TL;DR
SanDisk has retired the WD Black and Blue SSD labels and will sell those NVMe client drives under the SANDISK Optimus family, with higher-end models becoming Optimus GX and GX Pro. The change follows Western Digital's flash-business spinoff; the underlying SSD hardware and tooling remain with SanDisk and are not reported to have changed.
What happened
SanDisk has begun phasing out the WD Black and WD Blue names for client NVMe solid-state drives, migrating those product lines to a new SANDISK Optimus family. Lower-tier Blue-class drives such as the SN5100 will be rebadged as SanDisk Optimus, while higher-end Black-class models like the SN7100 and SN8100 will appear as Optimus GX and Optimus GX Pro. The move follows Western Digital's separation of its flash memory business — announced in late 2023 and completed in early 2025 — after which SanDisk took control of the NAND flash assets and WD retained hard-drive operations. According to reporting, SanDisk had been the party running the WD-branded SSD operations prior to the rebrand, and the source indicates the underlying hardware and manufacturing tooling did not transfer hands as part of the change. SanDisk did not, in the announcing release, detail plans for other remaining WD-branded flash products.
Why it matters
- Shoppers and system builders will need to search for SanDisk Optimus SKUs instead of WD Black/Blue labels when seeking these NVMe drives.
- The rebrand does not appear to alter the SSD designs or manufacturing tooling, so product performance and specifications should remain consistent for existing models.
- SanDisk relies on external fabs for memory production, leaving its supply and pricing exposed to the broader NAND and DRAM market.
- Industry-wide memory shortages and demand tied to AI could affect availability and drive prices regardless of the branding change.
Key facts
- SanDisk is retiring the WD Black and WD Blue client NVMe SSD brand names in favor of the SANDISK Optimus family.
- WD Blue drives such as the SN5100 will be sold as SanDisk Optimus.
- Higher-end WD Black drives like the SN7100 and SN8100 will be rebranded as Optimus GX and Optimus GX Pro.
- Western Digital announced the flash-business spinoff in late 2023, and the separation was finalized in early 2025.
- Post-spinoff, SanDisk retained the NAND flash business while WD kept its hard-drive operations and brands.
- The source reports that SanDisk had been responsible for the WD SSD lineup and that the underlying hardware and tooling have not changed hands.
- Market analysts at TrendForce project client SSD prices could rise by more than 40% in Q1 2026.
- SanDisk does not operate its own fabs; much of the memory modules referenced in the reporting are produced by Kioxia.
- SanDisk's press release did not specify plans for other WD-branded flash products that still appear on product pages.
What to watch next
- TrendForce's supply and pricing updates for Q1 2026 to see whether the projected >40% client SSD price increase materializes.
- Whether remaining WD-branded SSD stock is restocked under WD labels or replaced entirely by SanDisk Optimus — not confirmed in the source.
- Any further statements from SanDisk clarifying the fate of other WD-flash product listings and restocking plans — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- NVMe: An interface protocol designed for high-speed communication between a host and non-volatile storage like SSDs, usually over PCIe.
- NAND flash: A type of non-volatile memory used by SSDs to store data; commonly produced by dedicated semiconductor manufacturers.
- SSD: Solid-state drive, a storage device that uses flash memory instead of spinning disks to store and retrieve data.
- Fab: Short for fabrication plant; a factory where semiconductor wafers and memory chips are manufactured.
Reader FAQ
Will WD-branded hard drives disappear?
No. Western Digital continues to sell hard drives under WD Black, Blue, Red, Purple and Gold brands.
Does the rebrand change the SSD hardware?
The source reports the underlying hardware and tooling have not changed hands, so the drives themselves are not said to be altered.
Could prices or availability be affected?
Yes. TrendForce projects client SSD prices may rise by over 40% in Q1 2026, and SanDisk's reliance on external fabs leaves it exposed to market shortages.
Will SanDisk restock all former WD-branded flash products under new names?
Not confirmed in the source.
STORAGE SanDisk heals WD Black and Blues, rebrands beloved client SSDs NVMe drives to live on under the Optimus banner Tobias Mann Wed 7 Jan 2026 // 19:45 UTC WD Black and Blue SSDs…
Sources
- SanDisk heals WD Black and Blues, rebrands beloved client SSDs
- Sandisk Optimus Drives Pictured at CES 2026: Former WD_BLACK SSDs
- A New Legacy in High‑Performance SSD Storage
- Sandisk's new Optimus SSD line-up replaces retired WD …
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