SSD endurance: put the terabytes written against your own workload
A game library mostly reads data after installation. A scratch disk repeatedly writes it. Those workloads should not buy the same upgrade for the same reason. Start with the capacity you will occupy, then compare endurance at that exact capacity.
SN850X without heatsink
Manufacturer endurance
Equivalent over 5 × 365 days
1 TB · WDS100T2X0E
600 TBW
329 GB/day
2 TB · WDS200T2X0E
1,200 TBW
658 GB/day
4 TB · WDS400T2X0E
2,400 TBW
1,315 GB/day
What the calculation does—and does not—buy
The daily figures divide the published TBW by 1,825 days using decimal GB and round to the nearest GB. They are a comparison aid, not a promised daily allowance or a lifespan forecast. Sandisk limits the warranty to five years or the endurance limit, whichever comes first. Backups remain necessary even with a low write count.
Compare 4 TB prices only after checking the physical version
The SN850X 4 TB bare board is specified at 3.88 mm high; its factory-heatsink version is 10.31 mm. This can decide laptop or enclosure compatibility before peak speed does. For a large video cache, seek a full-drive sustained-write test of the same capacity: the advertised burst rate cannot fill that evidence gap. A 990 PRO 2 TB result should not be silently reused for its 4 TB version.
990 PRO, SN850X and SN770: compare the same 2 TB capacity
All three publish a 1,200 TBW endurance limit and a five-year limited warranty, subject to the write limit. Paying more therefore does not buy a higher published write allowance at this capacity. The figures below are manufacturer specifications, not our benchmark results.
Exact bare model
Sequential read / write, up to
Height
990 PRO · MZ-V9P2T0B/AM
7,450 / 6,900 MB/s
2.3 mm
SN850X · WDS200T2X0E
7,300 / 6,600 MB/s
2.38 mm
SN770 · WDS200T3X0E
5,150 / 4,850 MB/s
2.38 mm
The premium needs a job to do
For a game library, compare delivered C$/TB and usable capacity before paying for peak transfer speed. For large exports or a scratch disk, the decisive evidence is a sustained-write test after the fast cache fills. Samsung specifies 2 GB of LPDDR4 cache on this 990 PRO; that is not a 2 GB limit on a file transfer, and it does not tell you its post-cache write speed.
Our buying rule: if an assumed C$50 premium saves an actually measured 20 seconds per export, and you perform ten such exports weekly, it saves about 2.9 hours yearly. Decide whether those are hours you must wait or exports that finish unattended. This is a worked example, not a measured advantage of any drive above.
Add Windows, applications, the active library and expected growth, then keep 15–20% free. For most new gaming PCs, 2 TB avoids more compromises than a slightly faster 1 TB drive.
Capacity
Typical load
Decision
1 TB
Windows + focused library
Value gaming build
2 TB
Large modern game library
Best all-round starting point
4 TB
Many AAA games or large media
Fewer storage-management compromises
Gen 4 or Gen 5?
A strong PCIe 4.0 drive remains the rational Windows and gaming choice. PCIe 5.0 mainly pays when measured professional work or large sequential transfers genuinely save time. Also verify controller, NAND, cache, sustained speed, TBW and warranty.
The motherboard heatsink is often sufficient. Do not stack its cover over an SSD sold with a heatsink. For PS5, verify the console maker’s exact size and cooling requirements.
Form factorM.2 2280 NVMe
LanesRead the manual for shared ports.
ThermalsPlan a heatsink for sustained load.
After installationUpdate firmware and keep backups.
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1 TB · VALUE
2 TB · ALL-ROUND PICK
4 TB · LARGE LIBRARY