TEST: Western Digital WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive SSD 500GB external SSD

Technical data
Image
Manufacturer	Western Digital
Model number	WDBA3S5000ABK-WESN
Storage capacity	500 GB (466 GiB)
pSLC-Cache	7 GB approx.
Read speed	2000 MB/s
Write speed	2000 MB/s
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbit/s)
Connection	USB Typ C
Size (LxWxH)	118 x 62 x 14 mm
Weight	115 gram
Price	ca. 215 USD (= 0,43 $ / GB)
Paid link	Buy on Amazon

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Compared to the top performer*

Read speed

94 %

Write speed

100 %

*) Test result evaluated according to AS SSD Score within the same size.

AS SSD Benchmark

Standard performance test

The standard test was performed using a 5 GB file. A total score of 1631 points was achieved.

AS SSD	Read:	Write:
Seq in megabytes per second	1812,02 MB/s	1829,65 MB/s
4K in megabytes per second	30,63 MB/s	71,92 MB/s
4K-64Thrd in megabytes per second	437,59 MB/s	385,70 MB/s
Access time in milliseconds	0,050 ms	0,251 ms
Score	649	641
Total score	1631

Copy Performance Test

A common everyday situation is simulated here. Three test folders are created:

• ISO (folder with two large files)
• Program (folder with many small files)
• Game (folder with small and large files)

The three folders are copied using the Windows Copy command (the cache remains enabled). The practical test of December 16, 2022 shows the performance for simultaneous write and read operations. The lower the duration, the better the performance.

AS SSD Copy-Benchmark	Transfer rate:	Duration:
ISO two large files	890,11 MB/s	2,58 s
Program many small files	176,58 MB/s	39,86 s
Game small and large files	602,30 MB/s	11,47 s

Compression Performance Test

This measures the write and read speed of the SSD is measured depending on the compressibility of the data (according to the manufacturer, these should be 2000MB/s and 2000MB/s respectively).

CrystalDiskMark Benchmark

Here, two sequential and two random performance tests are performed, similar to the ones performed on the AS SSD.

CDM	Read [MB/s]	Write [MB/s]
SEQ1M Q8T1	1954,33	1991,09
SEQ1M Q1T1	1086,79	1726,54
RND4K Q32T16	470,28	491,09
RND4K Q1T1	34,16	79,32

HD Tune Pro Endurance test

This is a long term test to make full use of the memory capacity. You can see when a cache is full and the writing performance decreases. A test file of 50 GB was written to the medium. After approx. 7 GB, the pSLC-Cache was full and the performance was throttled.
At least the test file could be read with an average write speed of 1616 MB/s and written with 919 MB/s.

HD Tune Pro Benchmark

HD Tune writes a 5 GB file to the Western Digital external SSD. The transfer data of the read speed is displayed graphically. The minimum, maximum and average values are also determined. The determined access time and burst rate are also displayed.

ATTO Disk Benchmark

Here, a 256 MB file is written several times to the Western Digital external SSD. The I/O block size varies (from 512 bytes to 64 megabytes). The larger the blocks, the faster they can be written and read.

SSD-Z Benchmark

Similar to HD Tune, a 500 MB file is written to the Western Digital external SSD here. The transfer data is displayed. The more constant the line, the better.

The benchmark test was performed on December 16, 2022.
Information about the test system can be found at the bottom of the home page.
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