Key takeaways
- Officially licensed and validated for the PS5 expansion slot
- Pre-installed heatsink fits perfectly with no clearance worries
- Load times on par with the console’s internal SSD
- Fast, tool-light installation
What's inside
The WD_BLACK SN850P is a PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD officially licensed by Sony as a storage expansion for the PlayStation 5, rated around 7,300 MB/s reads. It arrives pre-fitted with a heatsink sized and validated specifically for the PS5’s expansion bay.
This drive is squarely for PS5 owners who have run out of internal space and want a guaranteed-compatible, no-guesswork upgrade. If you would rather not cross-reference heatsink heights and thermal specs, the SN850P is built to take that decision off your plate.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
⚡ Save on Your Next PC — Amazon Prime
Prime members get fast free shipping on the systems above, plus early access to Prime Day & Black Friday PC deals. New members get a 30-day free trial.
Watch: WD_BLACK SN850P Review — Video Review
Design & Build
The defining feature is the low-profile heatsink, dimensioned to slot straight into the PS5 expansion slot and secure under the console’s cover without clearance issues. It is otherwise a standard M.2 2280 drive with an aluminium heat-spreader and the official PlayStation licensing that signals Sony has validated its thermal and performance behaviour. Fit and finish are clean, and installation is genuinely tool-light and quick.
Performance
On the PS5 the SN850P comfortably exceeds Sony’s minimum bandwidth requirement, so games load as fast from the expansion drive as from the internal SSD in practice, with no perceptible penalty moving titles across. Sustained thermals stay in check thanks to the bundled heatsink, avoiding the throttling that bare drives can suffer inside the console’s enclosed bay.
Used in a PC the SN850P performs like a solid upper-tier Gen4 drive, though it is not the fastest Gen4 option on the market and its value there is questionable given the PS5-oriented pricing. Its whole reason for existing is the plug-and-play console fit, and judged on that basis it delivers exactly what it promises.
Pros & Cons
- Officially licensed and validated for the PS5 expansion slot
- Pre-installed heatsink fits perfectly with no clearance worries
- Load times on par with the console’s internal SSD
- Fast, tool-light installation
- Priced at a premium over equivalent bare Gen4 drives
- Not the fastest Gen4 SSD if used in a PC
- Heatsink is optimized for PS5, offering little PC advantage
Alternatives to Consider
Budget-conscious PS5 owners can pair a bare drive with their own cooler, as the Western Digital SN850 for PS5 shows. For a newer, efficient Gen4 option the WD_Black SN7100 is worth a look, while anyone on a Gen5 PC wanting outright speed should consider the WD_Black SN8100 instead of a PS5-tuned drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the SN850P need a separate heatsink for the PS5?
No. It ships with a heatsink designed for the PS5 expansion bay, so it is ready to install as-is.
Are load times as fast as the PS5’s built-in storage?
Effectively yes. It exceeds Sony’s bandwidth requirement, so games load from it just as quickly in normal use.
Can I use it in a regular PC?
Yes, it works as a standard M.2 NVMe drive, though its pricing and heatsink are optimized for the PS5 rather than PC use.
Is installation difficult?
No. Remove the PS5 cover and expansion-slot shield, seat the drive, and secure it; the process takes only a few minutes.
Verdict
The WD_BLACK SN850P is the low-friction PS5 storage upgrade: officially licensed, correctly cooled out of the box, and fast enough to feel identical to the internal drive. You pay a premium for that certainty, and it is a poor value purely as a PC SSD, but for a hassle-free console expansion it is hard to fault.
