Head-to-head · Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB vs WD_BLACK SN850X with Heatsink

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

WD_BLACK SN850X with Heatsink comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.8). The gap is mostly about PS5 owners who want zero installation hassle — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #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 →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

WD_BLACK SN850X with Heatsink

4.8

$150

The SN850X with Heatsink is the best-overall PS5 SSD pick. Sony-compliant heatsink pre-installed plus 7,300 MB/s reads makes it the easiest PS5 upgrade. Best for users who want to install once and forget it.

Strengths

— 7,300 MB/s sequential read — exceeds Sony's 5,500 MB/s PS5 requirement comfortably
— Pre-installed heatsink meets Sony's 11.25mm M.2 size requirement
— Plug-and-play install — no separate heatsink purchase needed

Watch-outs

— Slightly more expensive than non-heatsink versions
— 1TB feels limiting for modern AAA games at 100+ GB each
— WD's customer support varies regionally

$150 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB

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

WD_BLACK SN850X with Heatsink

Best plug-and-play (heatsink pre-installed). Sony-compliant out of box. More expensive than Crucial T500.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Seagate FireCuda 530R 1TB	WD_BLACK SN850X with Heatsink
Capacity	1TB	1TB
Read Speed	7,300 MB/s	7,300 MB/s
TBW	1,275 TBW	—
Heatsink	None	Pre-installed
Recovery	3-year Rescue	—
Form Factor	—	M.2 2280 (Sony-compliant)
Warranty	—	5-year

← See the full ranking of best ssds for ps5 upgrade