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I have been doing some research on SSD drives for my XPS 8960, and have another questions.
Some of the SSD drives includes a "heat sink" and others haven't got this.
Opening the cover to my XPS 8960 and locating the expansion slot to the SSD.
As attached images:
Assuming I am looking at the right place, it os marked M.2 SSD THERMAL PAD AREA.
The "port" is marked with GEN4 2432 M.
As far as I can figure out, there wouldn't be room for a heat sink, correct ?
With the current prices on the SSD, I want to make sure to order the right one....
Again, thanking your for help and support.
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Posted October 21st, 2026 04:51
Hello @Tedco , with plenty of overhead clearance in desktop, both of the M.2 slots on your XPS 8960 do support SSD drives with heatsink. Because the heatsink is more effective than PCB thermal pad, when you add second SSD with heatsink, you don't need the thermal pad to transfer and dissipate the heat to the PCB board.
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Posted October 21st, 2026 05:27
This is not the same but it shows Samsung Pro with heatsink being installed on Dell XPS 8950
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHVM5leZc7o
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Posted October 21st, 2026 05:49
Hi @Chino de Oro - thank you once again for your help and information.
I gather it would be recommended to purchase the SSD with a heat sink.
You mention that there is no need for the thermal pad - does that mean I have to remove this.
Or just install the new SSD on top of the thermal pad.
I know, sounds like a silly question but have never worked with SSD before.My computer days began when a hard drive was a 5 1/4" floppy drive....
Also, thanks for the link - funny, I search the web yesterday and came across the same video.
BTW, does the Samsung SSD come with the M2 screw, or have to be ordered separate ?
Thanks again for your help,
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Posted October 21st, 2026 08:21
@Chino de Oro - Thanks again, Chino,
I think I'll go with a heat sink SSD when purchasing.
Your help is always greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Chino de Oro
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Posted October 21st, 2026 06:32
You are very welcome and no need to worry about silly question or not, I will answer as much as I can.
It was not really a recommendation to purchase SSD with heatsink, it's more of a preference. Users can also use thermal pad for cooling solution. It's more or less about pricing. Sometimes, SSD with heatsink being sold at cheaper price than SSD without heatsink. However, because of larger thermal pad being used to transfer to a larger metal material, the heatsink provides better cooling in my personal opinion. If you purchase bare SSD, you can get the SSD heatsink separately at very cheap price.
If your current SSD already has thermal pad installed and there is no heat issue, then no need to add heatsink. To avoid uneccesary cost, SSD only need one cooling solution, not both, because of limitation clearance underneath the SSD.
About the screw, most of name brand SSD does not come with M.2 screw, I afraid you must get it separately.