One of the best SSD for PS5 is now better than ever. The Samsung 980 Pro used to require a manual heatsink before it could be used with a PS5 console, but the manufacturer has now created a buying option that has the heatsink installed out of the box.
As reported by IGN, the lightning-fast Samsung 980 Pro NVMe SSD can be bought directly from Samsung, with options for both with and without a pre-installed heatsink. If you do opt for the pre-installed option, be prepared to pay a premium for the SSD, with the price bumped up to $249 for the 1TB model and $449 for the 2TB model. Currently, the heatsink-applied SSDs look to only be available in the US for now.
It's also worth noting that the Samsung 980 Pro is only compatible with PC and PS5, which is worth keeping in mind if you're shopping for an external storage solution this Black Friday. Xbox Series X/S owners will have to look for other options, including the Seagate Storage Expansion Card.
Analysis: A better storage option... if you can afford it
While we're happy Samsung is now offering a risk-free way to install its 980 Pro NVMe SSD to PS5 consoles, even if the cost is slightly bumped up from the already expensive price tag of the base models. If you do have the money, but not the technical wherewithal to manually install your own heatsink over the SSD, then we'd say it's a worthwhile investment for one of the best console SSDs around.
However, it couldn't hurt to wait for a discount if you'd like to buy the 2TB SSD model. At $449, that's almost the cost of the PS5 itself. Still, the high cost is understandable. A 2TB SSD isn't something that's just readily available, with smaller storage sizes like 500GB and 1TB being more common options.
On the plus side, the pre-installed heatsink models for the 980 Pro are only $20 more expensive than the non-heatsinked counterparts. So if you can afford either the 1TB or 2TB model, we'd certainly recommend opting for the heatsink versions. This minimizes the risk to both you and your PS5 console if you're not technically savvy, and will allow you to install the SSD quicker and with much less hassle.
