Both are equally excellent for PS5. Game load times are identical in testing. Both exceed Sony's speed requirements by a wide margin. Both offer heatsink versions designed for PS5. Choose whichever is cheaper at the time of purchase, or pick based on aesthetics (the heatsink designs differ). You won't notice any performance difference between them on PlayStation 5.

Only if the price difference is minimal. The 990 Pro has better specs on paper, but real-world performance is nearly identical. If the 990 Pro costs $10-20 more, it's probably not worth it for most users. If prices are similar or 990 Pro is cheaper, go with Samsung. The marginal performance advantage doesn't justify a significant premium for typical gaming and productivity use.

Recommended, especially for PS5. Both drives can run warm under sustained load. For PS5, a heatsink is strongly recommended due to limited airflow in the expansion bay. For desktop PCs, many motherboards include M.2 heatsinks — use them. Both Samsung and WD offer heatsink versions of their drives. If buying bare drives, add an aftermarket heatsink (keep total height under 11.25mm for PS5).

Both are highly reliable with identical 1,200 TBW endurance (at 2TB) and 5-year warranties. Samsung has a longer track record with consumer SSDs and uses in-house components (controller, NAND). WD's SN850X uses Kioxia NAND and their own controller. Both are from reputable manufacturers with excellent reliability records. Neither has shown significant failure issues in the market.

The Crucial T500 is an excellent third option that often costs less than both 990 Pro and SN850X. It delivers 7,400 MB/s sequential reads — essentially matching both competitors. Performance, reliability, and PS5 compatibility are on par. The T500 is often the best value among flagship Gen 4 drives. If it's significantly cheaper, it's an easy recommendation. See our Crucial page for current pricing.

Gen 4 is still the sweet spot in 2026. Gen 5 drives (like Crucial T705) offer faster speeds but: cost significantly more, run hotter, require Gen 5 motherboards, and show minimal real-world gaming improvement. PS5 doesn't support Gen 5 speeds anyway. For most users, Gen 4 flagship drives offer the best value. Gen 5 is for enthusiasts who want maximum specs regardless of cost.

2TB is the sweet spot for most users. It offers enough space for a large game library (20-30 modern games), good $/TB value, and room to grow. 1TB works for budget builds or if you actively manage installed games. 4TB is for users who want everything installed without managing space — it's the maximum for PS5. Price per TB is often similar across capacities, so bigger is better if budget allows.

Buy whichever is cheaper. Both are excellent drives with imperceptible real-world performance differences. If prices are identical: 990 Pro has slightly better specs and software. If you prioritize value: also consider Crucial T500 which often undercuts both. For PS5: literally flip a coin — they perform identically. Check current prices in the tables above and grab the better deal.