I'm looking to build a system using the AM5 platform and trying to decide between the WD_BLACK SN850X and the Samsung 990 EVO Plus. I mainly plan to use this setup for gaming and transferring large files. Additionally, I want a drive that will last at least 5 years. Which one would be the better choice, especially considering the differences between DRAM and DRAM-less NVMe drives?
2 Answers
In general, DRAM drives are known to last longer, but both these options should be solid for at least 5 years unless you're doing some heavy duty writing all the time, like in a server environment.
I'd go with the WD Black SN850X. It's got speed on its side and should definitely last more than 5 years. While you might not notice much difference in games, you’ll definitely see it when transferring large files. I switched from a 970 EVO to a SN850X 4TB and felt the speed boost during both gaming and file transfers.
Should I consider getting the SN850X with a heatsink? They cost the same here, and I'm wondering if the added cooling is worth it.
Keep in mind that the 970 EVO is an older PCIe 3.0 drive, while the 990 EVO Plus is a newer PCIe 4.0. It has faster read speeds, but when it comes to sustained writes, the SN850X wins. For gaming, though, I don't think there’s much difference.