Expanding Your PS5 Storage with the Right SSD The PlayStation 5 delivers incredible gaming experiences, but its internal storage fills up surprisingly fast with today’s massive game files. Adding a compatible internal SSD is the most effective solution, instantly boosting your capacity and maintaining the console’s blistering load speeds. This guide will help you choose the right drive. Understanding PS5 SSD Requirements Not every SSD will work. Sony has specific requirements for compatibility, focusing on speed, physical size, and cooling. Speed is critical. Your SSD must be a PCIe Gen4 NVMe model with a sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. While some slightly slower drives might function, sticking to Sony’s recommended spec ensures optimal performance and future compatibility. Size and cooling are equally important. The PS5’s expansion bay fits M.2 SSDs that are 22mm wide and 30mm, 42mm, 60mm, 80mm, or 110mm long, with 80mm being the most common. The total height, including any heatsink, cannot exceed 11.25mm. A heatsink is mandatory. SSDs generate heat during use, and the PS5 requires an effective cooling solution. Many drives come with a pre-installed, PS5-compatible heatsink. You can also purchase a bare drive and add your own third-party heatsink, which can sometimes be more economical. Look for low-profile laptop NVMe heatsinks to ensure they fit within the height restriction. How Much Storage Do You Need? The PS5 supports SSDs from 250GB to 8TB. For most players, 1TB or 2TB drives offer the best value, effectively doubling or tripling your available space. A 2TB drive is a particularly sweet spot for the PS5 Pro. While 4TB and 8TB drives exist, they cost significantly more per gigabyte. Consider your internet speed and gaming habits. If you have slow downloads or like to keep a large library of games installed for quick access, lean toward higher capacity. For reference, popular titles can range from 30GB to over 200GB each. Internal vs. External Storage It is crucial to understand the difference. An internal NVMe SSD, installed in the dedicated expansion slot, is required to play PS5 games from that drive. External USB drives, whether SSD or HDD, have a different purpose. They are excellent for storing and playing your PlayStation 4 game library. For PS5 games, an external drive can only be used for cold storage; you must copy the game back to the console’s internal or expanded internal storage to play it. This is still faster than re-downloading. Installation and Final Tips Installing an SSD is a straightforward process. You will need a Phillips screwdriver. After powering down and unplugging your console, you remove the side panel, locate the expansion bay cover, install the drive into the slot, secure it with the provided screw, and replace the panels. The PS5 will then guide you through formatting the drive. Remember, there is no benefit to buying a newer, more expensive PCIe Gen5 SSD for the PS5, as the console cannot utilize its advanced speeds. A high-performance Gen4 drive is the perfect match. Upgrading your PS5 storage with a compatible SSD is a simple, impactful upgrade that eliminates constant game management and lets you keep your entire library ready to play.
