SanDisk Optimus GX7100M Review

Specs

• Solid storage options on offer
• No DRAM cache as HMB is used instead
• Decent endurance rating and warranty

The Optimus GX7100M has a little bit of flair, with a two-tone red and black sticker complete with SanDisk logo, model designation and capacity over the NAND chips. Apart from that, it doesn’t come with a heatsink or anything, and is just a bare SSD.

The funny M.2 2230 size makes this an ideal SSD to pair with something like a Steam Deck or Asus ROG Xbox Ally handheld, although you can still technically put them into a normal motherboard if you wish.

The sample I have is a 2TB option, although it is also possible to get the SN7100 in a smaller 1TB model if you don’t need as much storage. Owing to the size constraints of these smaller M.2 2230 drives, it’s very difficult to get any of them in any bigger than 2TB, although it’s still a decent capacity for installing an array of titles on a handheld.

The controller the Optimus GX7100M features is a Sandisk in-house one, while the NAND is layered TLC, rather than QLC. You won’t find a DRAM cache here, either, as SanDisk has opted to go for HMB, the same as with the WD Black SN7100.

This isn’t uncommon for more affordable drivers and isn’t a big issue for most use cases outside of intensive scientific computing, instead using system RAM for caching data as opposed to a dedicated cache on the drive itself.

The reliability here is scaled across the two capacities, with SanDisk offering a 600TBW for the 1TB model and 1200TBW for the 2TB variant. This is in line with key rivals, although it isn’t as spectacular as other drives we’ve tested, such as the Kingston Fury Renegade‘s 2000TBW rating. It’s offered alongside a five-year warranty, so it’s whichever comes first between five years or 600 TB’s worth of writes.

Full Specs

Test Setup

Of course, for testing any quantity of PC components, SSDs included, I needed to make sure I had a solid PC to do so. Hence, I took the decision back in early 2024 to upgrade my ailing HP pre-built to a fully custom rig with a system that benefits from brisk gaming performance and excellent compatibility with modern and future hardware.

The full system specs can be found below:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• Motherboard: NZXT N7 B650E
• GPU: Nvidia RTX 4080 Super Founder’s Edition
• RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000 CL36
• Cooler: Noctua NH-D15
• PSU: 1200W NZXT C1200 80+ Gold ATX 3.0
• Case: NZXT H9 Flow

The long and short of the setup is that the Optimus GX7100M was placed in a compatible PCIe 4.0 x4 slot on my B650E motherboard, and then a range of real-world and synthetic tests were run. These included the classic CrystalDiskMark 8 with its Sequential speeds at a queue depth of 8 and 1, as well as its Random 4K performance at depths of Q32 and Q1. The Sequential tests are handy in proving the actual raw speed of the drive for fast file copies and access, while the Random 4K tests are more indicative of loading a game up.

For the usefulness of a quantifiable ranking, I’ve also included the Quick System Drive and Data Drive benchmarks from the PCMark 10 suite.

As for real-world testing, I’ve elected to see the transfer rates in moving over a set of test files totalling 120GB (in reality, a set of ripped Blu-Rays of recent Marillion concert film and hi-res audio) using the Windows File Explorer, noting down its average transfer rate, and to see the speeds at which it can move over the 110GB Dirt Rally 2.0 using Steam. As for game loading times, I’ve taken note of how quickly the Optimus GX7100M runs the Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker standalone benchmark running at 1080p and Maximum settings, as is consistent with our other testing.

Performance

• Fast sequential performance
• Random performance not as strong as rivals
• PCMark10 results are a little off

Across the suite of tests put in front of it, the Optimus GX7100M  impressed with some fantastic speeds and responsiveness that make it a seriously competitive option against both the older WD Black SN770M and its distant, full-size cousin – the WD Black SN7100.

Sequential speeds in CrystalDiskMark 8 topped out at 7367.03 MB/s for reads and 6971.36 MB/s for writes, exceeding SanDisk’s quoted read speeds of up to 7250 MB/s and writes of up to 6950MB/s. It also puts this drive well ahead of the SN770M and slightly brisker than the SN7100, too.

4K performance here is slower than the other two drives, weirdly, although is still reasonable for a brisk PCIe 4.0 drive. It’s a fair chunk slower than much faster Gen 5 drives, such as the Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 and Seagate FireCuda 540.

The 120GB file transfer took 40.5 seconds, which is also a great result for a drive of its class thanks to an average transfer rate of 2.96GB/s. In addition, the Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker benchmark spat out a load time of 7.86 seconds, which is brisker than the SN770M by over a second, and a tenth quicker than the SN7100. It’s right in the ballpark of where it should be against bigger rivals.

This SanDisk drive falls down in the PCMark 10 Data Drive and Quick System Drive tests, with results more in line with other value drive efforts, such as the WD Blue SN580.

Should you buy it?