatsink seems to be same for 850x except for the 8100 for which there might be a new heatsink used.
Posted on Reply
#5
AusWolf
It looks to me like the same stuff, just with different branding. Which is good.
Posted on Reply
#6
TheLostSwede
News Editor
AusWolfIt looks to me like the same stuff, just with different branding. Which is good.
That's exactly what it is, just a rebranding.
Posted on Reply
#7
DarbyOGill
WD is a better brand.

I associate SanDisk with cheap USB keys whenever I hear the name.
Posted on Reply
#8
centaurius
DarbyOGillWD is a better brand.

I associate SanDisk with cheap USB keys whenever I hear the name.
I agree.
Posted on Reply
#9
TheLostSwede
News Editor
DarbyOGillWD is a better brand.

I associate SanDisk with cheap USB keys whenever I hear the name.
Why did you buy the cheap ones? Their more expensive models were always really good, it's been some time since I've bought one though, as the three I have all still work perfectly, the oldest one being over a decade now.
Posted on Reply
#10
EatingDirt
DarbyOGillWD is a better brand.

I associate SanDisk with cheap USB keys whenever I hear the name.
Sandisk Pro SSD were competitors with the Samsung 800 Pro's years ago. I still use one in an old PC for a Windows Drive.

WD bought them specifically to break into the SSD market. They're the main (and probably only) reason WD has good SSD's in the first place.
Posted on Reply
#11
DarbyOGill
TheLostSwedeWhy did you buy the cheap ones? Their more expensive models were always really good, it's been some time since I've bought one though, as the three I have all still work perfectly, the oldest one being over a decade now.
Didn't say I bought them, just noticed the prices.
Posted on Reply
#12
Dorek
Oddly all the wd m.2 ssds i have did also disappear from the webshop i usually purchase from awhile ago.
Posted on Reply
#13
DarbyOGill
EatingDirtSandisk Pro SSD were competitors with the Samsung 800 Pro's years ago. I still use one in an old PC for a Windows Drive.

WD bought them specifically to break into the SSD market. They're the main (and probably only) reason WD has good SSD's in the first place.
Sure but to me at least the brand is not as desirable as WD. Each to their own.
Posted on Reply
#14
lambda
Not sure why this was needed, we already have WD Green, Blue, Black for SSDs and a few more colours for HDDs.

The new naming scheme reminds me of Opera GX web browser. I guess they want to remove WD from the branding.

At least they are not discontinuing consumer sales like Crucial.
Posted on Reply
#15
BArms
Very, very lame move by Sandisk. WD still has a lot of good will and a great reputation that's 5x better in my eyes than Sandisk, not to mention the long history of WD. I don't see this helping Sandisk and I doubt I'll buy anything new they make.
Posted on Reply
#16
TheinsanegamerN
lambdaNot sure why this was needed, we already have WD Green, Blue, Black for SSDs and a few more colours for HDDs.

The new naming scheme reminds me of Opera GX web browser. I guess they want to remove WD from the branding.
The color names were so much better. And easier to remember.
Black = performance
Blue = general use
Green = cheap efficiency
Red = NAS
Gold = Enterprise
Throwing GX monikers and random names just makes it more confusing, like dell's prop, max, pro max, ece names.
lambdaAt least they are not discontinuing consumer sales like Crucial.
And I'm running crucial RAM too. So that's 2 components in my PC that no longer exist. Soon my PC will belong in a museum!
Posted on Reply
#17
Wirko
TheinsanegamerNThe color names were so much better. And easier to remember.
I suspect Sandisk is no longer allowed to use those names, trademarked by WD.
Posted on Reply
#18
trsttte
WirkoI suspect Sandisk is no longer allowed to use those names, trademarked by WD.
They're the same company, they're also just colors - pretty much everyone uses green for eco friendly stuff, etc, you can't simply trademark common words.
Posted on Reply
#20
AleXXX666
TheLostSwedeWhy did you buy the cheap ones? Their more expensive models were always really good, it's been some time since I've bought one though, as the three I have all still work perfectly, the oldest one being over a decade now.
because every thing should be purchased with understanding regarding usage. Why the hell to get super track performance tires for family van with granma cruising?:D
Posted on Reply
#21
tommo1982
BArmsVery, very lame move by Sandisk. WD still has a lot of good will and a great reputation that's 5x better in my eyes than Sandisk, not to mention the long history of WD. I don't see this helping Sandisk and I doubt I'll buy anything new they make.
Everything involving NAND was manufactured by SanDisk. WD, before its acquisition, had no presence in that segment. You're actually complimenting SanDisk when speaking well about WD.
Posted on Reply
#22
Wirko
tommo1982Everything involving NAND was manufactured by SanDisk. WD, before its acquisition, had no presence in that segment. You're actually complimenting SanDisk when speaking well about WD.
To make it easier to remember,
WD = disk from rust
SanDisk = disk from sand
Posted on Reply
#23
piffdaddy
WD_Black just sounds better. I liked the color naming scheme also because it was so easy to understand. I always thought of SanDisk as a lesser brand. May just switch brands now honestly. I know it's dumb but it's how I feel about this
Posted on Reply
#24
AusWolf
Guys, don't forget that WD never made NAND chips. It was SanDisk all along, just under a different name.
Posted on Reply
#25
Prima.Vera
DarbyOGillI associate SanDisk with cheap USB keys whenever I hear the name.
I associate SanDisk with stupid retarded naming conventions such as "Ultra Extreme Pro Max" or simmilar shit, which btw, they are NOT cheap at all.
Posted on Reply
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