The Two Standout SSD Deals Right Now
Two very different 1TB SSD deals are competing for your upgrade budget: a high-speed internal Gen4 NVMe drive and a versatile external portable SSD. On the internal side, the WD Black SN7100 1TB is a PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD offering up to 7,250MB/s read and 6,900MB/s write speeds, with a listed 49% discount dropping its price to USD 189.99 (approx. RM880) from a previous USD 374.99 (approx. RM1,735). In the portable camp, the Lexar ES3 1TB external SSD uses USB 3.2 Gen2 and delivers up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write performance. Its current price sits at USD 143.99 (approx. RM665), down from USD 159.99 (approx. RM740). Both qualify as compelling Gen4 NVMe SSD deals and external SSD portable storage offers, but they serve very different needs and workflows.
Performance: Gen4 NVMe Speed vs USB 3.2 Storage Speed
If raw speed is your priority, the internal WD Black SN7100 clearly leads. As a PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD, it reaches up to 7,250MB/s read and 6,900MB/s write, approaching the ceiling of consumer Gen4 performance. This makes it ideal for demanding workloads such as modern gaming, large project files, and heavy multitasking, where fast random access and low latency matter. In comparison, the Lexar ES3’s USB 3.2 storage speed of up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write is far slower than peak NVMe throughput but still very fast for an external USB drive. It is more than enough for editing 4K footage directly from the drive, transferring large game installs, or backing up system images. In short, internal vs external SSD performance is not close here: the SN7100 wins on speed, while the ES3 focuses on being “fast enough” plus portable.
Use Cases: Gaming, Creation, and Everyday Portability
Choosing between these Gen4 NVMe SSD deals and external SSD portable storage offers depends on how you actually work and play. The WD Black SN7100 is built for internal use in desktops, laptops, handheld gaming devices, and even PS5 systems. Its single-sided M.2 design helps it fit in slim laptops and handhelds, while its strong sequential and random performance accelerates OS boot times, game loading, and heavy content-creation tasks. By contrast, the Lexar ES3 shines when you need one drive across many devices. It works with iPhone 16 and 15 series, Mac, PS5, Xbox, laptops, and PCs, making it ideal for creators capturing ProRes video, gamers who shuttle libraries between systems, or anyone needing backup storage that fits in a pocket. Think of the SN7100 as a permanent performance upgrade, and the ES3 as a flexible companion drive.
Price-to-Performance: Which SSD Is Better Value for You?
From a pure price-to-performance perspective, the WD Black SN7100 offers exceptional internal value. For USD 189.99 (approx. RM880), you get near-peak PCIe Gen4 speeds, improved power efficiency, and 600TBW endurance, making it one of the stronger internal vs external SSD options if frame times, load times, and project responsiveness matter most. However, the Lexar ES3 at USD 143.99 (approx. RM665) delivers strong value in a different way: you sacrifice peak speed but gain full portability and broad cross-device compatibility, including iPhone 16 support. If your primary system already feels snappy and you mostly need extra space for game libraries, travel backups, or mobile video workflows, the ES3’s lower price and flexibility may be the smarter buy. Power users focused on gaming and content creation on a single main machine will get more long-term benefit from the SN7100’s superior throughput.