Head-to-head · Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Lexar NM790 1TB vs Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about heavy gamers who download and delete games constantly — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Lexar NM790 1TB

4.4

$85

The NM790 is the budget speed pick. Spec-sheet performance matches Samsung 990 Pro at almost half the price — useful when you'll source a heatsink separately. Trade-off is DRAM-less design.

Strengths

— 7,400 MB/s sequential read at budget pricing
— DRAM-less design but uses host memory buffer (HMB) effectively
— Compact and cool-running

Watch-outs

— No heatsink — must buy separate Sabrent or ElecGear ($20)
— DRAM-less design has slightly slower mixed-workload performance
— Lexar brand support trails Samsung / WD / Crucial

$85 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #5 in Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB

4.6

$130

The FireCuda 530R is the endurance pick. Highest TBW (terabytes written) in this lineup — useful for heavy gamers who download/uninstall constantly. Trade-off is no heatsink in the box. Best for heavy-use PS5 setups.

Strengths

— Best-in-class endurance — 1,275 TBW for the 1TB model
— 7,300 MB/s sequential read
— Sony-validated for PS5 expansion

Watch-outs

— Heatsink is a separate purchase
— Endurance rating is higher than typical gamer needs
— Price closer to WD SN850X w/HS but heatsink not included

$130 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Lexar NM790 1TB

Cheapest pick with top-tier read speed. No heatsink (buy separately). DRAM-less.

Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB

Highest endurance (TBW). No heatsink in box. Same price as Samsung 990 Pro w/HS.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Lexar NM790 1TB	Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB
Capacity	1TB	1TB
Read Speed	7,400 MB/s	7,300 MB/s
Heatsink	None	None
Design	DRAM-less (HMB)	—
TBW	—	1,275 TBW
Recovery	—	3-year Rescue

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