Today, our WD Black D30 Game Drive Review discusses an excellent SSD from WD Black. It is an ideal product if you often download games yet have trouble with space. Moreover, the D30 is a must-have for gamers since game titles keep increasing.
You can format the SSD for the Xbox One or Series X|S, Playstation, and PC. It is distinct from the dedicated Xbox expansion card (Seagate), which only works with new Xbox Consoles.
But what else does it offer? Is it as good as WD Black claims? Continue reading our WD Black D30 Game Drive Review to learn about its design, features, functions, and more.
WD Black D30 Game Drive Packaging

The D30 ships in an all-black cardboard box displaying an image of the product and its name. The company branding and key features are also included here. The rear of the box shows the list of package contents, compatible devices, and other vital information.
Inside are the drive, a 20cm USB-A to US-C cable, and a plastic foot, which helps the D30 stand upright.
WD Black D30 Game Drive Review – Design and Functionality
The D30 has three capacities, but we have the 1TB for this WD Black D30 Game Drive Review. Other capacities include 500GB and 2TB.
The drive is ideal for previous-generation titles since current consoles have increased bandwidth NVMe drives. Plus, their recommended expansions are also fast.
The D30 is exFAT pre-formatted, making it easy to use with various game consoles and systems. You can readily format the product using an Apple Mac or Linux to the desired structure.
As you can see in this WD Black D30 Game Drive Review, the Black series has a distinct style. Screws that are small and deliberately visible are present on each corner of the SSD.
We love the design aesthetics WD used for the D30. They give the product its distinct gamer aesthetic without RGBs.
It features a white, slim LED strip on one side to show it works. If you occasionally play on your console through projectors, the D30 can easily sink into the background.
The SSD has corrugated sides that can theoretically boost outer surface area and optimise cooling. However, its presence is simply for aesthetics. We aren’t complaining because it looks visually pleasing.
It has a small plastic stand, so the D30 takes up less space when it’s set on a desk/TV table. This addition is quite handy since the drive is bigger than similar products. Plus, it is also thicker compared to its SATA alternatives.
Additionally, the SSD has a flashing LED that notifies you of activity.
Key Features of the WD Black D30 Game Drive
What makes this SSD a crowd favourite today? Does it have elements that make it ideal for your gaming needs? Continue reading our WD Black D30 Game Drive Review to learn more.
Full Load Screen Liberation
Step fast into the game with this product from WD Black. It will let you reach upgraded speeds of about 900 MB/s, allowing for spawning and pwn with minimal loading time.
Built for Consoles. Made To Be Seen
This product enhances the style and look of your gaming console. It is made to stand out and look excellent with your gaming gear. Simply put, the SSD is not only for upgrading your gaming performance but also for your aesthetics.
Keep Your Games Fully Loaded With the WD Black D30 Game Drive
The D30 has a 1 TB capacity and can store up to 50 titles. This much space allows you to expand your collection without deleting your favourites.
Next Level Storage For Next-Gen Consoles
While writing this WD Black D30 Game Drive Review, we learned the SSD is compatible with next-gen consoles like the following:
- PlayStation 5 – play/store PS4 games or archive PS5 games
- Xbox Series X|S – play/store Xbox One titles or archive Xbox Series X|S games
Conquer With Confidence
You can confidently trust the product since the D30 promises a top-notch gaming experience with its 3-year limited warranty. The product will have your back as you focus on winning the game.
Win Without Worries With the WD Black D30 Game Drive
Worry less about your hardware since you have more time to win with the D30. WD Black is breaking the mould regarding premium storage expansion and performance. Purpose-built for gamers, the D30 gives your console a trusted, reliable performance boost and excellent capacity.
Specifications
Here, we have a list of the D30’s specifications to show you if it works for your system. It is also necessary to help determine whether the SSD is compatible with your console.
- Capacity: 1TB
- Connector: USB-C
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Compatibility
– PlayStation 5
– Windows 10+
– Xbox™ Series X|S games)
– Xbox One
– PlayStation 4 Pro or PS4 (version 4.50 or higher)
– macOS 11+ - Transfer Rate: up to 900 MB/s
- Dimensions: 96 x 35 x 58mm (LxWxH)
- Weight: 125g
- Warranty: 3-Year Limited Warranty
Hands-on with the WD Black D30 Game Drive
We tested the SSD for this WD Black D30 Game Drive Review and were happy with its performance. Interestingly, the D30 was excellent at writing and reading, though its cache is more on writing operations.
When we started playing our favourite games, the D30 also performed notably. It ran the last-generation titles with ease, and we did not experience any problems.
The drive may not be as fast as the SSDs of gaming consoles (often 2.5 to 6x faster). Despite that, we had difficulty noticing the difference in load times when playing most games. We had to use a stopwatch to determine the load time, or we wouldn’t know the speed.
When we played a series of different games, most loaded in around 10 seconds or so, almost the same as the internal SSD. Saved games loaded in nine seconds.
The load times were consistent even in games, especially those with curated screen-filled intros. No matter where the game ran from, it remained the same.
A drive like the D30 is best for running last-gen titles on a gaming console. It is also a decent way to increase your PC storage. Using this product is ideal when you do not plan to open it to add another SSD to your system.
The D30 delivered a respectable and satisfying performance for an SSD with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectors. Although there are faster drives on the market, we loved the D30 for sustaining optimal performance for longer periods.
The D30’s best feature is that it worked excellently and had no issues. Games loaded fast, saving more time than loading games from the internal HDD.
As we mentioned, the D30 remained cool during operation. It got slightly warm while gaming, but it dissipated the heat effectively.
WD Black D30 Game Drive Review Summary
The D30 is a user-friendly, plug-and-play SSD for game storage expansion. Connect it via USB, and you can already load your games. It does not require additional power supplies, cables, or other accessories, making it convenient for everyone.
This SSD delivered impressive results when we tested it for this WD Black D30 Game Drive Review. Its read/write performance was good and did not disappoint us, even in our game tests.
Aside from excellent performance, one of the best things about this SSD is its rugged, portable design. It is compact with a thick housing, making it safe for travellers.
If you need to expand your storage to keep more games, we highly recommend the D30. It is a high-quality SSD that provides external storage while operating. Plus, it has a durable build and is made using USB 3.2 easier and simpler without needing additional accessories.
Aside from this 1TB capacity we reviewed, WD offers 500GB and 2TB variants.
Visit the official WD Black product page for more information about the D30 Game Drive.