Iconic WD_Black and WD Blue SSDs are no more as Sandisk announces rebrand during CES 2026
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Nearly a year on from its split from Western Digital, Sandisk is removing the WD branding from its products. Gone are the familiar names of some of the best NVMe SSDs out there; the WD_Black and Blue drives have been renamed, as per an announcement at CES 2026. Instead, Sandisk has a range of Optimus drives to better align itself with the legacy of the brand.
Reworking the branding into three tiers, Sandisk is looking to make it easier to find the right tier for your needs. The three product lines now include the Optimus, Optimus GX, and Optimus GX Pro that vary in the technology and speeds they are capable of reaching.
Sandisk Optimus
Sandisk Optimus GX
Sandisk Optimus GX Pro
The Optimus lineup and changes from WD
Below is the chart showing the immediate naming changes the products have gone through. We see the WD_BLACK SN8100 become the Optimus GX Pro 8100, WD-BLACK SN850X is now Optimus GX Pro 850X, WD_BLACK SN7100 changes to Optimus GX 7100, and WD Blue 5100 becomes Optimus 5100.
Sandisk highlights the base Optimus range as the benchmark hero for content creators and faster, smoother computing with a balance of speed and affordability. The Optimus GX is the option for lightning-quick load times, expanded capacity, and power efficiency. The Optimus GX Pro is the flagship and the pinnacle of performance.
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Following the announcement that came on the 5th of January, all the branding will slowly transition into this new black, gray, and red design. The first of which should come in the first half of the year. For years, PC builder enthusiasts have associated WD Blue SSDs as a fantastic option for gaming and productivity, while the WD_Black models represent the best of the best. It’s easy to tell them apart at first glance, so the new muted color scheme might take a little getting used to.
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