WD_BLACK SN850X in 2026: still the SSD to put in a PS5
Fast, cool, reliable and frequently on sale, the safe pick for a console or gaming PC. It ticks every box The SN850X comfortably exceeds the PS5’s speed requirement, runs cool with or without the optional heatsink version, and has a strong track record for reliability. It is available up to 8TB. About Gen 5 drives Newer PCIe 5.0 SSDs post bigger sequential numbers, but for gaming (console or PC) the real-world load-time difference is negligible, and they cost more and run hotter. The SN850X is the sensible buy. Who it’s for Buy it if you need a reliable, fast NVMe drive for a PS5 or gaming PC and want value. Skip it if you do sustained large-file professional work that genuinely benefits from PCIe 5.0 throughput. Alternatives worth a look Samsung 990 Pro, the main rival, similar performance. Crucial T500, cheaper, still very good. The verdict: Buy it when it dips, which is often. Sources Western Digital