SanDisk’s new Optimus GX Pro 8100 and GX 7100 drives mark a significant leap in gaming-focused storage, combining unprecedented speeds, wider capacities, and a fresh rebrand to strengthen its market presence.
SanDisk has pushed its consumer SSD line into a new era with the Optimus GX Pro 8100 and Optimus GX 7100, two gaming-focused drives aimed at users who need faster load times, higher sustained performance and enough capacity for modern titles that can exceed 100GB. The company is also folding these products into a wider rebrand that replaces the older WD_BLACK and WD Blue naming scheme with the simpler Optimus family, according to Tom’s Hardware and Windows Central.
The flagship Optimus GX Pro 8100 is the more aggressive of the two. SanDisk says the PCIe 5.0 NVMe drive can reach sequential read speeds of up to 14,900MB/s and write speeds of up to 14,000MB/s, with random performance rated at up to 2.3 million read IOPS and 2.4 million write IOPS. The company also positions it for AI workloads and other demanding tasks, not just gaming, and says the drive uses nCache 4.0 to speed transfers. SanDisk offers capacities up to 8TB, along with an optional heatsink for thermal control during extended use.
Independent testing has backed up the claim that the GX Pro sits at the top end of the market, but also notes that such speed comes at a premium. Tom’s Hardware reported average power draw of less than 7W and endurance of up to 4,800TBW for the 8TB model, while also flagging the high price compared with rivals. In the Middle East, the 2TB version reviewed by Al Sharq Al Awsat was priced at 2,999 Saudi riyals, or about $800, and the publication said it is meant for users with PCIe 5.0 motherboards who want the fastest possible storage performance.
The Optimus GX 7100 is aimed at a broader audience. It uses PCIe 4.0 rather than PCIe 5.0, but SanDisk says it still reaches sequential read speeds of up to 7,250MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,900MB/s. The drive is intended for desktop and laptop gaming systems, including PlayStation 5, where faster storage can reduce waiting times and improve responsiveness in large games. SanDisk also says the model supports Microsoft DirectStorage, the Windows feature that allows data to move more directly between storage, memory and the processor.
SanDisk is also leaning on efficiency as a selling point. The company says the GX 7100 draws about 3.7W when reading and 3.9W when writing, while the GX Pro 8100 uses about 6.4W and 7W respectively, figures that should help with heat and, in laptops, battery life. Both drives are rated for 1,200TBW in the 2TB versions reviewed by Al Sharq Al Awsat and carry five-year warranties. The GX 7100 is priced at 2,299 Saudi riyals, or roughly $613, and comes with SanDisk Dashboard software for drive monitoring, firmware updates and a Gaming Mode setting, plus Acronis True Image for migration and backup.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
