Best Samsung SSD for PS5 (2026): My Top Picks for Every Budget

If your PS5 storage is filling up and you’re looking for a reliable Samsung SSD upgrade, my main recommendation is the Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink. It’s fast, efficient, and ready to install without having to buy and fit a separate cooler.

However, you don’t necessarily need to spend flagship money to get excellent gaming performance. The Samsung 990 EVO Plus can also be a sensible value option when paired with a compatible low-profile heatsink.

I’ve focused this guide on what matters when choosing a Samsung SSD for PS5: compatibility, cooling, firmware, storage capacity, and the difference you’re likely to notice while gaming.

The fastest specification on a box doesn’t automatically mean shorter loading times, so it’s worth choosing a drive that suits your budget and how you use your console.

My Samsung SSD recommendations for PS5

SSD Model	My rating	Best for
Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink	★★★★★ [5/5]	Best overall choice
Samsung 990 EVO Plus	★★★★☆[4/5]	Value-focused buyers
Samsung 980 PRO	★★★★☆[4/5]	Buyers finding a substantial discount
Samsung PM9A1	★★☆☆☆[2/5]	Not recommended for most PS5 owners

1. Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink: Best Samsung SSD for PS5 | ★★★★★ (5/5)

If you want the strongest all-round Samsung option and prefer a straightforward installation, I’d choose the Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink. Its advertised sequential read speed reaches up to 7,450 MB/s, and it includes onboard DRAM. More importantly, it combines high performance with better power efficiency than the older 980 PRO, which is useful in the PS5’s relatively confined SSD expansion bay.

The factory-installed heatsink is a major practical advantage. You don’t have to shop for a separate cooler or worry as much about fitting an aftermarket heatsink correctly. As long as you buy the version specifically sold with a heatsink and confirm that the product is genuine, it provides a convenient route to expanding your PS5 storage.

Why I’d choose it

Excellent speed: Its rated read speed is comfortably above Sony’s recommended 5,500 MB/s baseline.
Onboard DRAM: The dedicated cache avoids relying on Host Memory Buffer support, which the PS5 does not provide for an M.2 SSD.
Efficient operation: Its power efficiency helps limit heat generation compared with older designs such as the 980 PRO.
Factory heatsink: You can avoid the extra cost and hassle of choosing and fitting a separate cooler.
Capacity options: Choose the capacity that matches your game library and budget.

There is one thing worth keeping in mind: the 990 PRO’s headline speed does not mean every PS5 game will load noticeably faster than it would from a less expensive compatible Gen4 SSD. Once a drive can supply data quickly enough for the console’s storage and decompression pipeline, differences in loading times can be very small. You’re paying for a high-quality, fast drive and a convenient cooling solution, not a guarantee of dramatically shorter loading screens.

My verdict: The Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink is the best Samsung SSD for PS5 if you want a premium option with excellent specifications and minimal installation fuss.

2. Samsung 990 EVO Plus: Best value alternative | ★★★★☆ (4/5)

If the 990 PRO costs more than you’d like to spend, take a look at the Samsung 990 EVO Plus. Its advertised sequential read speed reaches up to 7,250 MB/s, so it clears Sony’s recommended speed target on paper. The research behind this guide also reports a PS5 formatting benchmark around 6,335 MB/s for this model.

The 990 EVO Plus is a DRAM-less SSD. That can be a disadvantage in some situations because the PS5 does not support Host Memory Buffer technology for M.2 expansion drives. Even so, the reported console benchmark and gaming comparisons suggest that it can deliver a very similar practical game-loading experience to more expensive Samsung models. For many players, that’s a better reason to consider it than chasing the highest number on the product box.

What to know before buying

Good rated speed: Its advertised read performance is well above the PS5’s recommended baseline.
Low power use: Its efficient controller and DRAM-less design help keep power consumption low.
Separate heatsink required: The 990 EVO Plus is sold without a factory-installed, PS5-ready heatsink in the configuration covered by this research.
Check the total cost: Add the price of a compatible heatsink to the SSD price before comparing it with the 990 PRO with Heatsink.

Make sure the heatsink you choose fits the PS5 expansion bay. The complete drive and cooler must stay within Sony’s size limits, and the SSD should not be installed without suitable heat dissipation. If you are comfortable fitting an aftermarket heatsink, the 990 EVO Plus is a compelling option for a budget-conscious upgrade.

My verdict: The Samsung 990 EVO Plus is the value alternative I’d consider first, especially when the SSD and heatsink together cost meaningfully less than the 990 PRO with Heatsink.

3. Samsung 980 PRO: Worth considering only at the right price | ★★★★☆ (4/5)

The Samsung 980 PRO was a strong PCIe Gen4 SSD and remains fast enough for PS5 expansion when it is in good condition, correctly cooled, and running suitable firmware. Its advertised sequential read speed reaches up to 7,000 MB/s, and it includes onboard DRAM.

Its main drawback is age. The newer 990 PRO is more power-efficient, and the 980 PRO can produce more heat under demanding workloads. I would only consider the older model if you find it at a worthwhile discount from a reputable seller. If the price difference is small, I’d rather buy the newer 990 PRO or compare the total cost of a 990 EVO Plus and compatible heatsink.

Important firmware warning

Some 980 PRO drives running older firmware were affected by a problem that could cause the drive’s health status to deteriorate and eventually leave it in read-only mode. The research identifies firmware version 5B2QGXA7 as an important minimum update reference for addressing this issue. Before using a 980 PRO in your PS5, connect it to a compatible PC and check for the latest firmware using Samsung Magician. Do not assume a used or old-stock drive has already been updated.

My verdict: The 980 PRO can still be a capable PS5 SSD, but I wouldn’t pay close to the price of a newer model for it. Firmware checks and proper cooling are especially important.

4. Samsung PM9A1: Why I wouldn’t recommend it to most PS5 owners | ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

The Samsung PM9A1 is an OEM drive designed mainly for computer manufacturers rather than ordinary retail customers. Its paper specifications look attractive, but the difficulty is long-term support. Firmware may depend on the system integrator that originally supplied the drive, and Samsung Magician may not offer the same straightforward firmware management available for its consumer retail SSDs.

That creates unnecessary uncertainty for a drive installed in a console. If you run into a firmware-related performance or reliability problem, troubleshooting and updating it may be much more complicated than with a standard retail model. A lower purchase price is not much of a bargain if support and firmware maintenance become a headache.

My verdict: I’d avoid the PM9A1 for a typical PS5 storage upgrade and choose a supported retail model instead.

Will a faster Samsung SSD make PS5 games load faster?

Not necessarily. All else being equal, a drive with a higher advertised read speed looks better on a specification sheet, but real-world loading depends on more than sequential speed alone. The PS5’s custom storage architecture and hardware decompression system also play a major role.

In the comparisons summarized by the research, game-loading differences between the 990 PRO, 990 EVO Plus, and 980 PRO were generally very small, sometimes only fractions of a second. That means most players should not buy the 990 PRO expecting every game to load dramatically faster than it would on a compatible, lower-cost Gen4 drive.

Where an expansion SSD is particularly useful is adding room for more games and keeping them installed. It can also make moving large games between storage locations less frustrating, although transfer speeds depend on both the source and destination drives and can vary considerably by direction. The console’s own storage can become the limiting factor, so a very fast SSD will not make every transfer equally fast.

What to check before buying a Samsung SSD for PS5

Don’t buy a drive based on its brand or advertised speed alone. Check these requirements before ordering:

PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe: Choose a compatible M.2 NVMe Gen4 drive. M.2 SATA and PCIe Gen3 drives are not suitable for the PS5 expansion slot.
Read speed: Sony recommends a sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. A drive that exceeds this target is the safer choice.
Heatsink: Use a suitable heatsink, either factory-installed or compatible aftermarket cooling. Do not install the SSD bare.
Physical dimensions: The drive and heatsink must fit the expansion bay. Sony’s maximum combined dimensions are 110 mm long, 25 mm wide, and 11.25 mm high; the circuit board itself is 22 mm wide.
Capacity: Choose based on your library and budget. A 1TB drive suits players who rotate games, while 2TB is a useful middle ground for a larger library. Consider 4TB if you want to keep many games installed at once.
Firmware and seller: Buy from a reputable seller, check that the model is a consumer retail drive, and verify firmware before installation.

PS5 system software supports compatible M.2 expansion drives up to 8TB according to the research used for this guide. Always confirm the current requirements and capacity limits on Sony’s official PlayStation support page before buying, since console specifications and software support can change.

Which Samsung SSD capacity should you choose?

Capacity	Approximate usable space (After formatting)	Best for
1TB	About 825GB	Players who install a handful of large games and regularly rotate their library.
2TB	About 1.65TB	A good balance for most players who want to keep more games installed.
4TB	About 3.3TB	Large libraries and players who want to manage storage less often.

Usable capacity is approximate and can vary with formatting and system software. More capacity also costs more, so I wouldn’t automatically recommend 4TB to everyone. For many players, 2TB is the sensible balance between library space and spending.

Don’t skip the firmware check

One detail that’s easy to overlook is firmware. The PS5 is not a replacement for Samsung’s PC management software, so you should check a new Samsung SSD before installing it in the console. This is particularly important for older 980 PRO stock and any drive that has been sitting on a shelf for a long time.

Connect the SSD to a compatible Windows PC, preferably through a motherboard M.2 slot.
Open Samsung Magician and check the drive’s model, health information, and firmware version.
Install any applicable firmware update and follow Samsung’s instructions.
Shut the PC down properly, then install the SSD in the PS5 with its compatible heatsink.

USB NVMe enclosures may work for some management tasks, but direct motherboard installation is generally the more reliable route for firmware updates. If you use macOS or Linux, check Samsung’s current support instructions for the exact drive model rather than relying on an assumed update method. Back up important data before firmware work, and do not interrupt an update once it begins.

How important is the heatsink?

It’s important enough that I wouldn’t treat it as an optional extra. High-speed Gen4 SSDs can generate substantial heat during data transfers. If the controller gets too hot, the drive may throttle its performance to protect itself. The PS5 expansion bay is also a relatively confined space, so a compatible cooling solution matters.

The easiest option is to buy the Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink. If you choose a bare 990 EVO Plus or 980 PRO, make sure the separate heatsink is specifically compatible with the PS5’s size limits. A cooler that is too tall or too wide may prevent the expansion bay cover from fitting correctly.

Don’t assume that a larger heatsink is automatically better. Fit, thermal-pad contact, and compatibility matter more than appearance. Follow Sony’s installation instructions and the heatsink manufacturer’s guidance.

Samsung 990 PRO vs 990 EVO Plus vs 980 PRO

Feature	990 PRO	990 EVO Plus	980 PRO
Maximum advertised read speed	Up to 7,450 MB/s	Up to 7,250 MB/s	Up to 7,000 MB/s
Onboard DRAM	Yes	No	Yes
Factory heatsink option	Yes	No	Yes, depending on version
My take	★★★★★ Best overall	★★★★☆ Best value if total cost is lower	★★★★☆ Only if heavily discounted and firmware is checked

Specifications and bundled heatsinks can vary by capacity, region, and exact product SKU. Confirm the complete model name before purchasing, especially when a retailer lists a drive with and without a heatsink on the same product page.

Final verdict: Which Samsung SSD is best for PS5?

For most people who want a premium, straightforward upgrade, I’d choose the Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink. It has excellent rated performance, onboard DRAM, efficient operation, and a factory-installed cooler that simplifies installation.

If you’re trying to keep the cost down, the Samsung 990 EVO Plus is worth considering with a compatible aftermarket heatsink. It can offer very similar practical gaming performance, so paying extra for the flagship isn’t essential if your main goal is expanding storage.

The Samsung 980 PRO remains capable, but I’d only buy it at a strong discount and after checking its firmware. I’d leave the OEM PM9A1 to people who are comfortable handling its more complicated support and firmware situation.

My advice is simple: choose a compatible Gen4 SSD, make sure it has proper cooling, verify the firmware, and don’t spend extra purely to chase a higher speed number. For PS5 gaming, the best choice is the drive that gives you the storage you need without paying for performance you’re unlikely to notice.

Note: Product specifications, firmware versions, prices, and availability can change. Check Samsung’s product and support pages and Sony’s current PS5 M.2 SSD requirements before purchasing.