Best Overall
WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB
Key details
- Capacity
- 2 TB
- Heatsink
- Included
- Warranty
- 5 years
- Sequential Read
- 7,300 MB/s
The first thing we noticed about the SN850X is how little drama it brings. It's a standard M.2 2280 drive with a preinstalled heatsink, not a PlayStation-only accessory, yet it meets the console's speed requirement and has the reliability record we want in a drive that holds a library. That balance is why it's our top pick: we don't have to choose between proven performance and a fit that feels made for the PS5.
Two terabytes is the sweet spot for a console. It leaves room for a large rotation of PS5 games plus a backlog of PS4 titles, without the cost of a 4TB drive you may never fill. Reads up to 7,300 MB/s put it in the top group here, and the heatsink is low enough to sit in the PS5's bay without crowding the cover. We also appreciate that it's just as happy in a gaming PC, so it can move with you if you upgrade later.
Western Digital now points shoppers toward a newer generation, and that's worth knowing before you buy. This model is still widely sold, still fast enough for PS5 games, and still the drive we reach for first. The newer generation may be the future, but this is the one with the track record we trust today.
Pros
- Strong reliability among these picks
- 2TB leaves room for a large library
- Preinstalled heatsink fits the PS5 bay
- Reads up to 7,300 MB/s
Cons
- Not officially licensed for PS5
We recommend the SN850X to most PS5 owners because it pairs proven reliability with the right speed and a heatsink that fits.