Western Digital Launches 4 TB Version of its Blue SATA SSD

[Raevenlord]

Western Digital is launching a behemoth, consumer-oriented 4 TB SSD based on its WD Blue product line. The WD Blue 4 TB uses the SATA interface (for which controllers are still slightly cheaper than for NVMe solutions) with a Marvell 88SS1074 4-channel controller with a 64-layer 3D TLC NAND from SanDisk. Read and write speeds are basically SATA III-bound (sequential 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write speeds, with random 4K read/write of 95K/82K IOPS.)

The WD Blue 4TB SATA SSD has its official availability date on May 13th, but it's already popping up here and there around retailers' shops in Europe. The 4 TB SSD is being priced at €545, which seems to be inline with expectations for such a capacity level. Quick napkin math saying that these should find a home at the sub-$500 level is very likely accurate, considering past pricing practices from manufacturers between the European and US markets.



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[sam_86314]

Good to see they're still using TLC NAND instead of QLC. I've heard all sorts of negative things about QLC and its endurance ratings.

 

[newtekie1]

Good to see they're still using TLC NAND instead of QLC. I've heard all sorts of negative things about QLC and its endurance ratings.

Basically all the same stuff that was said about TLC when it came out. Now we're all perfectly happy with TLC.

 

[sam_86314]

Basically all the same stuff that was said about TLC when it came out. Now we're all perfectly happy with TLC.

In a few years, "Glad to see they're still using QLC. I've heard all sorts of negative things about 5LC and its endurance ratings."

I do wish companies would keep refining SLC to bring prices down. But why do that when we can have the planned obsolescence of TLC and QLC?

 

[kastriot]

SLC,MLC,TLC,QLC, 1-2-3-4 bits QLC being most sensitive to degradations but..but capacity is bigger now 128-500GB where common now we have up to 4TB yes so that means 4000/500=8x less wearing because anti-wear algorithms so QLC or TLC it doesn't matter at all, ie more capacity less wear, only problem now is price for example when this 4TB model will cost 70-80$?

 

[cucker tarlson]

Basically all the same stuff that was said about TLC when it came out. Now we're all perfectly happy with TLC.

this is bad though
300-500mb/s on tlc
80-160mb/s on qlc
only thing that saves it that big ass qlc drives are cheap now and they're using dynamic caching.

 

[MikeMurphy]

Basically all the same stuff that was said about TLC when it came out. Now we're all perfectly happy with TLC.

I think you forget that TLC debuted on 16nm planar NAND. This wasn't a good product for anyone and still isn't.

TLC NAND only became truly viable with the advent of 3D NAND. It wasn't a change of opinion but rather a much better product.

 

[gxss]

I am curious, why wd suddenly "beyond" Samsung and Micron(wd green ssd so bad), why is 64-layer m2(sn500) so cheap(than Toshiba tr200 / Crucial bx500), pcb is so clean(500g/250g=1 nand flash,look old blue/black m2),

 

[TesterAnon]

Basically all the same stuff that was said about TLC when it came out. Now we're all perfectly happy with TLC.

Yes but when TLC came out you could realistically run out writes, now that 3D TLC NAND is a thing that is not a problem anymore, you can notice how big of a problem it was when you see people complaining their Intel 2D NAND TLC SSDs running out of writes once they did 500-700TB.
You can realistically run out writes with QLC NAND with normal use but if you are doing something that can make a QLC NAND run out writes i doubt you will be buying one.