For Gen 4 NVMe, yes — the 990 Pro is the best overall. It has the highest sequential speeds (7,450 MB/s), excellent random performance, best power efficiency, and Samsung's proven reliability. However, "best" depends on priorities. The WD SN850X is nearly identical in real-world use and often cheaper. For pure value, mid-range drives like Crucial T500 offer 95% of the performance at 70% of the price. The 990 Pro is best for those wanting maximum performance from a trusted brand.

Yes, the 990 Pro is one of the best SSDs for PS5. At 7,450 MB/s, it exceeds Sony's 5,500 MB/s requirement by 35%. Game load times are virtually identical to the internal SSD. Samsung offers a heatsink version designed for PS5's expansion slot. The 990 Pro's excellent power efficiency also helps manage heat in the PS5's confined space. Available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB — 2TB is ideal for most gamers.

The 990 Pro has slightly better specs; real-world difference is negligible. 990 Pro: 7,450 vs 7,300 MB/s sequential, better random IOPS, lower power consumption. SN850X: Game Mode feature, sometimes cheaper. In gaming and daily use, they feel identical. Both are excellent for PS5. Buy whichever is cheaper when you're ready to purchase. See our detailed comparison.

If buying new, get the 990 Pro. If you have a 980 Pro, no need to upgrade. The 990 Pro is about 5-7% faster and more power efficient. Not worth upgrading from a working 980 Pro. But for new purchases, the 990 Pro is usually priced similarly to remaining 980 Pro stock, making it the better choice. The 980 Pro remains an excellent drive if you find it on sale.

For PS5: Strongly recommended. The PS5 expansion slot has limited airflow. A heatsink helps maintain performance during extended gaming. For desktop PCs: Most motherboards include M.2 heatsinks — use that if available. For laptops: Usually no space for heatsinks; the 990 Pro's good thermal characteristics help. Without any heatsink under heavy loads, the drive may throttle but will remain safe and functional.

2TB is the sweet spot for most users. Modern games are 100GB+ each, and 1TB fills up quickly. 2TB gives comfortable room for OS, applications, and 15-20 games. 4TB is for those wanting their entire library installed or professionals with large project files. 1TB works for budget-conscious buyers who manage storage actively. Price per TB is similar across capacities, so bigger is usually better value.

Yes, Samsung SSDs have an excellent reliability track record. Samsung has been making consumer SSDs longer than anyone and controls the entire production process. Early 990 Pro units had a firmware issue affecting health reporting (not actual reliability) — this was fixed via firmware update. Current production units are unaffected. The 5-year warranty and 600-2,400 TBW endurance rating provide confidence in longevity.

No — Gen 4 remains the sweet spot in 2026. Gen 5 drives are faster on paper but cost nearly twice as much, run significantly hotter, and show minimal real-world improvement for gaming. PS5 doesn't support Gen 5 speeds. Gen 5 only makes sense for professional video editing with 8K footage or specific workstation applications. For gaming, content creation, and general use, the 990 Pro offers better value than any Gen 5 drive.