WD Black P50

Ranked #25 in External SSDs

142 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The classic coasting-on-a-gaming-badge trap: an aging gaming-branded drive still sold on brand loyalty, delivering last-generation speeds in a bulky body. Gamers cross-shop it constantly because of the WD Black name, but the Adata SD810 is the better buy.

Consolidated from 8 cited sources across 6 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

4 positive sources
3 mixed sources

See the sources

Flagged as a product to avoid

1 of 2 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

A 2020-era drive still sitting on shelves at a gaming-brand premium, delivering 2000MB/s that the Crucial X10 and Adata SD810 beat at lower ownership cost, in a chunky body that was never the most rugged.
Flagged 10 September 2026

Why the boards include products to avoid

Check price

Pros & cons

✓ Read speeds of up to 2000MB/s
✓ Still current and purchasable from the manufacturer
✓ Included in Audioviser's 2026 roundup

✗ 2020-era design delivering last-generation speeds
✗ Chunky body that was never the most rugged
✗ Sold at a gaming-brand premium
✗ The oldest design in the roundup's list
✗ Late in the link order

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 5 articles and 3 video reviews

4 positive sources

PCMag Australia Article · Mar 2026

Not only can the WD Black P50 Game Drive SSD store up to 2TB of AAA games (or other files) and transfer them over its speedy USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface, but it's also built to look like the sort of shipping container you might find in post-apocalyptic wasteland FPS games. The P50 provides a good mix of speed and capacity while hewing to a gamer aesthetic.

Read G

GamerPicks GamerPicks · 228 subscribers · Jun 2026

The best value SSD number four, the WD Black P50 Game Drive. Best value external SSD we've tested in while now that P40 released. Stated speeds up to 2,000 megabytes per second were on money in testing. Games load incredibly quickly. Files retrieved and stored instantly with incredible consistency. Proper external portable SSD package offering everything.

Watch G

GamesRadar+ Article · Dec 2022

The P50 has it all: a quality, cool design, a robust build, and exquisite speeds.

Read G

GamesRadar+ Article · Dec 2022

Excellent speeds

Read

3 mixed sources

GamesRadar+ Article · Dec 2022

Buy it if: ✅ You want some of the fastest read & write speeds: The P50 is one of the best external SSDs out there for not just the PS5, but one of the best SSDs overall thanks in part to its 2000MB/s incredibly fast speeds.

Read T

TechByTravis TechByTravis · 75.5K subscribers · Nov 2025

But I found that you can only get this performance if your computer has a rare USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port. Otherwise, it performs just like a standard 10 GB per second drive and can get a bit warm. I give it an 8.5 out of 10. When I tested the Samsung T9, I saw it deliver a blistering 1,600 megabytes pers right speed, and it matched the P50's 2,000 megaby per second read speeds. Though, I am a bit conce

Watch G

Gadget Vault Pro Gadget Vault Pro · 12 subscribers · May 2025

The WD Black P50 game drive SSD stands out as an excellent option for gamers and power users seeking fast and reliable external storage. With a rugged, unique design inspired by shipping containers, the P50 not only looks the part, but also offers robust performance that could change how you store and transfer game files.

Watch

1 stance not read source

S SanDisk (manufacturer product page) Article Read

Frequently asked questions

It ranks #25 of 28 on our external SSDs tier list, in F tier. That placement draws on 8 cited sources across 6 outlets.

None of the 7 sources with a clear view is critical of it. 2020-era design delivering last-generation speeds. Chunky body that was never the most rugged. Sold at a gaming-brand premium. The oldest design in the roundup's list. Late in the link order.