The Best Console SSD Expansion Cards
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The Samsung 990 Pro with Heatsink was the drive that landed at the top across the review teams we studied. GamesRadar made it their best overall after it posted the fastest numbers in their PS5 testing, 7,462 MB/s reads and 6,877 MB/s writes on the 2TB. Tom's Hardware calls it the fastest all-round Gen4 drive, and TechRadar rates it their best high-end pick. The heatsink is already fitted to Sony's slot spec, so it meets the cooling rule the moment you open the box, and Samsung backs it with a 5-year warranty and a 1,200 TBW endurance rating.
What It Won't Do
Price. It sits near the top of the range per gigabyte, and 2026 memory prices have pushed it higher, while capacity stops at 4TB with no 8TB option for players who want to store everything at once.
The WD_Black SN850X with Heatsink gives you almost the same drive for less. Tom's Hardware names it their best PS5 SSD for top-tier performance and a large, steady SLC cache, and the same team points out that Sony's own licensed SN850P is this exact drive under a branded heatsink. So you get official-grade hardware without the licensed-card markup, with rated reads of 7,300 MB/s and a capacity range that reaches all the way to 8TB.
What It Won't Do
There is no published manufacturer list price, so its street cost swings with the volatile 2026 memory market, and its sustained-write performance sits a step behind the 990 Pro.
Who Should Buy Which
Samsung 990 Pro with Heatsink 2TB
The fastest PS5-ready drive three review teams put at the top, with a built-in heatsink that drops straight into the slot
- PS5 and PS5 Pro owners who want the fastest drop-in drive and will pay for it
- Players who want the heatsink handled for them with no extra parts
- Buyers who value top endurance and a 5-year warranty
WD_Black SN850X with Heatsink 2TB
Tom's Hardware's top PS5 pick, the same drive Sony's licensed card is built on, for less money
- PS5 owners who want official-grade hardware without the licensed-card price
- Anyone who wants the option of 8TB in a single drive
- Buyers chasing the best performance per dollar