The Best PS5 SSDs With Heatsink in 2026
The Samsung 990 PRO With Heatsink is our best overall PS5 SSD, while the Kingston FURY Renegade With Heatsink is the current best-value choice. Players who want an officially licensed drive or as much as 8TB of added storage should consider the WD_BLACK SN850P.
Every recommendation below is a PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe drive sold with a factory-installed heatsink. The rankings are based on official specifications, physical compatibility, capacity options, warranty coverage, endurance and prices checked on July 15, 2026. They are not based on claimed hands-on testing by ps5.media.
Sony supports M.2 NVMe SSDs from 250GB to 8TB and recommends sequential read speeds of at least 5,500MB/s. A cooling structure is required, and the complete drive must remain within Sony’s width and thickness limits. Compatible M.2 storage can hold and directly launch PS5 games, PS4 games and media apps.
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Quick comparison
| SSD | Best for | Heatsink capacities | Rated sequential read | Warranty and endurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 990 PRO With Heatsink | Best overall | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Up to 7,450MB/s | Five years or 600–2,400TBW |
| Kingston FURY Renegade With Heatsink | Best value | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Up to 7,300MB/s | Five years or percentage-used limit; 1–4PB endurance |
| WD_BLACK SN850P | Best officially licensed and 8TB pick | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB | Up to 7,300MB/s; 7,200MB/s at 8TB | Five years; 600–4,800TBW |
| Crucial T500 With Heatsink | Best sale alternative | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Up to 7,400MB/s | Five years or 600–2,400TBW |
| Lexar NM790 With Heatsink | Best 4TB alternative | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | Up to 7,400MB/s | Five years; 1,000–3,000TBW |
| Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD | Best official 1TB or 2TB alternative | 1TB, 2TB | Up to 7,400MB/s | Five years |
Manufacturer speed figures are maximum ratings measured under the companies’ test conditions. They should not be treated as guaranteed PS5 benchmark results.
1. Samsung 990 PRO With Heatsink — Best Overall PS5 SSD
The Samsung 990 PRO With Heatsink is the strongest all-round recommendation for buyers who want premium specifications without moving beyond the PS5’s PCIe Gen4 interface.
Samsung sells factory-heatsink versions in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities. All three are rated for sequential reads of up to 7,450MB/s and writes of up to 6,900MB/s. The complete drive measures no more than 80.15 x 25 x 8.88mm, placing it within Sony’s maximum 25mm width and 11.25mm total-thickness limits.
Its five-year limited warranty is also tied to an endurance ceiling: 600TBW for 1TB, 1,200TBW for 2TB and 2,400TBW for 4TB. Coverage ends when either the time or applicable written-data limit is reached.
The main drawback is price. The 990 PRO is worth choosing when it is reasonably close to the Kingston or Crucial alternatives, but its small theoretical speed advantage does not justify an extreme premium for PS5 use.
Choose it when: You want the most complete combination of high-end specifications, onboard DRAM, a compact factory heatsink and established warranty terms.
Skip it when: It costs substantially more than another verified 2TB or 4TB option.
2. Kingston FURY Renegade With Heatsink — Best Value
The Kingston FURY Renegade With Heatsink is our current best-value choice because it combines premium hardware with especially competitive pricing in the market checked for this update.
Its heatsink models are available in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities. Kingston rates the 1TB version for up to 7,300MB/s reads and 6,000MB/s writes, while the 2TB and 4TB versions reach up to 7,300/7,000MB/s. The drive uses 3D TLC NAND, includes DRAM and measures 80 x 23.67 x 10.5mm with its cooler.
Kingston lists endurance of 1PB for 1TB, 2PB for 2TB and 4PB for 4TB. Its limited warranty lasts five years or until the drive reaches the manufacturer’s percentage-used limit.
During the July 15, 2026 Danish price check, the exact 2TB factory-heatsink Kingston model was listed from 2,073 DKK. That was below the directly comparable Samsung, Crucial, WD_BLACK and Seagate 2TB heatsink models located during the same research. Prices differ by country and can move quickly, so buyers should still compare the exact heatsink SKU locally.
Choose it when: It is one of the two least expensive verified factory-heatsink options at your chosen capacity.
Skip it when: The Samsung 990 PRO or WD_BLACK SN850P is available for nearly the same price and you prefer their particular features.
3. WD_BLACK SN850P — Best Officially Licensed and 8TB SSD
The WD_BLACK SN850P is the easiest recommendation for buyers who want an officially licensed PlayStation product. It is also the only drive in this shortlist available in 8TB.
The 1TB, 2TB and 4TB versions are rated for sequential reads of up to 7,300MB/s. The 8TB model is rated for up to 7,200MB/s. Every capacity includes a PS5-focused factory heatsink and a five-year limited warranty.
SanDisk’s current specifications list 600TBW endurance for 1TB, 1,200TBW for 2TB, 2,400TBW for 4TB and 4,800TBW for 8TB. The drive measures approximately 80 x 24.4 x 9.9mm, which remains within Sony’s physical limits.
The PlayStation license does not automatically make the SN850P faster than every non-licensed drive. Its advantage is straightforward compatibility, clear PS5 positioning and the uncommon 8TB capacity.
Choose it when: You want an officially licensed model, straightforward PS5 branding or an 8TB expansion.
Skip it when: An equivalent-capacity non-licensed drive is materially cheaper.
4. Crucial T500 With Heatsink — Best Sale Alternative
The Crucial T500 With Heatsink is a strong alternative to the Samsung and Kingston models, particularly when a retailer discount moves it below them.
The heatsink version comes in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities. Crucial rates the 1TB model for up to 7,300/6,800MB/s sequential reads and writes, the 2TB model for 7,400/7,000MB/s, and the 4TB model for 7,000/6,900MB/s.
Its 1TB, 2TB and 4TB endurance ratings are 600TBW, 1,200TBW and 2,400TBW respectively. Warranty coverage lasts five years from purchase or until the applicable TBW limit is reached, whichever happens first. The heatsink version measures about 80 x 23.4 x 9.7mm and is explicitly presented by Crucial as exceeding the PS5 requirements.
The T500 is not the automatic value winner at every moment. In the Danish market snapshot used for this update, its exact 2TB heatsink SKU was listed from 2,591 DKK—slightly above the WD_BLACK SN850P and well above the Kingston. It becomes more compelling whenever a sale reverses that relationship.
Choose it when: It is discounted below the Samsung 990 PRO and within range of the Kingston.
Skip it when: Retailers charge a premium over otherwise comparable drives.
5. Lexar NM790 With Heatsink — Best 4TB Alternative
The Lexar NM790 With Heatsink deserves consideration when its 4TB version is noticeably cheaper than Samsung, Crucial or WD_BLACK alternatives.
Lexar sells 1TB, 2TB and 4TB factory-heatsink models, all rated for sequential reads of up to 7,400MB/s and writes of up to 6,500MB/s. The complete drive measures 80 x 24 x 9.7mm, and Lexar explicitly lists PlayStation 5 compatibility.
Its endurance ratings are unusually strong on paper: 1,000TBW for 1TB, 1,500TBW for 2TB and 3,000TBW for 4TB. Lexar provides a five-year limited warranty.
There is one important technical caveat. The NM790 uses Host Memory Buffer rather than dedicated DRAM. Sony states that PS5 consoles do not support HMB and warns that HMB-based drives may perform more slowly than expected. That does not make the NM790 incompatible: it still exceeds Sony’s recommended sequential-read figure and Lexar markets the heatsink version for PS5. It does mean buyers should choose it for price and capacity rather than assuming its HMB feature benefits the console.
Choose it when: The 4TB heatsink model is clearly cheaper than the premium alternatives.
Skip it when: A DRAM-equipped model costs about the same.
6. Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD — Best Official 1TB or 2TB Alternative
The Seagate Game Drive PS5 NVMe SSD is another officially licensed option with a custom factory heatsink and straightforward compatibility.
The current officially licensed NVMe range is available in 1TB and 2TB. Seagate advertises speeds of up to 7,400MB/s sequential read and 6,900MB/s sequential write, although regional and revision-specific documents may show a 7,300MB/s maximum read figure. Both figures remain comfortably above Sony’s recommendation.
The drive carries a five-year limited warranty. Seagate’s support material lists the current 1TB and 2TB models separately, helping distinguish them from the company’s older Game Drive M.2 SSD for PS5 line that was sold in capacities up to 4TB.
Its physical dimensions are approximately 80.15 x 24.22 x 11.10mm. That is close to Sony’s 11.25mm maximum thickness but remains inside the official limit.
The Seagate is a good choice when its price matches or beats the WD_BLACK SN850P. At the July 15 Danish check, however, the 2TB model was listed from 2,919 DKK and had limited retailer coverage, making the Kingston and WD_BLACK options more attractive at that moment.
Choose it when: You want an officially licensed 1TB or 2TB drive and find it at a competitive price.
Skip it when: The WD_BLACK SN850P or Kingston FURY Renegade costs less.
What Does a PS5 SSD Need?
A supported PS5 expansion drive must use the PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe interface. M.2 SATA drives are not supported, even though they can look similar.
Sony currently allows capacities from 250GB to 8TB and recommends a sequential read speed of at least 5,500MB/s. The full drive and cooling structure can be no wider than 25mm and no thicker than 11.25mm, with no more than 8mm above the circuit board and 2.45mm below it.
Effective heat dissipation is required. A drive can use an integrated heatsink or a correctly fitted third-party cooler, but Sony advises against adding another heatsink on top of a drive that already includes one.
For more detail, read our guide to PS5 SSD heatsink requirements.
Which Capacity Should You Buy?
For most players, 2TB is the best balance. It creates a meaningful increase over the console’s built-in storage without reaching the much higher cost of 4TB and 8TB models.
A 1TB drive still works well for a smaller rotation of games, but buyers should compare its cost per terabyte with the 2TB version. Temporary promotions can make the larger model disproportionately better value.
A 4TB drive makes sense for a large digital library, frequent multiplayer installations or users who want to avoid managing storage for several years. An 8TB drive is a specialist purchase for an unusually large collection and currently limits the shortlist to fewer products.
Before choosing an internal SSD, our comparison of console storage, USB extended storage and M.2 SSD storage explains what each option can and cannot do.
Can You Play PS5 Games Directly From an M.2 SSD?
Yes. After installation and formatting, supported PS5 and PS4 games can be downloaded, stored, updated and played directly from the M.2 SSD.
That is the main difference from USB extended storage. A PS5 game can be archived on a compatible external USB drive, but it must be moved back to console storage or an internal M.2 SSD before it can be played.
Sony recommends installing the latest PS5 system software before fitting a drive. Our step-by-step PS5 M.2 SSD installation guide covers the physical installation and initial formatting process.
How to Compare Current SSD Prices
Do not compare a bare SSD with a factory-heatsink version unless you also include the cost and dimensions of a suitable cooler. Retail listings frequently combine heatsink and non-heatsink variants on the same page, so check the exact model number before ordering.
- Compare the same capacity and exact heatsink SKU.
- Check at least two retailers where possible.
- Treat manufacturer speed differences above Sony’s requirement as secondary to price, warranty and fit.
- Check whether warranty coverage ends at a time limit, endurance limit or percentage-used threshold.
- Recheck the price immediately before publication or purchase.
SSD pricing was unusually volatile during this research period, with elevated memory prices and constrained supply reported in the broader market. For that reason, the article uses a dated value recommendation rather than presenting any price as permanent.
Final Verdict
The Samsung 990 PRO With Heatsink is the best overall PS5 SSD in this comparison because it combines top-tier Gen4 specifications, compact dimensions, three useful capacities and clear endurance-based warranty terms.
The Kingston FURY Renegade With Heatsink is the best-value pick based on the exact 2TB models and prices checked on July 15, 2026. It offers high rated speeds, onboard DRAM and strong endurance without the premium attached to some better-known alternatives.
Choose the WD_BLACK SN850P when official licensing or 8TB capacity matters most. The Crucial T500 is an excellent sale alternative, the Lexar NM790 is worth watching for discounted 4TB upgrades, and the Seagate Game Drive is a straightforward official choice when its price is competitive.
Whichever model you buy, confirm the capacity, exact heatsink version, model number and current price before completing the order.
