SSD storage / Buying comparison
Compare the 2TB Samsung 990 PRO and WD_BLACK SN850X for gaming, application performance, cooling and exact-model retailer pricing.
By Next Interrupt · Analysis reviewed · 5 sources
Review roundups summarize published reviews; we haven’t tested these products. Links to retailers may earn us a commission. How we work
Our buying recommendation
For ordinary gaming, begin with the cheaper compatible 2TB drive after accounting for cooling. Pay a premium only when a relevant workload or management feature justifies it. Both are fast PCIe 4.0 options; headline transfer speeds do not tell the whole story.
You value Samsung’s management software or have a workload supported by the reviewed performance results. Check the cooling arrangement because this comparison targets the version without a heatsink.
Read the review roundup →
You want a fast 2TB gaming drive and its total installed cost is lower. Choose the correct heatsink option for the destination system rather than assuming every SN850X listing is the same.
Read the review roundup →Random access and application behavior can matter more than a peak sequential transfer figure. The cited 990 PRO reviews support strong performance while also showing that results vary by workload. Neither drive earns a universal game-loading advantage from a single synthetic score.
Sources: Tom’s Hardware [1] · TechPowerUp [2] · StorageReview [3] · Tom’s Hardware [4]These are the 2TB M.2 models without included heatsinks. Results from a different capacity or a differently cooled sample should not be substituted without qualification. Check the host device’s interface, space and cooling arrangement. For a PS5 installation, include appropriate heat dissipation in the purchase decision.
Sources: Tom’s Hardware [1] · TechPowerUp [2] · Tom’s Hardware [4] · Tech Advisor [5]If the drive is mainly for a game library, consider whether a cheaper compatible SSD would meet the same need. If you move large projects or run demanding storage workloads, examine the corresponding tests, including behavior beyond short bursts. Our recommendation is to spend on capacity and suitable cooling before paying for a benchmark lead you will rarely notice.
Sources: Tom’s Hardware [1] · StorageReview [3] · Tom’s Hardware [4]These are the exact configurations compared below. Retailer prices appear when a current matching offer is available; search links do not imply stock or a verified price. Benchmarks stay separate when their workloads or test conditions differ.
Prefer measured transfers at matching capacity and settings. Peak sequential claims do not predict ordinary loading times or sustained writes.
No shared measurement establishes a winner for this priority. Use the reported features and review tradeoffs below to narrow the choice.
A mature high-performance PCIe 4.0 desktop or laptop SSD
A premium SSD may add little to ordinary loading times
Choose cooling and capacity before comparing offers; the heatsink version is a different purchase.
Tom’s Hardware ↗TechPowerUp ↗StorageReview’s 2TB tests add a useful qualification to the peak-speed specifications: sequential transfers were strong, but some virtual-desktop workloads were weaker. For ordinary gaming, a higher benchmark number alone is not a reason to pay a large premium.
StorageReview ↗Gaming and general high-performance PCIe 4.0 storage
A fast specification does not guarantee better game loading
Check the device’s space, interface and cooling; a PS5 installation needs appropriate heat dissipation.
Tom’s Hardware ↗Tech Advisor ↗Tom’s Hardware finds the SN850X a capable competitor among premium PCIe 4.0 drives; the conclusion applies to its reviewed capacity.
Tom’s Hardware ↗Enter the prices you can buy at to compare the real premium. A launch price or a higher model number does not establish better value.
Specifications reported for every selected model. A difference does not automatically mean better.
Compare results from the same test and settings.
We don’t have matching benchmark results for these models yet. Compare their features and review findings above.
We don’t have matching benchmark results for these models yet. Compare their specifications and review findings above.
This is our buying analysis of published reviews, not hands-on testing by Next Interrupt. Recommendations combine the cited findings with practical purchase considerations. Review samples may differ from the configurations offered by retailers; those differences are called out above and in the comparison. Read our methodology.
Help choosing
Key differences, review evidence and who should buy each model.