Buying Guide
The Best Gaming SSDs With Heatsink
Three SSDs compared, from the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB to the SN850X 4TB, with the trade-offs of each named.
By The PC Journal editorial team
11 min read3 products evaluated
A heatsink keeps an SSD from throttling under long loads. Every pick includes a heatsink, ordered by read speed.
We sorted these picks by sequential read, sequential write and interface, working from the makers' own data; if a maker skips sequential write, the guide says so, and no figure here comes from our own testing.
Quick Picks
Our 3 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Also Consider
WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB with Heatsink
A heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover.
Best for: Buyers who want heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover.
Our take Check price for WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB with Heatsink (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB with Heatsink
The top of this price range, adding a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover.
Best for: Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Our take Check price for WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB with Heatsink (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
Corsair MP600 PRO LPX 1TB
The lowest price among these SSDs at the time of writing.
Best for: Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build.
Our take Check price for Corsair MP600 PRO LPX 1TB (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it’s here | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. | Buyers who want heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. | Check price for WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB with Heatsink (opens in a new tab) |
| The top of this price range, adding a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. | Spending more for the fullest feature set. | Check price for WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB with Heatsink (opens in a new tab) |
| The lowest price among these SSDs at the time of writing. | Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build. | Check price for Corsair MP600 PRO LPX 1TB (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Also Consider1 of 3
WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB with Heatsink on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The SN850X with heatsink offers 7,300MB/s reads and comes ready for boards without an M.2 cover.
Best for
- Buyers who want heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
Skip the heatsink version if your board has one. It matches the SN850X 4TB on rated read speed (7,300MB/s). It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.
It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. Remove the board's own M.2 cover or skip the drive's heatsink; you only need one. On price it sat second of 3, between the cheaper MP600 PRO LPX 1TB and the pricier SN850X 4TB, at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 7,300MB/s
- Sequential write: 6,300MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4
- Heatsink: Included
- Capacity: 2TB
Pros
- Heatsink included for boards without one
- Heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover
- Rated read speed of 7,300MB/s, ahead of the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB
- 2TB capacity, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB at the time of writing
Premium Pick2 of 3
WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB with Heatsink on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The SN850X 4TB with heatsink offers 7,300MB/s reads ready for boards without an M.2 cover.
Best for
- Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. Remove the board's own M.2 cover or skip the drive's heatsink; you only need one.
Worth noting too: rated read speed of 7,300MB/s, ahead of the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB. It was the highest-priced of the 3 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the SN850X 2TB and the rest.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 7,300MB/s
- Sequential write: 6,300MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4
- Heatsink: Included
- Capacity: 4TB
Pros
- Heatsink included for boards without one
- Heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover
- Rated read speed of 7,300MB/s, ahead of the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB
- 4TB capacity, the only one here
Cons
- Costs more than the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here3 of 3
Corsair MP600 PRO LPX 1TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Corsair's MP600 PRO LPX pairs a PCIe 4.0 drive with a low-profile heatsink sized to fit the PS5 bay as well as a desktop M.2 slot.
Best for
- Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build.
Skip if
- Skip it if rated read speed matters most to you; the SN850X 2TB offers 7,300MB/s.
Why we like it
It has 7,100MB/s reads. Its 7,100MB/s rated read speed is the slowest in this group; the SN850X 2TB leads at 7,300MB/s. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.
It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. Remove the board's own M.2 cover or skip the drive's heatsink; you only need one. It undercut the SN850X 2TB and every other pick on price at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 7,100MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4
- Heatsink: Included
- Capacity: 1TB
Pros
- Heatsink included for boards without one
- Low-profile heatsink sized for the PS5 bay
- 1TB capacity, the only one here
- The lowest price among these SSDs at the time of writing
Cons
- Rated read speed trails the SN850X 2TB (7,300MB/s)
- No published rated write speed
How We Chose These Gaming SSDs With Heatsink
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- How these picks were ranked
- We set side by side three drives on rated read speed, rated write speed, interface and heatsink as the makers state them. We did not test them in-house.
- The shared baseline
- All 3, from the SN850X 2TB to the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB, state rated read speed, interface and heatsink and share PCIe 4.0 x4 interface and heatsink.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The MP600 PRO LPX 1TB gives no rated write speed.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB ($250 to $500) to the SN850X 4TB ($500 to $1000).
What to Look for in a Gaming SSD With Heatsink
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Rated read speed
Here rated read speed runs from 7,100MB/s on the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB to 7,300MB/s on the SN850X 2TB. The SN850X 2TB is the pick for rated read speed.
Heatsink
The SN850X 2TB, the SN850X 4TB and the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB have it. Rule out the mismatches before looking at price.
Setup checks
It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.
Features beyond the spec table
The SN850X 2TB: a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. The MP600 PRO LPX 1TB: a low-profile heatsink sized for the PS5 bay.
Budget
$250 to $500 buys the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB and the SN850X 2TB; $500 to $1000 buys the SN850X 4TB at our last check.
Endurance is rarely a limit
TBW figures of 1,200 or more far exceed typical gaming writes. Heavy video work benefits from a higher rating.
How to Choose a Gaming SSD With Heatsink
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover | SN850X 2TB | A heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover |
| Spending more for the fullest feature set | SN850X 4TB | The top of this price range, adding a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover |
| Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build | MP600 PRO LPX 1TB | The lowest price among these SSDs at the time of writing |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The SN850X 2TB leads on rated read speed at 7,300MB/s, ahead of the SN850X 4TB at 7,300MB/s. "Not listed" means the maker leaves that figure out.
| Drive | Sequential read | Sequential write | Interface | Heatsink |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SN850X 2TB | 7,300MB/s | 6,300MB/s | PCIe 4.0 x4 | Included |
| SN850X 4TB | 7,300MB/s | 6,300MB/s | PCIe 4.0 x4 | Included |
| MP600 PRO LPX 1TB | 7,100MB/s | Not listed | PCIe 4.0 x4 | Included |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The MP600 PRO LPX 1TB was the lowest-priced pick and the SN850X 4TB the highest when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Drives |
|---|---|
| About $250 to $500 | MP600 PRO LPX 1TB, SN850X 2TB |
| About $500 to $1000 | SN850X 4TB |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SN850X 4TB worth paying more than the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB?
On paper it adds rated read speed (7,300MB/s against 7,100MB/s). The MP600 PRO LPX 1TB was the lowest-priced pick when we checked, so pay the difference only if those gains matter to you.
What makes the SN850X 4TB the Premium Pick?
It earns the label for the top of this price range, adding a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. It suits spending more for the fullest feature set.
Do the SN850X 2TB and the SN850X 4TB differ on capacity?
The SN850X 2TB uses 2TB; the SN850X 4TB uses 4TB; the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB uses 1TB.
What should I check before buying the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB?
It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. In this guide it ranks third of 3, as our Lowest Price Here pick.
Beyond the specs, what sets the SN850X 2TB and the SN850X 4TB apart?
The SN850X 2TB: a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. The SN850X 4TB: a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. The MP600 PRO LPX 1TB: a low-profile heatsink sized for the PS5 bay.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the SN850X 2TB, chosen for a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover. Look at the SN850X 4TB for the top of this price range, adding a heatsink version suited to boards without an M.2 cover and the MP600 PRO LPX 1TB for the lowest price among these SSDs at the time of writing if those matter more to you.
Check clearance under the GPU for tall heatsinks.