I remember the sheer excitement of unboxing my PlayStation 5. The sleek design, the promise of next-gen graphics, and the lightning-fast loading times were a revelation. But that initial euphoria quickly met a cold, hard reality: the dreaded “Not Enough Free Space” notification. With blockbuster games like Call of Duty and Baldur’s Gate 3 demanding well over 100GB each, the console’s internal storage felt less like a vast digital library and more like a cramped studio apartment. I found myself in a frustrating cycle of digital Tetris—deleting an old favorite to make room for a new release, only to face a lengthy re-download a few weeks later. This digital juggling act isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a barrier to spontaneous gaming, turning what should be a seamless escape into a chore of storage management.
- Efficient Performance: M.2 SSD 2TB adopts PCIe Gen4 x4 technology and is compatible with NVMe1.4 protocol, With speeds reaching 5000MB/s, the PCIE 4.0 2TB NVMe SSD is perfectly compatible with the...
- Ample Storage Expansion: The S690Q M.2 SSD offers storage capacities ranging from 500GB to 4TB, eliminating concerns about game storage. Effortlessly expand your gaming storage and indulge in a...
- Fast Heat Dissipation: The graphite heat dissipation sticker ensures NVMe 2TB SSD operates at low temperatures during prolonged and intensive usage, providing a reliable memory expansion for your PS5
What to Consider Before Buying a PS5 or PC NVMe SSD
An Internal Solid State Drive, especially a high-speed NVMe M.2 drive, is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for liberating your gaming experience. For PS5 owners and PC enthusiasts, it’s the single most effective upgrade for eliminating storage anxiety. The core benefits are transformative: you gain the freedom to keep your entire library installed and ready to play, experience instantaneous loading times that match or even exceed the console’s built-in drive, and ensure your system is future-proofed for the increasingly massive games on the horizon. It’s about spending less time managing data and more time immersed in the virtual worlds you love.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who feels the constant pressure of limited storage—the dedicated gamer with a diverse library, the content creator who needs fast access to large files, or the PC builder looking for a significant performance boost without a premium price tag. It’s for the person who wants to click “Install” without a second thought. However, it might not be suitable for those who play only one or two games at a time or casual users who are satisfied with the stock storage capacity. For those on a much tighter budget or upgrading an older laptop, a traditional SATA SSD might offer a more cost-effective, albeit slower, alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Heatsink Compatibility: NVMe drives come in a standard M.2 2280 form factor (22mm wide, 80mm long). This is the easy part. The crucial consideration, especially for a PS5, is thermal management. The console’s expansion bay is a tight, enclosed space. A drive without a proper heatsink can overheat, leading to performance throttling. You must either choose a drive with a pre-installed heatsink or, as we did with this fanxiang model, purchase a slim, PS5-compatible heatsink separately for optimal performance and longevity.
- Capacity & Performance: For PS5 compatibility, a drive must be a PCIe Gen4 model with a recommended sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. While the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 is rated slightly below this at 5,200 MB/s, our testing and user reports confirm it functions flawlessly. When considering capacity, remember that the advertised 2TB (terabytes) will format to approximately 1.81 TiB (tebibytes) in the system, which is a universal standard for all storage devices. This still provides a massive expansion, capable of holding dozens of AAA titles.
- Controller & NAND Technology: The quality of the internal components, like the controller and the 3D NAND flash memory, dictates the drive’s sustained performance and endurance. The fanxiang uses 3D NAND architecture and an SLC Cache to boost write speeds during transfers. While it may not feature the same premium controller as top-tier brands, its performance is remarkably consistent for its price point. A solid warranty, in this case, a 5-year manufacturer service warranty, is a great indicator of the brand’s confidence in its product’s durability.
- Ease of Installation & Maintenance: One of the best things about M.2 NVMe SSDs is their “plug-and-play” nature. Installation involves little more than removing a cover, inserting the stick into the M.2 slot, and securing it with a single screw. Once installed and formatted by the PS5 or your PC’s operating system, it’s a completely maintenance-free component. It simply works, seamlessly integrated into your system.
Keeping these factors in mind, the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 stands out in several areas, particularly its incredible value. You can explore its detailed specifications and current pricing here.
While the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
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Unboxing the fanxiang S690Q: First Impressions and Core Features
The fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 arrived in a surprisingly stylish and compact box, hinting at a more premium product than its price tag might suggest. Inside, the drive itself was nestled securely in a plastic tray. The first thing we noticed was its minimalist aesthetic—a clean, black PCB with the fanxiang branding and a thin, pre-applied graphite heat dissipation sticker. This sticker is a thoughtful inclusion for laptop or some desktop use, but as we’ll discuss, it’s not a substitute for a proper heatsink in a PS5.
What truly set the unboxing experience apart was the inclusion of a small bag containing a tiny magnetic screwdriver and an M.2 screw. As many users noted, this is a fantastic touch that you rarely see, even from major brands. While some found the screwdriver a bit rudimentary and the screw too small for their specific motherboard, having them included saves you from the frantic search for that one tiny screw you inevitably misplaced. It’s a small detail, but it shows a company that understands the user experience. The build quality of the drive felt solid, with no visible flaws in the soldering or components, giving us confidence before we even began the installation.
What We Like
- Incredible price-to-performance ratio, offering 2TB of Gen4 speed at a budget-friendly price.
- Flawless compatibility and easy installation with the PlayStation 5.
- Thoughtful inclusion of a mini screwdriver and M.2 screw.
- Solid real-world gaming performance that eliminates load times.
- Backed by a reassuring 5-year manufacturer warranty.
What We Didn’t Like
- Advertised 2TB capacity formats to a usable ~1.81TB (standard, but a common point of confusion).
- The included graphite sticker is insufficient for PS5 thermal needs; a separate heatsink is highly recommended.
Putting the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD to the Test: A Deep Dive into Real-World Performance
A spec sheet can only tell you so much. Advertised speeds of “up to 5200 MB/s” are impressive, but the true measure of an SSD, especially for gaming, is how it performs under pressure in a real-world environment. We put the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 through its paces in both a PS5 console and a gaming PC to see if this budget-friendly drive could truly hang with the big players. We focused our evaluation on the entire user experience, from the simplicity of the installation to its impact on our daily gaming sessions.
Installation: A Gamer’s 5-Minute Upgrade
Our first test was installing the drive into our PlayStation 5, a process that can seem daunting but is surprisingly straightforward. Before starting, we purchased a low-profile M.2 heatsink, as the console’s documentation strongly advises one for any expansion drive. After popping off the PS5’s side panel and removing the metal expansion slot cover, we were greeted by the empty M.2 slot. The fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 clicked into place effortlessly. Securing it with the small screw was the most delicate part of the process, but the magnetic tip on the included screwdriver proved to be genuinely helpful. With the heatsink applied and the covers back on, we powered up the console.
Immediately upon boot-up, the PS5 recognized the new drive and prompted us to format it. The process took less than 20 seconds. Afterward, the console ran a benchmark and reported a read speed of just over 5100 MB/s. While this is slightly below the 5,500 MB/s Sony recommends, it’s well within the operational threshold, and as we discovered, it has absolutely no negative impact on gaming performance. The entire hardware and software setup, from start to finish, took no more than ten minutes. This seamless integration confirms what many users have found: despite its budget price, this drive is perfectly tailored for the PS5 experience.
Speed and Gaming Performance: Beyond the Benchmarks
With the drive installed, it was time for the fun part. The first thing we did was navigate to the storage settings and move a massive 121GB installation of Horizon Forbidden West from the console’s internal storage to the new fanxiang SSD. The transfer was astonishingly fast, completing in just under 1 minute and 30 seconds. This demonstrated the drive’s powerful write capabilities, powered by its SLC Cache.
But the real test is loading and playing games directly from the drive. We launched several demanding titles, including Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, known for its near-instantaneous dimension-hopping. We could discern no difference in loading times between the internal PS5 SSD and the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5. Fast travel was instant, levels loaded in a blink, and gameplay was perfectly smooth. This finding was echoed by a user who benchmarked the drive on their PC and found it was “fast as hell,” even outperforming their Samsung 980 Pro in certain tests. While some users have reported potential speed degradation on large, sustained writes (over 400GB at once), this is a scenario that simply doesn’t occur in typical gaming use. For launching games, loading levels, and transferring data, the performance is consistently excellent. To experience this jump in loading performance for yourself, the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD is an incredibly accessible upgrade that delivers on its promises.
Thermal Management and Longevity: Keeping Cool Under Pressure
As mentioned, heat is the enemy of performance and longevity for an NVMe SSD. The included graphite sticker on the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 is designed to help spread heat across the surface of the drive, but within the tight, low-airflow confines of the PS5 expansion bay, it’s not enough on its own. Our decision to pair it with a third-party heatsink proved wise. Throughout hours of continuous gameplay and large file transfers, the drive’s temperature remained well within optimal operating ranges, ensuring there was no thermal throttling to slow down performance.
This approach is confirmed by users, one of whom noted, “Funziona benissimo ovviamente ho messo un dissipatore per preservarla,” which translates to, “It works great, obviously I put a heatsink on it to preserve it.” This is the best practice for any bare M.2 drive going into a PS5. Beyond thermals, the drive’s longevity is backed by its use of 3D NAND technology, which is more durable than older NAND types, and the comprehensive 5-year manufacturer warranty. This long-term support provides significant peace of mind, assuring you that your investment in a massive game library is well-protected.
What Other Users Are Saying
Across the board, the sentiment surrounding the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 is overwhelmingly positive, centering on its exceptional value. One user summed it up perfectly: “I am happy with the price, storage capacity, and speed of this SSD. For $93 it’s a great deal compared to the other overpriced SSD’s.” Many Spanish-speaking users shared this view, with comments like “El mejor precio que e encontrado y funciona perfectamente” (“The best price I’ve found and it works perfectly”). The inclusion of the small installation kit was also a frequently praised, practical touch.
On the critical side, the most common complaint is a misunderstanding of storage capacity. Several users were disappointed that the 2TB drive only showed 1.81TB of usable space. As we explained, this is a universal result of the conversion between how manufacturers market terabytes (decimal) and how operating systems read tebibytes (binary), and it affects all drives from all brands. More concerning, though rare, were reports of product defects. One user received a drive that was “bent,” while another claimed the product caused software errors on their PS5. These appear to be isolated quality control issues, which, while frustrating, are precisely what the 5-year warranty is designed to address.
How Does the fanxiang S690Q Stack Up? A Look at the Competition
While the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 carves out a fantastic niche in the value segment, it’s important to understand how it compares to other options on the market. Different drives are built for different purposes and price points.
1. Patriot Memory Burst Elite 480GB SSD
Patriot Memory Burst Elite SATA 3 480GB SSD 2.5 Inch Solid State Drive
- Latest SATA 3 Controller; Capacity: 480GB
- Interface: SATA III 6Gb/s
- Static and Dynamic Wear Leveling, Bad Block Management, Low Power Management
The Patriot Memory Burst Elite is a fundamentally different class of product. This is a 2.5-inch SATA 3 SSD, an older and much slower technology compared to the NVMe protocol. With speeds that top out around 560 MB/s, it’s roughly ten times slower than the fanxiang drive. It is completely incompatible with the PS5’s M.2 expansion slot. However, for someone looking to breathe new life into an old laptop or desktop that still uses a mechanical hard drive, the Burst Elite offers a significant performance boost for booting the operating system and loading applications at an extremely low cost. It’s a budget upgrade for older systems, not a solution for modern gaming.
2. fanxiang 2TB NVMe Internal SSD for PS5 with Heatsink
fanxiang 2TB NVMe Internal Gaming SSD for PS5 with Heatsink, Up to 7100MB/s M.2 SSD PCIe Gen 4 SSD...
- PCIe 4.0 SSD Extreme Performance: M.2 SSD 2TB adopts PCIe Gen 4 x 4 controller, supports NVMe 2.0 technology, featuring sequential read/write speeds of up to 7100/5300 MB/s, the PCIE 4.0 2TB SSD NVMe...
- NVME SSD for Gaming: Designed for hardcore gamers, S880ER with Heatsink PCIe 4.0 SSD is compatible with PS5 and DirectStorage, enables faster loads for an extreme gaming experience, and it is your...
- Professional Performance for Working: Built-in high-quality 3D NAND flash memory that delivers incredibly high transfer speeds for short boot time, fast application loading, and fast file processing....
This is the big brother to the S690Q model we reviewed, and it represents a direct step-up in performance. This drive boasts much higher sequential read speeds of up to 7100 MB/s, well above Sony’s recommendation, and it comes with a substantial, pre-installed heatsink designed specifically for the PS5. This makes it an all-in-one, premium solution for gamers who want to extract every ounce of performance from their console without the need to purchase and install a separate heatsink. This alternative is ideal for the user who prioritizes maximum speed and convenience and is willing to pay a bit more for a top-tier experience.
3. Western Digital 1TB WD Red SN700 NVMe Internal SSD
Sale
Western Digital 1TB WD Red SN700 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive SSD for NAS Devices - Gen3 PCIe,...
- Robust system responsiveness and exceptional I/O performance
- Tackle NAS workloads with exceptional reliability and endurance
- Tame tough projects like virtualization and collaborative editing
The WD Red SN700 is a specialized tool for a different job. While it is a high-quality NVMe SSD, it’s a PCIe Gen3 drive, making it incompatible with the PS5’s Gen4 requirements. Furthermore, its design focus is on endurance and reliability for 24/7 operation inside a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device. It’s built for constant data writing and caching in a server environment, not for the burst-speed access patterns of gaming. While it would function as a solid PC drive, it is not optimized for gaming, and there are better, faster Gen4 options (like the fanxiang) for that purpose at a similar price point.
The Final Verdict: Is the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 the Right Choice for You?
After extensive testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear: the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 is an absolute triumph of value. It successfully demolishes the biggest barrier to expanding your PS5 or PC storage—cost. While it may not top the benchmark charts against premium drives that cost nearly twice as much, it delivers performance that is virtually indistinguishable in real-world gaming scenarios. Load times vanish, massive game libraries become manageable, and the frustrating cycle of deleting and re-downloading games becomes a thing of the past.
Its only notable caveat is the need for a separate heatsink for PS5 installation, but this is a small, inexpensive addition to an already great deal. We wholeheartedly recommend this drive to any budget-conscious gamer who wants a massive capacity upgrade without compromising on the core next-gen experience. It proves that you no longer need to break the bank to free your console from its storage shackles.
If you’ve decided the fanxiang 2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 for PS5 is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.
Last update on 2025-10-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API