Samsung is releasing a 980 Pro PS5 SSD with a heatsink later this month
The Samsung Pro 980 heatsink model will be available from October 29
Samsung has announced that it will roll out its new 980 Pro PS5 SSD starting from October 29. The new variant of the popular Samsung 980 Pro now has a built-in heatsink specifically engineered for PS5. There's currently no confirmation yet of 250GB or 500GB models, but the new heatsink-laden 1TB and 2TB Samsung 980 Pro SSDs will launch starting from $249.99 and $449.99 respectively.
It should be noted that the Samsung 980 Pro tends to hover consistently around the $200 mark for the 1TB model (right now it's $189.99) and around $400 for the 2TB version (which is currently $360.57). This essentially means that you're paying a $50 premium to have a heatsink included (which could be worth it to avoid messing around with DIY solutions).
According to Tom's Hardware, the new Samsung 980 Pro Heatsink model will see the same performance as the original 2020 Gen 4.0 SSD, with a maximum read speed of up to 7000 MB/s and write speeds of 5100 MB/s. The memory is compliant with Sony's specific measurements, too, coming in at 24mm x 80mm x 8.6mm.
The Samsung 980 Pro is one of our top picks for the best PS5 SSD thanks to its incredible performance that rivals that of the console's own internal storage speed. In our testing, we found that the NVMe Gen 4.0 SSD was able to surpass its advertised 7,000 MB/s read speeds, too, so this model is definitely worth considering if you're looking to expand your PS5 console's storage.
Samsung 980 Pro 1TB PS5 SSD | $229.99 $189.99 at Amazon
Save $40 - Right now you can save $40 on the original Samsung 980 Pro 1TB model which makes it a full $60 cheaper than the new version with a heatsink. You're guaranteed some of the fastest speeds that we've seen from Gen 4.0 M.2 interfaces as well, up to 7000 MB/s read and 5100 MB/s write, so certainly fast enough for either your PS5 or PC.
If you're looking to spend as little as possible, the heatsink-less model above does offer better value for money if you're happy to apply your own cooling. We can recommend several heatsinks that we've tried with the Samsung 980 Pro on PS5 and found that they worked well. You will, of course, though have to go to the trouble of fitting them yourself.
PS5 SSD heatsinks we recommend
- QIVYNSRY heatsink | $14.85 at Amazon US
- Ezdiy-Fab heatsink | $14.59 at Amazon US
- MHQJRH heatsink | $17.99 at Amazon US
- QIVYNSRY heatsink | £17.99 at Amazon UK
- Eluteng heatsink | £16.69 at Amazon UK
We're also rounding up all our expectations for this year's Black Friday PS5 SSD deals and Black Friday SSD deals. Or get ready for the full slate of offers with our expectations for this year's Black Friday PS5 deals.
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Aleksha McLoughlin served as the Hardware Editor for GamesRadar from June 2021 until August 2022. Her main area of expertise was the PC gaming platform, which comprised buying guides, features, reviews, and news coverage on components and prebuilt machines. She was also responsible for gaming chairs and storage. She now works on a freelance basis while studying to become a university lecturer specializing in English for foreign territories. Prior to joining GamesRadar, she wrote for the likes of Expert Reviews, The Rory Peck Trust, No Clean Singing, Vinyl Chapters, and Tech Spark while also working with the BBC.