SanDisk 2TB SSD PCIe NVMe M.2

The WD_BLACK SN850P is a fast, officially licensed PS5 SSD that's basically plug-and-play. It's expensive for what it is, with US prices ranging from USD 400 to USD 480. Worth it if you want zero hassle and official support, but value hunters should look at the SN850X or Crucial T500 instead.

This thing is fast. The 7,300 MB/s read and 6,600 MB/s write speeds put it in the 89th percentile for speed in our database, which means it's one of the best on the market. Random read IOPS hit 1,200K and random writes at 1,100K, landing it in the 96th percentile for random performance. That's the absolute best right now. In real terms, games load fast and you won't notice any difference between this and the PS5's internal storage. The heatsink keeps things cool under sustained load, which matters when you're moving hundreds of gigabytes of games around.

Stacked against the competition, the SN850P holds its own on speed but loses ground on price. The Samsung 9100 PRO and Crucial T500 offer similar or better performance without the PlayStation licensing markup. The Kingston FURY Renegade G5 is another strong option that often undercuts this drive on price. Western Digital's own SN850X is essentially the same drive without the PS5 branding and heatsink, and it's usually cheaper. The Micron T710 is also worth a look if you want top-tier endurance. The SN850P's real advantage is the official license and the pre-installed heatsink, which matters if you don't want to mess with aftermarket cooling.

Value depends heavily on where you shop. In the US, prices range from USD 400 to USD 480, a meaningful spread, with Amazon typically offering the better deal. In Europe, the gap widens further, from EUR 471 to EUR 599 across four listings, a EUR 128 difference for the same drive. The drive itself performs well, but its affordability score sits in the 24th percentile, which is disappointing. You are essentially paying a licensing premium. If you can find it near the lower end of those ranges, it is a reasonable purchase. At the upper end, you are overpaying.

The WD_BLACK SN850P is Western Digital's officially licensed PS5 storage expansion, and it nails the basics. You get 2TB of PCIe Gen4 NVMe storage with a heatsink that's built specifically for the PS5's M.2 slot, so installation is basically foolproof. Read speeds hit 7,300 MB/s with writes at 6,600 MB/s, which puts it right at the top of what the PS5 can actually use.

It's not the cheapest drive out there, and that's the catch. You're paying a premium for the PlayStation logo and the guarantee that it'll just work. For a lot of people, that peace of mind is worth it. For others, a cheaper drive with similar specs will do the same job.

Skip this if you're on a budget or comfortable with a tiny bit of DIY. The Western Digital SN850X is basically the same drive without the PlayStation tax, and you can grab a third-party heatsink for under USD 20. If you're building a PC or upgrading a laptop, this drive makes no sense at all. The portability score is a 21 out of 100, so if you need an external drive, look elsewhere entirely.

Buy this if you want the safest possible PS5 storage upgrade and you don't mind paying extra for the official license. It's fast, reliable, and installation takes about five minutes. The 2TB capacity is a sweet spot for most gamers, giving you room for a solid library without breaking the bank as hard as the 4TB model. If you're comfortable installing a third-party heatsink or buying a non-licensed drive, you can save real money and get nearly identical performance.