PS5 SSD heatsink explained: what is it for and do you really need one?
With the sheer size of games this generation, your PS5 hard drive is going to fill up fast. But as of September last year, PlayStation 5 owners can expand their storage with an internal SSD.
Sony has various stipulations around the minimum performance and size requirements, so you can't just grab any old SSD willy nilly. Helpfully, we have a list of the best SSDs for PS5 that you can check out before you commit. But the company also recommends a heatsink which not everyone is going to be familiar with. So let's dive in and break down what it is and if you really need one as a PS5 owner.
Basically SSDs chug along and do their own thing, getting all hot and bothered in the process. A heatsink essentially transfers the heat away from a device so that its performance isn't impacted by rising temperatures. They're often made from materials with high thermal conductivity to achieve that end.
There are two kinds of heatsinks: passive and active. Passive heatsinks are less effective, as they rely on natural convection. So there are no fans, and it doesn't require power to work.
Active heatsinks use fans to blow the hot air about, so they're more efficient in terms of cooling. The trade-off there, then, is that active heatsinks are more power intensive.
For the PS5, you'll be looking at passive heatsinks.
The short answer is yes. You can pick up a PS5 SSD without a heatsink. And you can also buy a heatsink separately if you prefer. Whichever SSD you end up choosing, it will definitely need to meet the requirements put out by Sony. You can read more on that in our PS5 SSD installation guide.
You can find some pretty good deals on PS5 SSDs here, but SSDs with no heatsink are typically cheaper than those that already have one built-in.
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