The SN850X as a PS5 expansion drive
The WD_BLACK SN850X is one of the most recommended PS5 drives thanks to high sustained Gen4 speeds and a Heatsink edition built to fit the console bay. It clears Sony's read requirement with room to spare and installs without an add-on cooler when you choose the heatsink version.
Like all good Gen4 drives, it will not feel faster than rivals inside the PS5, where throughput is capped, so choose it on price, the convenient heatsink, and WD's track record.
SN850X, SN850X Heatsink, or SN850P
The bare SN850X needs a low-profile heatsink you supply. The SN850X Heatsink edition is bay-ready. The SN850P is the officially PlayStation-licensed version, the same drive in a PS5-styled heatsink with guaranteed fit. Performance is effectively identical across all three, so decide on price and whether you want a licensed, drop-in unit.
The table above shows live SN850X pricing by capacity; 2TB is the value sweet spot, with 4TB for bigger libraries.