WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB NVMe SSD vs WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB NVMe SSD with Heatsink

The SN850X is one of the best Gen4 SSDs you can buy, and the bare version is the smart way to own it. You get the full 7,300 MB/s read and 6,600 MB/s write, a proper 2GB DDR4 DRAM cache, and a controller that holds its speed under sustained load far better than budget drives.

Where it really shines is the stuff a spec sheet hides: random performance and consistency. Game levels stream in, big project files open instantly, and it stays fast when you hammer it.

The only real watch-out is heat. Without a heatsink it can run warm under heavy sustained writes, so pair it with a motherboard M.2 heatsink. Most modern boards include one, which makes this version the better value than paying extra for WD's.

This is the SN850X you buy when you want it to just work in a PS5 or in a build with no spare M.2 cooler. The drive itself is identical to the bare version, same 7,300 MB/s read, same 6,600 MB/s write, same 2GB DRAM cache, so performance is top of the class.

What you are paying extra for is the bundled heatsink, which is correctly sized for the PS5's storage bay and keeps the controller from throttling during long sessions.

If your motherboard already includes an M.2 heatsink, this version is redundant and the bare model is the better deal. But for a PS5 it is the cleanest option going: open the bay, drop it in, done.