Western Digital, known for producing some of the best SSDs, spun off its flash business to Sandisk last year. Following this move, Sandisk has audaciously retired WD’s iconic color-coded SSD branding, such as WD Black or WD Blue, and introduced the all-new Optimus line-up, engineered for gamers, creators, and professionals seeking peak performance.
Optimus is a name woven deeply into the fabric of Sandisk’s history. The journey began in 2013, when Sandisk acquired SMART Storage Systems. The acquisition brought the Optimus product line into Sandisk’s portfolio, further elevating its presence in the enterprise storage arena. The last product that came from the Optimus line was the Sandisk Optimus Max in 2014. The Optimus line-up entered a period of dormancy as Sandisk had seemingly abandoned the series. Now, in a move that bridges past and future, Sandisk has revived the legendary Optimus brand for its consumer SSDs.
Sandisk has strategically segmented the Optimus branding into three performance tiers: Optimus, Optimus GX, and Optimus GX Pro. The company believes that the new structure provides customers with a clear and intuitive understanding of each product's performance capabilities, making it easier than ever to choose the right SSD for their specific needs — whether for gaming, creative work, or professional applications. In addition to the revamped line-up, Sandisk is introducing new packaging and product designs, ensuring that these rebranded WD SSDs and future drives stand out on shelves and in systems alike.
Sandisk Optimus SSDs
Sandisk Branding |
WD Branding |
Old Name |
New Name |
|---|---|---|---|
Optimus GX Pro |
WD Black |
WD Black SN8100 |
|
Optimus GX |
WD Black |
WD Black SN7100 |
|
Optimus |
WD Blue |
WD Blue SN5100 |
The Optimus tier targets content creators, offering a balance of performance and affordability. It replaces the WD Blue line-up, so SSDs such as the WD Blue SN5100 are now rebranded as the Optimus 5100.
In contrast, the Optimus GX tier features SSDs specifically designed for gamers, prioritizing speed, capacity, and power efficiency. Previous WD_Black models, such as the WD Black SN7100, are now included in this category. Starting from today, you'll find it as the Optimus GX 7100.
Lastly, the Optimus GX Pro tier is Sandisk's flagship line of drives, tailored for developers, professionals, and gamers seeking top-tier performance. The WD Black series also belongs to this tier, particularly high-end SKUs like the WD Black SN8100, which now appears as the Optimus GX Pro 8100.
The latest addition to the Optimus line is the Optimus GX 7100M, an M.2 2230 drive engineered by Sandisk for handheld gaming devices and ultra-thin, lightweight laptops. If we reference the previous nomenclature, it's essentially the compact version of the WD Black SN7100. The new PCIe 4.0 SSD delivers sequential read and write speeds up to 7,250 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s, respectively. The Optimus GX 7100M will be available in capacities ranging from 1TB to 2TB.
Products with the new Sandisk Optimus branding will start appearing at select retailers in early 2026.
Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.
