by 9 reviews.
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SATA SSD Review: A Mixed Bag of Speed and Reliability
The Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SATA Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) is a popular choice for those looking to upgrade their storage solutions. With read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and write speeds of 520 MB/s, this SSD promises to breathe new life into older systems and enhance the performance of newer ones. It’s designed for professionals, creatives, and everyday users who need reliable, high-speed storage. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons: A Detailed Breakdown
Performance: Lightning-Fast Speeds
One of the standout features of the WD Blue SA510 SSD is its speed. Customers have praised its ability to dramatically reduce boot times and improve overall system responsiveness. One reviewer noted that installing this SSD in an older laptop "cut boot time dramatically" and "really breathed new life into old laptops." Another user mentioned that their old PC now runs "great" after upgrading to this SSD, with faster file transfers and smoother multitasking.
However, it’s worth noting that this SSD uses the SATA III interface, which is slower than NVMe drives. While it’s not the fastest SSD on the market, it’s still a significant upgrade over traditional HDDs and is perfect for users who want a budget-friendly performance boost.
Ease of Installation: Mostly Hassle-Free
Many users found the installation process straightforward, especially when cloning their old drives. One reviewer shared their experience of using the Corsair Dual SSD Mounting Bracket to stack the new WD SSD with their old Samsung SSD, which worked seamlessly. However, some users reported issues with the included Acronis True Image for Western Digital software. One customer mentioned that the software ran for over 24 hours without successfully creating a bootable disk, while another had to switch to Macrium Reflect to clone their drive successfully.
Durability: A Mixed Bag
Durability is where opinions diverge. While many users have had positive experiences with the WD Blue SA510 SSD, others have reported significant issues. One customer shared a heartbreaking story of two drives failing within a year, resulting in data loss for their children’s school and animation projects. Another reviewer mentioned that one of their two WD Blue SSDs corrupted after just six months, while the second failed a year later. These failures were attributed to firmware errors, which are apparently a known issue with this model.
On the flip side, some users have had no issues with durability. One reviewer has installed several of these SSDs over the years and only experienced one failure, which was caused by a fried laptop motherboard rather than the SSD itself.
Value for Money: Affordable but Risky
The WD Blue SA510 SSD is competitively priced, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers. Its 1TB capacity and high-speed performance offer excellent value for everyday users. However, the risk of potential failures and data loss may outweigh the cost savings for some. As one reviewer put it, "DO NOT PURCHASE THIS DRIVE" due to its known issues.
Additional Features: A Nice Bonus
The inclusion of Acronis True Image for Western Digital software and a free 3-month trial of Dropbox Professional adds value to the product. While the cloning software has received mixed reviews, the Dropbox offer is a nice perk for users looking to expand their cloud storage.
Conclusion: Is the WD Blue SA510 SSD Worth It?
The Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SATA SSD is a solid choice for users looking to upgrade their storage without breaking the bank. Its high-speed performance, ease of installation, and additional features make it a compelling option for both casual and professional users. However, the reported durability issues and potential for data loss are significant drawbacks that cannot be ignored.
Final Verdict: If you’re willing to take a chance on reliability, the WD Blue SA510 SSD offers excellent performance and value. However, if data security is a top priority, you may want to explore other options or ensure you have a robust backup system in place.
Specification Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SATA Internal Solid State Drive SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s, 2.5"/7mm, Up to 560 MB/s - WDS100T3B0A:
Comments from Amazon:
I wanted to add a second SSD to my system as my original Samsung SSD is almost 10 years old. Black Friday sealed the deal. As my home build only had two bays and they were both in use, I bought the Corsair Dual SSD Mounting Bracket which allowed me to put the old SSD and new SSD in the same bay (they stack on top of each other). I also planned to clone the new drive as a boot drive. When I ran the Arconis program (that you download off the WD website) and waited two hours I got a warning from Windows (when I tried to boot) that the new drive was corrupted when I tried to boot from it. I made two attempts. It just wouldn't work. A YouTuber had recommended the trial version of Macrium Reflect cloning software. I downloaded that and followed along on the provided video on their website. Super easy. I did have to go into the BIOS to change the boot order as I left the Samsung in place as a backup drive. Overall the WD drive works perfect but I recommend using Macrium to clone the drive.
SSD works great now that it's installed. Didn't have much luck with the Acronis software you can find on the Western Digital website. Ran for well over 24 hours and didn't work as a bootable disk. Ended up finding info about DiskGenius online. It worked great and took about 6 hours to clone the original HDD that had 670 gigs used. Went to BIOS to switch things for the new drive, and changed wiring in the desktop. Old PC runs great now!
I would give this 0 stars if I could. I ordered two drives for my children for Christmas last year. The first drive lasted about 6 months. It bricked while my daughter was working on her summer projects for high school and she lost all of her work. It was awful...but the company sent us a new SSD drive and we moved on. The other drive was installed in my youngest daughter's computer. My youngest is a very gifted animator. This year she is taking two college level art classes and has been working on animations for her final project. We have stressed that she needed to back up in multiple places but as with any teenager she did what she was going to do. Two days ago her WD SA510 SS drive bricked. Her computer on boot could not find an OS. This of course during midterms when she had to upload parts of her animation. We tried multiple methods of installing the SSD drive in other computers, trying to power cycle the SSD with no luck. I overnighted the drive to the best rated company for recovering data from SSD's (shout out to Desert Recovery) but the news was not promising. 25% chance of recovery due to firmware error and a charge of $995 if they could recover. Her art is worth this much to me even with money tight but leaving it up to her to decide if we should try. So tonight I sit her upset and looking up this drive and this drive is KNOWN to fail. It is known to have issues. We have had 2 brand new drives BRICK in less than a year. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS DRIVE!!!
Review: Listen, if your old hard drive is slowing you down like a bad Wi-Fi signal, it’s time for an upgrade—and the Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SSD is the glow-up your system deserves. This little powerhouse takes your computer from sluggish to sizzling in no time, and trust me, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t make the switch sooner. Boot times? Lightning fast. File transfers? Blink and you’ll miss them. Apps? They open smoother than your best pickup line. Plus, with 1TB of space, you’ve got room for all your favorite games, files, and let’s be real—those "just in case" downloads. Installation was a breeze—pop it in, clone your old drive, and boom! Instant performance boost. And because it’s from WD, you know it’s built to last, so you can stop worrying about unexpected crashes and focus on more important things (like binge-watching your favorite series without lag). Pros: Blazing-fast speed that’ll make your old hard drive jealous 1TB of storage—because who likes deleting files? Silent operation—no more annoying spinning noises Reliable and energy-efficient Cons: No mounting screws included (but hey, nothing a quick Amazon order can’t fix) Might make you side-eye your old hard drive with regret Bottom line—this SSD is a total game-changer, and if you’re still living in the world of spinning drives, it’s time to upgrade your life.
I purchased two of these WD Blue 500GB SSDs in November of 2022 and one corrupted in June 2024, the other in December 2024. I’ve always liked Western Digital’s products and this is very surprising.
The Western Digital 4TB WD Blue SA510 SATA SSD is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to upgrade their storage. With speeds up to 560 MB/s, it offers excellent performance for everyday computing, gaming, and content creation. The 4TB capacity gives plenty of space for all of your files and applications, and the 2.5" form factor fits easily into most systems. I’ve noticed quicker load times and overall improved system responsiveness. It’s an affordable, reliable, and fast SSD that offers great value for anyone needing large, high-speed storage.
I've bought and installed several of these over the last few years, and had great results. I use them to replace the old spinning hard-drives in older laptops, and it cuts boot time dramatically, and really breathes new life into old laptops. No cables or screws included, but that's not an issue when I'm cloning and swapping out the old hard-drive. It's not NVME, but it helps get a couple / few more years out of a laptop by making the system much more responsive. I've only had one ever die, and that was because the laptop motherboard fried and took the RAM and SSD with it. So not an issue with the SSD, just an issue with the old HP laptop. Highly recommended. :)