In case your PlayStation 5 library is beginning to burst on the seams, upgrading with among the best SSDs to your PlayStation 5 could make an enormous distinction. Trendy PS5 video games are large, and whereas the console’s inner storage is speedy, it fills up quick — particularly if you happen to’re juggling massive titles like Name of Obligation, Spider-Man 2, or Last Fantasy XVI. A appropriate SSD offers you extra space with out sacrificing load instances or efficiency, so you possibly can spend much less time managing your library and extra time gaming.
Many SSDs are straightforward to put in and carry out simply as quick because the PS5’s built-in storage. You’ll need to search for drives that meet Sony’s specs, together with Gen4 speeds and a built-in heatsink (or the flexibility so as to add one). Whether or not you’re after tons of storage to your digital assortment or simply need a efficiency enhance for next-gen titles, we’ve rounded up the highest SSD choices to swimsuit each want and price range.
Learn extra: These are the best SSDs in 2025
Desk of contents
Finest SSDs for PS5 in 2025
How we check PS5 SSDs
I’ve examined a lot of the SSDs really helpful on this record, both for PS5 or pc use. I additionally purchased and used our high decide in my very own PS5.
PS5 SSD FAQs
How a lot PS5 storage do I want?
The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro can settle for inner drives with between 250GB and 8TB of storage capability. For those who already personal a PS5, chances are high you may have an inexpensive concept of how a lot storage you want to your recreation library. For those who’re shopping for an SSD with a brand new PS5 or PS5 Professional, or shopping for for another person, it’s harder to inform what you may want for a high-performance expertise.
PS5 video games are smaller on common than their PS4 equivalents, sometimes taking over between 30GB and 100GB, with some notable (and very fashionable) exceptions. For those who’re a fan of the Name of Obligation collection, putting in Black Ops 6 and Warzone 2.0 can eat as much as 240GB. In different phrases, a full Name of Obligation set up will take up greater than one-third of the PS5’s inner storage. For those who’re not a CoD fan, although, chances are high you’ll be good to retailer between six to 10 video games on a daily PS5 internally earlier than operating into issues.
You additionally want to think about your web pace. For those who stay in an space with gradual broadband, the “you possibly can simply obtain it once more” rationale doesn’t actually work. At my previous house, a 100GB obtain took me round eight hours, throughout which era it was tough to concurrently watch Twitch or, say, publish articles about upgrading PS5 SSDs. Preserving video games round on the off-chance you’ll need to play them in some unspecified time in the future is sensible.
Off the bat, there’s principally no level in going for a 250GB PS5 SSD. Economically, 250GB drives aren’t that less expensive than 500GB ones — and virtually, that basically isn’t numerous house for contemporary video games to stay on. 500GB drives generally is a respectable choice, however after years of declining costs, I feel the candy spot for most individuals is to go for a high-capacity 1TB or 2TB drive, which ought to run you at most $200. The latter will greater than double the PS5 Professional’s storage with out breaking the financial institution.
Except you’re rolling in money and need to flex, 4TB and 8TB fashions ought to largely be averted, as you’ll find yourself paying extra per gigabyte than you’d with a 1TB or 2TB drive.
Whereas the 825GB PS5 solely offers 667GB of storage, that’s largely as a result of storage being reserved for the working system and caching. For those who set up a 1TB PS5 SSD, you may have, inside a margin of error, 1TB of storage out there for video games. Out of the field, the PS5 Professional affords 1.86TB of storage for video games, although you possibly can eke out extra if you happen to delete the pre-installed Astro’s Playroom (gasp).
Since neither the PS5 Slim nor PS5 Professional function up to date CPU structure, all of our suggestions will work with no matter PS5 mannequin you personal.
Are you able to play PS5 video games on an exterior SSD?
Exterior onerous drives are inclined to value lower than inner SSD counterparts (and there’s a very good probability you may personal one already). Sadly, there are restrictions on what you are able to do with them. An exterior SSD connects to your PS5 through USB, and is just appropriate for taking part in PlayStation 4 video games, or storing PS5 titles. That’s helpful if in case you have something however one of the best high-speed web — it’s quicker to maneuver a PS5 recreation out of “chilly storage” on an exterior drive than it’s to re-download it — or need to preserve your PS4 library readily available.
As a result of limitations right here, you don’t want the highest-performing mannequin, though it is best to go for SSDs over HDDs for improved switch speeds and cargo instances. Any fundamental transportable drive from a good model will do, with the Essential X9 Professional and Samsung T7 being choices we’ve tried and may advocate.
Which SSD playing cards are appropriate with the PS5?
The official answer to this query is an “M.2 Socket 3 (Key M) Gen4 x4 NVME SSD.” However even inside that seemingly particular description, there are extra components to think about. The primary necessities Sony has laid out for compatibility come down to hurry, cooling and bodily dimensions.
For pace, Sony says drives ought to be capable to deal with sequential reads at 5,500MB/s. Early testing confirmed that the PS5 would settle for drives as gradual as 4,800MB/s, and that video games that faucet into the SSD often — equivalent to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart — would trigger no points. Just about the one factor the PS5 will outright reject is one that does not match the Gen4 x4 spec.
In our opinion, although, utilizing a drive slower than the specification is a threat that, if you happen to don’t have already got that drive mendacity round, isn’t price taking. Simply because we haven’t discovered points but doesn’t imply there received’t be video games that might be problematic sooner or later. The value distinction between these marginally slower Gen4 drives and those that meet Sony’s spec isn’t enormous, and also you may as effectively cowl all of your bases.
Barely extra difficult than pace is cooling and dimension. Most new SSDs are going to be simply effective; the PS5 can match 22mm-wide SSDs of just about any size (30mm, 40mm, 60mm, 80mm or 110mm, to be exact). The overwhelming majority of drives you discover will probably be 22mm large and 80mm lengthy, so no drawback there.
It ought to be famous that the system can match a 25mm-wide drive, however that width should embrace the cooling resolution. Talking of, Sony says SSDs require “efficient warmth dissipation with a cooling construction, equivalent to a heatsink.” The utmost top supported by Sony’s slot is 11.25mm, of which solely 2.45mm might be “beneath” the drive.
This beforehand meant among the hottest heatsinked Gen4 SSDs, together with Corsair’s MP600 Professional LP, wouldn’t match inside the PS5’s storage enlargement slot. Since Engadget first revealed this information in 2021, most NVMe makers, together with Samsung, have come out with PlayStation-specific fashions that meet these necessities. That mentioned, if you wish to avoid wasting cash, naked drives are sometimes cheaper and it’s trivial to discover a cooling resolution that may work for the PS5.
The one element in an NVMe SSD that basically requires cooling is the controller, which and not using a heatsink will fortunately sear a (very small) steak. Most SSDs have chips on just one aspect, however even on double-sided SSDs, the controller is prone to be on high, as producers comprehend it must be positioned there to higher dissipate warmth.
So, head to your PC element vendor of selection and decide up principally something that meets the really helpful dimensions. A superb search time period is “laptop computer NVME heatsink,” as these will probably be designed to slot in the confines of gaming laptops, that are much more restrictive than a PS5. They’re additionally sometimes cheaper than those labeled as “PS5 heatsinks.”
One suggestion is that this $6 copper heatsink, which attaches to the PS5 SSD with sticky thermal interface materials. It really works simply effective, and in performing stress exams on a PC, we couldn’t discover something steel that didn’t preserve temperatures underneath management. If you’re looking, simply be sure the answer you go for measures not more than 25mm large or 8mm tall (together with the thermal interface materials) and has a easy technique of set up that’s not going to trigger any complications.
One very last thing: When searching for a PS5 NVMe, there’s no cause to purchase a Gen5 mannequin over a extra inexpensive Gen4 mannequin. As issues stand, Sony’s console can’t reap the benefits of the brand new customary, and although Gen5 drives are backward appropriate, they’re costlier than their Gen4 counterparts. Simply purchase the quickest and highest-capacity Gen4 mannequin you possibly can afford.
Tips on how to set up an SSD into your PS5
For those who want steerage on how to install your new NVMe into your PS5 or PS5 Professional, we have now a separate information detailing all of the steps right here. Set up is fairly simple, however our how-to might help you if you happen to’re caught. Simply make be aware: Earlier than trying so as to add extra storage through a PS5 SSD, guarantee that you’ve got Sony’s latest software installed.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ps/best-ssd-for-ps5-130004175.html?src=rss
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