About Western Digital SN850X

The WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB with Heatsink is the definitive "luxury" choice for PCIe Gen4 storage, combining high-capacity speed with an integrated thermal solution. While the standard drive is impressive, the heatsink version is engineered specifically for environments where airflow is restricted or sustained high-performance workloads are the norm.

The primary draw of this model is its custom-designed aluminum heatsink. High-speed NVMe drives generate significant heat during intensive tasks like installing 100GB+ games or exporting 4K video. Without a heatsink, the controller will thermal throttle, cutting speeds drastically to cool down. This integrated solution ensures the drive maintains its peak 7,300 MB/s read and 6,600 MB/s write speeds even during the most grueling sessions.

For PlayStation 5 owners, this is a "buy once, cry once" upgrade. It is officially compatible and fits perfectly within the console’s M.2 expansion bay. Because the PS5 relies on passive cooling for its expansion slot, Sony explicitly mandates a heatsink. With 2TB of space, you can host roughly 40–50 AAA titles, and the SN850X often beats the console's internal drive in raw loading benchmarks.

Beyond cooling, the heatsink model adds a touch of flair with integrated RGB lighting.

WD_BLACK Dashboard: Windows users can use this software to customize lighting effects and colors to match their PC build.

Game Mode 2.0: This software-level feature works alongside the hardware to pre-fetch game assets, reducing "texture pop-in" and stutter.