Head-to-head · Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Crucial T500 with Heatsink vs Seagate FireCuda 530R with Heatsink

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Crucial T500 with Heatsink comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.2 vs 3.3). The gap is mostly about Value-focused PS5 owners who want near-flagship speed and a PS5-ready heatsink without paying flagship prices. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Crucial T500 with Heatsink

4.2

4 sources1 derived$224.95as of Sep 25

The Crucial T500 with Heatsink is the value champion of the high-end PS5 SSDs. Tom's Hardware calls it a solid all-around drive that tops Gen4 drives in PCMark 10, and reviewers note it delivers roughly 90 percent of Samsung 990 Pro performance for about 30 percent less. Its clip-on PS5 heatsink is well engineered. Peak speeds trail the very top drives slightly and the 4TB dips a little in PS5 use, but for performance per dollar it is the smart pick.

Strengths

— Delivers around 90 percent of Samsung 990 Pro performance for far less
— Excellent power efficiency and consistent all-around results
— PS5-friendly integrated heatsink with a strong clip-on mechanism

Watch-outs

— Peak speeds trail the very top drives slightly
— 4TB model underperforms a touch in PS5 testing
— Heatsink version only offered in 1TB and 2TB capacities

$224.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best SSDs for PS5 Upgrade

Seagate FireCuda 530R with Heatsink

3.3

2 sources$239.99as of Jun 7

The Seagate FireCuda 530R with Heatsink is a premium, high-endurance PS5 drive whose low-profile heatsink was co-engineered with EKWB, and it reads up to 7,400 MB/s. Tom's Hardware calls it a surprisingly capable, consistent drive with few downsides, and notes it runs cool and is great for the PS5. Its high endurance and the bundled Rescue data-recovery service are the draw. It costs more than the Crucial T500 and Lexar NM790 for similar console results, which lands it fourth on value.

Strengths

— High endurance rating, up to 5,050 TBW on larger capacities
— Low-profile heatsink co-engineered with EKWB for the PS5
— Up to 7,400 MB/s reads and strong sustained performance

Watch-outs

— Pricier than the Crucial T500 and Lexar NM790 for similar PS5 results
— Recently affected by the ongoing memory shortage pricing
— Double-sided design needs a heatsink that clears both sides

$239.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Crucial T500 with Heatsink

The Crucial T500 is the value-versus-performance leader, delivering roughly 90 percent of the Samsung 990 Pro's speed for far less, and undercutting the WD SN850X on price. It is a step up in performance and DRAM-backed design from the budget Lexar NM790, while costing less than the premium Seagate FireCuda 530R.

Seagate FireCuda 530R with Heatsink

The FireCuda 530R is a premium, high-endurance rival to the WD SN850X and Samsung 990 Pro, with a low-profile heatsink that suits the PS5. It costs more than the value-oriented Crucial T500 and budget Lexar NM790 for similar real-world PS5 results, which is why it ranks below them despite strong specs.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Crucial T500 with Heatsink	Seagate FireCuda 530R with Heatsink
Interface	PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe	PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe
Form Factor	M.2 2280	M.2 2280
Sequential Read	Up to 7,400 MB/s	Up to 7,400 MB/s
Sequential Write	Up to 7,000 MB/s	Up to 6,800 MB/s
DRAM	Yes (DRAM cache)	—
Heatsink	Clip-on, PS5-friendly	Low-profile (EKWB co-engineered)
Capacities	1TB / 2TB	—
Warranty	5 years	5 years
Endurance	—	Up to 5,050 TBW
Extras	—	Seagate Rescue data recovery

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