The most effective SSDs for PS5 in 2025

In case your PlayStation 5 library is beginning to burst on the seams, upgrading with the most effective SSDs on 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 when you’re juggling huge titles like Name of Obligation, Spider-Man 2, or Remaining Fantasy XVI. A suitable SSD provides 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 power so as to add one). Whether or not you’re after tons of storage on your digital assortment or simply need a efficiency increase for next-gen titles, we’ve rounded up the highest SSD choices to swimsuit each want and funds.

Learn extra: These are the best SSDs in 2025

Finest SSDs for PS5 in 2025

How we check PS5 SSDs

I’ve examined many of the SSDs really useful on this listing, both for PS5 or pc use. I additionally purchased and used our high choose in my very own PS5.

PS5 SSD FAQs

How a lot PS5 storage do I would like?

The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro can settle for inner drives with between 250GB and 8TB of storage capability. In the event you already personal a PS5, likelihood is you may have an affordable concept of how a lot storage you want on your recreation library. In the event you’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, usually taking on between 30GB and 100GB, with some notable (and extremely popular) exceptions. In the event you’re a fan of the Name of Obligation sequence, 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. In the event you’re not a CoD fan, although, likelihood is you’ll be good to retailer between six to 10 video games on an everyday PS5 internally earlier than operating into issues.

You additionally want to contemplate your web velocity. In the event you stay in an space with gradual broadband, the “you possibly can simply obtain it once more” rationale doesn’t actually work. At my outdated dwelling, 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. Conserving video games round on the off-chance you’ll need to play them sooner or later is smart.

Aaron Souppouris / Engadget

Off the bat, there’s mainly 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 quite a lot of area for contemporary video games to stay on. 500GB drives could be a first rate possibility, 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’ll with a 1TB or 2TB drive.

Whereas the 825GB PS5 solely supplies 667GB of storage, that’s largely as a result of storage being reserved for the working system and caching. In the event you 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 gives 1.86TB of storage for video games, although you possibly can eke out extra when you 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 arduous drives are inclined to value lower than inner SSD counterparts (and there’s a very good likelihood 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 by way of 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 the perfect 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 hold your PS4 library available.

As a result of limitations right here, you don’t want the highest-performing mannequin, though it’s best to go for SSDs over HDDs for improved switch speeds and cargo instances. Any fundamental moveable drive from a good model will do, with the Essential X9 Professional and Samsung T7 being choices we’ve tried and might advocate.

Which SSD playing cards are suitable 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 contemplate. The primary necessities Sony has laid out for compatibility come down to hurry, cooling and bodily dimensions.

For velocity, 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 commonly — similar 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, when you don’t have already got that drive mendacity round, shouldn’t be price taking. Simply because we haven’t discovered points but doesn’t imply there gained’t be video games that might be problematic sooner or later. The worth distinction between these marginally slower Gen4 drives and those that meet Sony’s spec isn’t large, and also you may as effectively cowl all of your bases.

Barely extra difficult than velocity 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 likely be 22mm huge and 80mm lengthy, so no drawback there.

It needs to be famous that the system can match a 25mm-wide drive, however that width should embrace the cooling answer. Talking of, Sony says SSDs require “efficient warmth dissipation with a cooling construction, similar to a heatsink.” The utmost top supported by Sony’s slot is 11.25mm, of which solely 2.45mm could be “under” 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 growth slot. Since Engadget first printed this information in 2021, most NVMe makers, together with Samsung, have come out with PlayStation-specific fashions that meet these necessities. That stated, if you wish to avoid wasting cash, naked drives are sometimes cheaper and it’s trivial to discover a cooling answer that may work for the PS5.

The one part 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 facet, however even on double-sided SSDs, the controller is more likely to be on high, as producers comprehend it must be positioned there to higher dissipate warmth.

So, head to your PC part vendor of selection and choose up mainly something that meets the really useful dimensions. search time period is “laptop computer NVME heatsink,” as these will likely be designed to slot in the confines of gaming laptops, that are much more restrictive than a PS5. They’re additionally usually cheaper than those labeled as “PS5 heatsinks.”

One advice 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 checks on a PC, we couldn’t discover something metallic that didn’t hold temperatures underneath management. Whenever you’re looking, simply be sure the answer you go for measures not more than 25mm huge or 8mm tall (together with the thermal interface materials) and has a easy methodology of set up that’s not going to trigger any complications.

One final thing: When looking for a PS5 NVMe, there’s no purpose 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 commonplace, and although Gen5 drives are backward suitable, they’re dearer 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

In the event you want steering 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 may help you when you’re caught. Simply make observe: Earlier than trying so as to add extra storage by way of 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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