Hi! I'm using an ASUS V16 Skillcorp laptop and want to replace its single M.2 SSD slot. I have roughly 5 mm of clearance under the laptop's cover, although measuring the space accurately is difficult, so a heatsink probably won't fit. I'm comparing the 2 TB WD Black SN850X (€365), Samsung 990 Pro (€389), and Crucial T500 (€410). I'll be doing a lot of graphic editing and want a reliable drive that won't run excessively hot without a heatsink. There's also a fan positioned near the SSD. How important is the heatsink for this kind of use?
3 Answers
A drive such as the Verbatim Vi3000 may be a reasonable option if thermal output is your main concern. The flagship models are faster on paper, but in a laptop the difference may be limited by cooling and workload rather than the SSD’s peak benchmark speed.
You could also choose a cooler, lower-power SSD instead of buying one of the hottest high-end models. If there’s a metal panel directly above the M.2 slot, a thin thermal pad may help transfer heat to the chassis. It can be trimmed to size and layered carefully, but make sure it doesn’t put pressure on the SSD or prevent the cover from closing.
For normal use, a heatsink usually isn’t necessary. It mainly helps when the SSD is being pushed with sustained, maximum-speed writes for long periods. For typical operating-system, application, and editing workloads, the drive should work fine without one, especially with airflow nearby.
So in that case, the main deciding factor between these drives would probably be price and performance rather than the heatsink?