M.2 SSDs have really changed the way we use our PCs. The move from physical hard drives to SSDs for our boot drives was already significant enough, and with the move to M.2 drives, things have only gotten better, and our PCs have achieved read and write speeds we didn’t think possible before.
There are many SSDs on the market, but some of them have heatsinks, and some of them don’t. There are lots of computer parts that actually need heatsinks, but in the case of an SSD, it does raise the question—what purpose does it serve exactly, and do you need one?
What Is an M.2 NVMe SSD Heatsink?
First off, we need to clarify what an M.2 NVMe SSD heatsink is, because if you have looked atwhat heatsinks areand how they look in other parts, the concept might seem bizarre.
You might be familiar withwhat’s an M.2 NVMe SSD, but have you looked at product listings for several NVMe SSDs and noticed how some of them actually seem to have exposed chips, while others are covered? The covered ones are actually covered by a type of heatsink.
If you knowhow a CPU worksorhow a GPU works, you know what purpose heatsinks serve—draw heat away from a chip and protect it from hardware damage.
In the case of SSDs, you might have noticed how these heatsinks don’t have a fan attached. We’ll get more into this in a bit, but it’s basically because the heatsink is enough. As far as airflow goes, the convection generated by the fans your PC already has is enough to transfer heat away from the heatsink and, thus, from the SSD, allowing it to do its job properly.
It’s increasingly common to see SSDs coming with heatsinks, and this is especially true for higher-end SSDs with higher capacities and speeds. So clearly, it seems to be important.
Types of SSD Heatsinks
There are many types of heatsinks that may come with your SSDs. The most common one is something you probably didn’t even think served as a heatsink. We’re talking, of course, about the sticker on top of your SSD. That looks like it has key info about your SSDs and that’s about it, and you might be tempted to remove it, but actually, it’s also doubling as a heatsink.
The sticker is made from metal (usually copper) and helps spread the heat out. In fact, the sticker usually also doubles as a warranty seal, so if you take it off, your SSD will not only run toastier, but you’re probably also voiding your warranty.
Other SSDs come with proper heatsinks that are made of metal. These will look chunkier, and might even feel a bit heavier, as there’s a lot more metal and fins to help remove heat. Some of them might even come with stuff such as RGB lights, albeit admittedly, this doesn’t bring any real functionality or improve the thermal performance of your SSD.
The type of heatsink you’ll see will normally depend on how high-end an SSD is, how much capacity it has, and how fast it is. This is not a golden rule, however, as there are plenty of high-end SSDs with a sticker heatsink or even with no heatsink, but it’s a general guideline you can follow.
Why Do Some SSDs Not Have a Heatsink?
Some SSDs simply skip the heatsink. And the reason why that’s the case is because, frankly, if it doesn’t have one, it probably doesn’t need it. One thing we need to remember here is that NVMe SSDs really don’t put out that much heat. They are tiny devices that don’t take an excessive amount of power, after all.
While some NVMe SSDs do benefit from heatsinks to manage temperatures and prevent thermal throttling, not all SSDs experience significant throttling due to heat—and some might not even experience throttling at all. Because if all you’re doing is using your SSD as a boot drive and using it like a normal person would, running it without a heatsink is probably okay.
If you do a lot of data reading and data writing, you might actually need a heatsink if you don’t want to run into thermal throttling. But realistically, it’d take a lot for it to get to that point—and you might already have an SSD with a heatsink if this is the case anyway.
The NAND chips themselves will probably not be the problem either, but rather, you might just need to worry about the controller. Some higher-capacity SSDs can also get toasty, but even then, we’d argue they’re probably okay with just the built-in sticker heatsink.
Should You Use a Heatsink?
The answer here is both yes and no.
Another reason why heatsinks are more often than not omitted, or an afterthought, is that adding a heatsink can increase the manufacturing cost of the SSD. Manufacturers might choose to omit the heatsink to keep the drive more affordable. And honestly, chances are that you’re the kind of user that doesn’t need thorough cooling for your SSD.
Then again, some people might need it. Namely, if you’re planning to put it through intensive loads, then perhaps it is a good idea to consider grabbing one with a heatsink.
For everyone else, though, it might not matter that much. And many companies add them for aesthetics more than actual thermal needs. If the SSD you’re eyeing comes with a heatsink, then by all means grab it, but it probably won’t make or break your experience.
Heatsinks Are (Kind Of) Unnecessary
Heatsinks are a necessity in some parts of your PC, but in others, such as your SSD, it’s not really as important of a factor as it usually is. It’s cool to have, but it’s not absolutely necessary by any means, and your storage can live a very cool (and fast!) life without one.
Just make sure air is flowing through your PC properly, and the heat your SSD does put out shouldn’t be a problem at all — unless you’re doing more intensive stuff, that is.
