17/03/2026 12:11 pm
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Which internal SSD is actually the best one to get for a PS5 right now without spending a fortune? I've been looking at the Samsung 980 Pro since everyone says it's the gold standard but then I saw a bunch of people complaining about firmware issues and saying the WD Black SN850X is way faster anyway. Im honestly just getting frustrated looking at all these specs and reading about heatsinks because some say you need a specific one and others say a cheap one off Amazon is fine. I only have about 150 bucks to spend and my storage is totally full because of the new Spider-Man game so I need to order something like tonight. Does the heatsink really matter that much or can I just buy whatever is on sale...
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17/03/2026 12:11 pm
I've been running the Western Digital Black SN850X 2TB NVMe SSD with Heatsink in my console for months and honestly couldn't be more satisfied with it. While the Samsung drive is decent, the SN850X is definitely the way to go if you want a hassle-free experience without worrying about those firmware bugs people keep mentioning.
- Heat management: Sony specifically recommends a heatsink because that expansion slot doesn't get much airflow. Getting one with the heatsink already attached ensures it meets the physical height requirements perfectly.
- Speed: This drive consistently pushes past the 6500MB/s mark in the PS5 benchmark, which is well above the minimum requirement.
- Value: You can usually find the 2TB version for under 150 bucks these days, giving you tons of room for Spider-Man and plenty of other massive games. I went through the same decision process and ultimately decided that the peace of mind with a factory-installed heatsink was worth the small extra cost over a DIY solution. Load times are basically instantaneous and I've had zero complaints since the day I installed it. It has been totally seamless for me. If you pick that up tonight, you wont have to stress about specs or compatibility anymore... it just works.
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17/03/2026 12:31 pm
Caught this late... you looking for 2TB? I remember struggling with space too until I got my Crucial T500 2TB NVMe SSD with Heatsink. Tip: dont skip the pre-installed heatsink.
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17/03/2026 12:56 pm
honestly you might want to be a bit careful with the whole buy a cheap heatsink route. i heard from someone that some of those generic ones are actually too thick, and then you cant even get the ps5 cover to snap back on properly. iirc the clearance in that expansion slot is super specific... like 11mm or something? i'm not totally sure on the exact math but it's definitely tight. i'd suggest just finding a drive that already has the heatsink pre-installed if you can find a good sale. it might be a few bucks extra but saves you the stress of messing with thermal pads and worrying if it fits. also dont sweat the speed numbers too much tbh. once you hit that gen4 threshold, you really wont notice a difference in loading times for spider-man. just make sure it hits the basic 5500 requirement and you'll be fine.
