The PS5 SSD heatsink question trips up a lot of first-time upgraders. Sony will not let you run a bare drive safely, but the marketing around which heatsink to buy is full of confusion. The short version: you need some kind of cooling, and the cheapest reliable way to get it is a low-profile heatsink or a drive that ships with one attached. Here is what actually matters.
Why the PS5 needs drive cooling
A Gen4 NVMe SSD moves data fast enough to generate serious heat, especially under the sustained loads of a big game install. When a drive gets too hot, its controller slows itself down to avoid damage. That throttling is what causes stutter and long loads on a hot drive. Sony's answer is simple: it built a small expansion bay with a metal shield, and it requires every drive in that bay to carry a cooling structure so heat can move into the shield and out of the console.
The bay is tight. Total clearance above the drive is about 11.25mm, so the heatsink has to be low-profile. That is why you cannot just slap any PC heatsink on the drive. The right cooler is short and covers both the controller chip and the NAND modules.
Built-in heatsink vs add-on heatsink
The easiest path is a drive that ships with a heatsink already installed. The WD Black SN850X and Samsung 990 Pro both come in heatsink versions, and the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX has a low-profile cooler built in from the start. You pay a little more, but the cooler is guaranteed to fit, the thermal pad is pre-applied, and there is nothing to install wrong. This is the option I recommend for almost everyone.
The add-on route makes sense when you already own a bare drive, or when a bare drive is on sale for enough less to make the math work. Brands like Sabrent and Elecgear sell PS5-specific heatsinks for $10 to $20. They are simple aluminum slabs with a thermal pad and a couple of clips or screws. Installation takes two minutes. The only thing to check is the height spec, and to make sure the pad touches the controller chip, not just the NAND.
Check price on a PS5 SSD heatsink
What to look for in an add-on heatsink
Three things matter. First, the height has to stay under the bay limit or the metal shield will not sit flush. Second, the thermal pad must cover the controller, which is the square chip that actually gets hot; a cooler that only touches the NAND is half useless. Third, the mounting has to stay put, because a heatsink that slides off inside the console is worse than no heatsink at all.
Avoid passive coolers with gimmicks like tiny fans. The PS5's own airflow already moves air across the bay shield, so a simple finned aluminum slab is all you need. A fan adds noise, a failure point, and height you do not have room for.
Installing an add-on heatsink
Clean the drive controller and NAND with a wipe if the surface has a protective film, then peel the backing from the thermal pad and press the heatsink down over the chips. If it uses clips, snap them on. If it uses screws, tighten them gently. The goal is firm, even contact, not brute force. Then install the drive in the PS5 the way you would any M.2 drive. If the shield does not close flat, the heatsink is too tall and you need a different one.
When a heatsink is not your problem
None of this applies if you are using an external drive. USB SSDs do not need a PS5 heatsink because they sit outside the console and handle their own cooling through their enclosure. The requirement only covers the internal M.2 expansion slot. So if you already run games from an external drive, skip the heatsink entirely and spend the money on more storage instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is a heatsink required for a PS5 SSD?
Yes. Sony requires a cooling structure on the M.2 drive, and the console will throttle or warn you if the drive runs hot. A bare drive is not safe to run long-term.
How much clearance does the PS5 SSD bay have?
The bay fits a drive plus heatsink up to about 11.25mm total height. Low-profile heatsinks are designed to stay under this limit; tall aftermarket ones may not fit under the shield.
Should I buy a drive with a built-in heatsink or add one?
A built-in heatsink is simpler and guaranteed to fit. An add-on heatsink gives you more control and works with bare drives, but you must check the height.
Can I reuse an old PC heatsink on a PS5 SSD?
Only if it is low-profile and covers the controller, not just the NAND. Many PC heatsinks are too tall for the PS5 bay and will not fit under the metal shield.