Editor’s pick
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SAMSUNG 990 EVO SSD 1TB
PCIe 5.0 x2 M.2 2280, Speeds Up-to 5,000MB/s, Upgrade Storage for PC/Laptops, HMB Technology and Intelligent Turbowrite (MZ-V9E1T0B/AM)
Best SSD for PS5 2023
The SSD that is built into the PS5 only had an 825GB capacity, let's help it out a little
Updated: Oct 19, 2023 12:31 pm
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Table of Contents
The PlayStation 5 took the world by storm at the end of 2020. This next-gen console sold out within minutes and many people are still waiting for more stock to become available. If you were lucky enough to have got your hands on one, you would have noticed that the amount of storage this console has is fairly disappointing.
The SSD that is built into the PS5 has a capacity of only 825GB. With larger games being released, some reaching around 100GB in memory, you will be severely limited with the number of games that you can store on your PS5 over time. You will likely have to uninstall older games to install newer ones.
Although the SSD can hold 825GB, the usable amount is only 667 GB. When looking at older generation consoles, this is similar storage to the older PS4’s. Even the newer PS4s have the option of 2TB storage. What is even more frustrating is that there are no current plans from Sony to increase the storage.
In this article, we will be delving into multiple storage solutions in more detail. Sony may allow this at a later date. With some great choices for external SSDs and the option for NVMe SSDs.
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Best SSD for PS5: products at a glance
WD Black SN750 NVMe
Read/Write
3430/ 2600 MB/s
Capacity
500GB
Interface
NVME PCIe 3.0
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
Hard Drive Type
Solid State Drive
Read/Write Speed
1050 Megabytes Per Second
Capacities
256Gb to 1TB
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SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 1TB
Storage Capacity
1TB PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 1.3c
Read Speed
Sequential: 7,000MB/s, Random: 1,000K IOPS
Write Speed
Sequential: 5,000MB/s, Random: 1,000K IOPS
Dimensions
3.15 x 0.87 x 0.09 inches
Crucial X8 2TB Portable SSD
Read/Write
1050 Megabytes Per Second
Capacity
2TB
Interface
USB 3.1 Type C
Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD 1TB External Solid State Drive Portable
Capacity
1TB
Read
540 Megabytes Per Second
Connection
USB-C USB 3.0
Best SSD for PS5: In-depth review
Best SSD For PS5
WD Black SN750 NVMe
Read/Write
3430/ 2600 MB/s
Capacity
500GB
Interface
NVME PCIe 3.0
Pros
- NVMe SSD
- Great choice of capacity options to choose from
- Fast Data Transfer Rate
Cons
- While the higher capacity SSDs are great value for money, the 1TB and the 2TB are a little bit more expensive
Out of all of the external SSDs we have chosen, the Western Digital is the best for gaming. Whether this is a console or PC gaming, it is built with gamers at the forefront. It is all black in its design and its dimensions are 11.81 x 6.20 x 1.40 cm. Weighing only 115 grams, it is lightweight and easy to transport.
When it comes to memory capacity, this SSD has the most choice available. It comes in 8 different options – 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, 8TB, and 12TB. Even though they offer SSDs with a high capacity, their prices are low overall. While the 1TB and 2TB prices are fairly average, their higher capacity SSDs are a great price.
The data transfer rate of this SSD is 2000 MB/s which is one of the fastest SSDs we have included. It is more than suitable for gaming. The WD is a high-performance SSD and has a SuperSpeed USB interface, which is 20 GB/s. It is shock-resistant and a great choice of SSD for gaming overall. As it is an NVMe SSD it will perform far better in comparison to SATA cards.
Next Best SSD For PS5
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
Hard Drive Type
Solid State Drive
Read/Write Speed
1050 Megabytes Per Second
Capacities
256Gb to 1TB
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Pros
- Fantastic read and write speeds
- Available in three different capacities
- Available in three different capacities
Cons
- Does not use finger scanning protection
The Samsung Portable SSD is a great choice. It is available in three different colors, red, blue, and gray. It is available in three different capacity sizes, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. The read speed of the Samsung SSD is 1050 Megabytes per second. This should load your games with little issue. When looking at the write speed, this is 1,000 MB/s. Again, for a portable SSD, this is great.
The SSD is lightweight and easy to transport. Its overall dimensions are 3.30 x 2.20 x 0.30 inches. It is password-protected, but not fingerprint-protected. The fast read and write speeds allow quick transfers to be carried out. Overall, it is a reliable data storage device. You can use both type C and A cables with this SSD.
Although it is light in weight, it is particularly durable and can withstand being dropped without damage. Its advanced thermal guard helps to prevent overheating when you are transferring large files. This is particularly great for gaming purposes. This is reasonably priced given the technology it uses and it is made by a reliable company.
Another Great SSD For PS5
SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 1TB
Storage Capacity
1TB PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 1.3c
Read Speed
Sequential: 7,000MB/s, Random: 1,000K IOPS
Write Speed
Sequential: 5,000MB/s, Random: 1,000K IOPS
Dimensions
3.15 x 0.87 x 0.09 inches
Pros
- Fantastic read/write speeds
- Recent gen PCIe interface
Cons
The Samsung 980 Pro 1TB is a great NVMe option and is one of the more popular choices when it comes to PC gaming in particular. It brings with it a lot of reliability and capacity. Coming in with potential options of 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB, there is a range of options to choose from.
It is also on the newer PCIe gen 4 standard it offers up a sequential read speed of 7GB/s, and write of 5GB/s. Whilst the randoms sit at 1,000K IOPS, making it a very fast option with a 3.15 x 0.87 x 0.09 inches size. This makes it a great choice for your PS5 as well as any PC you might be building.
Crucial X8 2TB Portable SSD
Read/Write
1050 Megabytes Per Second
Capacity
2TB
Interface
USB 3.1 Type C
Pros
- 1.8 x faster than many other SSD
- USB 3.1 interface
- 3-year limited warranty
Cons
- Does not have a password protection
The Crucial Portable SSD is all black in its design and available in the following capacities – 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. The hardware interface used is USB 3.1. The Crucial SSD has a read speed of 1050MB/s. Its unibody core is made from anodized aluminium, and it is shock-resistant and can be dropped up to 7.5 feet, which is reassuring
It is only 4.33 x 0.45 x 2.09 inches in size and is fairly lightweight. It is particularly fast and will run 1.8 times faster than many other portable SSDs. Crucial is known for creating reliable SSDs and this product comes with a 3-year limited warranty. Crucial SSDs are backed by Micron, one of the most popular storage manufacturers in the world. This SSD is not password protected, however.
Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD 1TB External Solid State Drive Portable
Capacity
1TB
Read
540 Megabytes Per Second
Connection
USB-C USB 3.0
Pros
- Three Different Capacity options to choose from
- Barracuda Fast SSD helps to prevent lag
- 540 Megabytes per second read speed
Cons
- 2TB SSD is around double the cost of the 1TB
The Seagate SSD card is 1TB in its memory. It uses a USB 3.0 interface and it quickly and effectively transfers files. It has a read speed of 540 Megabytes per second, which is reasonable.
Its overall design is simple and it is matte black. The Seagate has a green LED light. Its dimensions are as follows 0.36 x 3.11 x 3.68 inches. The external hard drive is easy to connect and there is a type A and a type C cable included which will allow you to use this SSD with your PS5 and computer.
The SSD card is reasonably priced. It is available to purchase in 500GB and 2TB. While the 500GB SSD card is cheaper than the 1TB, the 2TB is almost double the price. This SSD can store a good number of games. This number will vary depending on the overall size of the games. The Barracuda Fast SSD helps to prevent lag. As this SSD card is an investment, it comes with a limited protection plan. In addition to this, it is covered by a three-year rescue service. This will give you peace of mind when purchasing.
PS5 compatibility with external SSD cards
Although initially, the PS5 might not have supported external SSDs, now it does. If your drive supports SuperSpeed USB, this means you get an extra avenue of expanding the capacity of your console without invading the inside. Not everyone is as comfortable with opening up their hardware and messing around with the parts.
When taking a closer look at the internal SSD of the PS5, it uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, which is currently the best available. In addition to this, it is an NVMe SSD rather than a SATA, which is a lot quicker. If you were to compare an external SSD to this, it would be no match for its loading speeds.
Best SSD for PS5 : Final word
Although there is no current update to allow for the use of an external SSD as Sony has hinted, this will become an option in the future. Given this, it is worth taking a closer look at some of the options available in advance. For an external SSD that has a good read and write speed and enough storage for gaming, these do not come cheap.
While we have discussed internal SSDs, Sony has not yet released those that will be compatible. Given this, we have focused on external SSDs instead. For the time being, we have to make do with the limited capacity of the PS5’s internal storage, but hopefully, the external capacity updates will be a feature sometime soon.
Today’s best NVMe deals
Editor’s pick
$92 off
SAMSUNG 870 QVO SATA III SSD 8TB
2.5″ Internal Solid State Drive, Upgrade Desktop PC or Laptop Memory and Storage for IT Pros, Creators, Everyday Users, MZ-77Q8T0B
Editor’s pick
8% off
SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus SSD 1TB NVMe M.2
Internal Solid State Hard Drive, V-NAND Technology, Storage and Memory Expansion for Gaming, Graphics w/ Heat Control, Max Speed, MZ-V7S1T0B/AM
Editor’s pick
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Silicon Power 4TB XS70 Nvme PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 Internal Gaming SSD
W/R Up to 7,200/6,800 MB/s, w/DRAM Cache (SP04KGBP44XS7005)
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WD_BLACK 1TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSD Solid State Drive
Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,300 MB/s – WDS100T2X0E
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SABRENT 1TB Rocket Nvme PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
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SAMSUNG 990 PRO w/ Heatsink SSD 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 Internal Solid State Hard Drive
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Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB Solid State Drive
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WD_BLACK 2TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSD Solid State Drive
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Best SSD for PS5 FAQs
What is the best SSD for PS5?
For the best NVMe SSD to slot into your PS5, we recommend the WD Black SN750. It’s fast and reliable, so it can offer you a lot more storage for your device without a loss of performance. For another choice, there is the Samsung T7 Portable SSD that offers up an external solution to your PS5.
How do I install an SSD in my PS5?
You can install an SSD into your PS5 internally following a past OS update. We’ve put together a guide on how to install an M.2 SSD To PS5 to help you out and talk you through the process step-by-step.
