A quality rating for a memory device to be installed at a memory sub-system is determined, where the quality rating corresponds to a performance of the memory device at one or more operating temperatures. A determination is made whether the quality rating for the memory device satisfies a first quality rating condition associated with a first temperature zone of two or more temperature zones of the memory sub-system. Responsive to the determination that the quality rating for the memory device satisfies the first quality rating condition, the memory device is assigned to be installed at a first memory device socket of the first temperature zone.