Crucial T705 2TB vs WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB: which to buy

Both of these are 2 TB PCIe Gen5 drives sitting in our top "no compromise" tier, so the real question isn't whether either is fast enough for a flagship build, it's how much you want to pay to be at the absolute front of the pack. The WD_BLACK SN8100 sits at the higher end of the tier and edges ahead in our overall research score; the Crucial T705 comes in meaningfully cheaper while scoring just a hair behind. That price-to-position gap is the whole decision here.

Pick the WD_BLACK SN8100 (2 TB, Gen5) if you want Western Digital's newest-generation flagship and you're willing to pay a premium to be at the top of the chart. It carries the higher score of the two and is the choice when the drive is the centerpiece of a no-compromise Gen5 build and budget headroom isn't the constraint.

Pick the Crucial T705 (2 TB, Gen5) if you want essentially flagship-class Gen5 performance for meaningfully less money. At a meaningful discount to the SN8100, it's the value-conscious pick within the high end, and the small score gap is unlikely to change how the drive feels in real-world use.

The trap is overpaying for a number on a spec sheet: both drives are Gen5 flagships in the same tier, and for most builders the Crucial's lower price is the more honest win unless you specifically want WD's top-rated option.