Running out of storage space on your PS5? After a very useful update in 2021, you can now use the internal M.2 SSD slot. Sony has finally confirmed the hardware requirements for the M.2 slot on the PS5, and the latest software update allows you to use the internal SSD to increase the console’s storage space. These are the best external SSDs for PS5.
PS5 M.2 SSD Requirements
Before we get started, we need to review the list of hardware requirements for an M.2 SSD as an internal drive on the PS5. On September 15, 2021, Sony released a software update that lets everyone use the M.2 SSD slot to expand the storage space of their PS5 console.
Sony’s M.2 hardware guidelines are very strict, so you’ll want to choose the latest M.2 drive. Here are all the requirements for an M.2 drive to be used as internal storage on the PS5:
- PCIe Gen4 interface
- Minimum sequential read speed of 5,500MB/s
- Drive storage must be between 250GB and 4TB
- M.2 form factor, 22mm wide
- forced radiator
- Driver and heatsink height needs to be less than 11.25mm
You won’t be able to use a SATA SSD with the PS5 due to the M.2 slot; check out our guide on how to install an SSD on the PS5 to get a better idea of which drives work with the PS5. While PCIe Gen4 requirements are a given, Sony is very conservative in drive size and cooling. Any M.2 drive needs to have a width of 22mm or less, which rules out some options. In addition, the M.2 driver needs to have a heat sink, and the combined height of the driver and the heat sink should be less than 11.25mm.
This particular requirement prevents many drives, including Corsair’s excellent MP600 series, from working with the best PS5 games. However, you can get rid of the heatsink and add an aftermarket option. That said, now that Sony has outlined its requirements for internal SSDs, we should see new drives from the best SSD manufacturers that will be natively compatible with the PS5. We will add these drives to the list as they become available.
However, if you’re looking to buy a drive now, it’s better to go for a standard M.2 SSD and add an aftermarket cooler. You’ll find coolers for under $20 (we’ve listed a few below), and taking this route will get you the best-selling models from Samsung and Sabrent. That said, several M.2 SSDs now have built-in heatsinks, so we’ll highlight some of those options as well. Plus, we’ve previously rounded up the best external drives and SSDs for the PS5 that you can use to store backwards-compatible PS4 games.
So let’s take a look at the best M.2 SSDs and coolers for your PS5.
1. Western Digital Black SN850: best overall
Western Digital’s Black series is aimed at gamers, and the WD Black SN850 is one of the best M.2 SSDs you can find today. The PCIe Gen 4 drive offers sequential read speeds of 7,000MB/s, which is higher than Sony’s requirements. It’s available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB options, with the 1TB configuration (WDS100T1XHE) particularly hitting the sweet spot of value.
The SN850 has a built-in heat sink. With a height of 8.9mm, it fits into the PS5’s M.2 case without issue. PS5 Chief Architect Supported by Mark Cerny The SN850 is in the tweet, so you don’t have to worry about it being compatible with your PS5.
While the SN850 is an excellent SSD for boosting the PS5’s internal storage, there are some downsides. For one, it’s very expensive, with the 1TB option going for $250, about half the retail price of the PS5. But the bigger issue is availability. Shortly after Sony made the SSD request, PS5 owners started buying eligible drives. The result is that the SN850 is already backordered at most retailers. But the good thing is that it should be replenished as soon as possible.
advantage:
- 7,000MB/s sequential read
- Built-in radiator
- PCIe Gen 4 connectivity
- Five-year warranty
- For PS5
- 1.75 million hours MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
shortcoming:
- expensive
- usability issues
best overall
Western Digital Black 1TB SN850
- Amazon $190
- Newegg $200
Boost your PS5 storage
The SN850 meets all the requirements of Sony’s in-house M.2 SSD, delivering outstanding performance and long-term reliability.
2. Seagate FireCuda 530: Made for PS5
Seagate’s FireCuda 530 is the first PS5-ready M.2 SSD, and this variant comes with a cooler that’s perfect for Sony’s latest console use case. The drive is available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB configurations, with the 1TB model (ZP1000GM30023) ideal for use in PS5.
With sequential read speeds of up to 7,300MB/s, the FireCuda 530 is one of the fastest SSDs you can find today. This level of performance is backed by a 5-year warranty and 5100 TBW (terabytes written) endurance, which means you can write and delete up to 70% of the drive’s capacity daily for five years without any issues.
As with the SN850, the main issue with the FireCuda 530 is usability. The drive has just been announced, and the initial stock has already sold out. So, you’ll have to wait a while for it to start being widely available; in the meantime, you can check if it’s in stock via the link below.
advantage:
- 7,300MB/s sequential reads
- aluminum radiator
- Fully compatible with PS5
- PCIe Gen 4 interface
- 1.8 million hours MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
- Five-year warranty
shortcoming:
- cost premium
- Sold out at most retailers
Made for PS5
Seagate FireCuda 530 1TB SSD with Heatsink
- Amazon $200
- Newegg $260
Ideal game drive for PS5
The FireCuda 530 is a PS5-ready M.2 solid-state drive designed to deliver years of best-in-class performance.
3. Gigabyte Aorus Gen 4 7000S: best value
Gigabyte isn’t a big name in the storage space, but it’s been releasing exciting M.2 SSDs aimed at gamers. The Aorus Gen 4 7000S uses the same 3D TLC NAND and controller as the best SSDs on the market. It comes with an aluminum heatsink with a nano-carbon coating to ensure the drive stays cool even during long gaming sessions.
With sequential read speeds of 7,000MB/s and write speeds of 5,500MB/s, the Aorus 7000S easily surpasses Sony’s claims, ensuring it delivers incredible performance. The drive is available in 1TB and 2TB configurations. What makes it a great choice for the PS5 is that it undercuts WD and Seagate. The 1TB drive retails for $200, and the 2TB option retails for $400, making it a relative value for money.
Measuring 80.5 x 23.5 x 11.25 mm, the 7000S can easily plug into a PS5 without any issues. The drive has an MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of 1.6 million hours and an endurance of 700 TBW (TB written). Both numbers are less than what you’ll get from Seagate, but they’re still more than enough for use in the PS5.
advantage:
- 7,000MB/s sequential read
- custom aluminum radiator
- For PS5
- PCIe Gen 4 connectivity
- 1.6 million hours MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
- Five-year warranty
shortcoming:
- limited availability
best value
Gigabyte Aorus Gen 4 7000S
- $320 at Amazon (2TB)
- Newegg $320
Ideal 2TB upgrade
The Aorus 7000S offers the same level of performance as the best SSDs while falling short of them, making it a great value for money.
4. Samsung 980 Pro with heatsink: Proven reliability
Samsung makes the best SSDs you can buy today, and the 980 Pro is one of the fastest drives on the market today. Like all the drives on this list, the 980 Pro offers PCIe Gen 4 connectivity and has a sequential read speed of 7,000MB/s, perfect for the PS5.
What stands out about Samsung Drive is that it sources all of its hardware in-house, and this vertical integration makes Samsung the dominant player in the category. With an MTBF of 1.5 million cycles and a TBW of 600 cycles, the 980 Pro is designed to last for years without any issues and comes with a five-year warranty.
While the drive was initially only available without a heatsink, Samsung is offering a model with a heatsink specifically for PS5 owners. Granted, this version is more expensive, but it doesn’t require the user to go out and get a third-party cooler to hook up. You’ll pay more upfront for less hassle and extra work. It’s also worth noting that currently, the drive is only found in 1TB or 2TB sizes, which means your options are pretty limited.
advantage:
- 7,000MB/s sequential read
- PCIe Gen 4 connectivity
- Five-year warranty
- 1.5 million hours MTBF
shortcoming:
- expensive
- Only available in 1TB or 2TB
Proven reliability
Samsung 980 Pro with heatsink
- Amazon $190
- Samsung $190
- Play Station $190
A good overall choice
Samsung’s 980 Pro is one of the fastest drives, and it now includes a heatsink that’s perfect for the PS5. However, there are only two sizes to choose from.
5. Micro Connector M.2 2280 Heat Sink: Best SSD Cooler
If you’re going to use a drive like the Samsung 980 Pro without a heatsink, you’ll need to add a heatsink so it can work with the PS5. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available, and Micro Connectors’ M.2 2280 SSD cooler is the best option.
This special heatsink is designed for M.2 2280 drives and features silicone thermal pads and silicone rings for easy mounting on SSDs. With a height of just 5mm, the design ensures that it can also be easily inserted into your PS5. It’s very important to add something like this to an SSD without a heatsink.sony high It is not recommended to use an SSD without a heatsink in the PS5 as overheating can reduce performance.
advantage:
- low profile design
- Aluminum fins
- easy to install
shortcoming:
- Manual setup required
best radiator
Micro Connector M.2 2280 SSD Heatsink
- $11 on Amazon
Great cooler for SSD
If you already have a Gen 4 SSD and need to add a heatsink, this is the easiest way.
6. ELUTENG M.2 2280 Radiator: clam down
If you are looking for an alternative solution for your existing 4th generation SSD, ELUTENG’s M.2 2280 cooler is another option. There are two heatsinks in the package, and they both meet the Sony-specified 11.25mm height requirement. Both heatsinks feature thermal pads and an aluminum design to efficiently dissipate heat away from the SSD.
Like the micro-connector coolers I listed above, there’s a chance Sony won’t allow an aftermarket cooler, so if you want to be absolutely sure, you should wait a bit to see if this particular route works.
advantage:
- aluminum radiator
- Two size options
- easy to install
- low profile design
shortcoming:
- May not work on PS5
clam down
ELUTENG M.2 2280 Radiator
- $9 on Amazon
Two options for cooling SSDs
This is another great option for a 4th generation SSD, and the fact that two heatsinks are included in the package makes it a great value for money.
What SSD should you buy for PS5?
Now, if you’re looking to buy an internal SSD for your PS5, your best bet is the Western Digital SN850. It ticks all the boxes for the PS5, and WD has officially confirmed that the drive will work with Sony’s console. And because the SN850 has been on the market for a few months, there’s a chance you can get it.
Your second choice for buying an SSD is whatever stock you see on this list, as long as you can afford it. Unfortunately, the ongoing shortage is unlikely to ease anytime soon.
The Seagate FireCuda 530 is an excellent alternative designed for the PS5, but it’s currently sold out and it’s not known when it will be back in stock. The alternative is Gigabyte’s Aorus 7000S. However, like the SN850, it’s been out for a while, so it should be easy to find at most retailers. When you factor in the fact that it costs less than other Gen 4 SSDs with heatsinks, you get a great overall package.
Acknowledgments – The team that wrote this guide
Harish Jonaragarda is the Asia editor of Android Central. A reformed hardware modder, he now spends his time writing about India’s booming phone market. Previously, he was at IBM thinking about the meaning of life.Connect with him on Twitter @chunkynerd.
Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, with a special focus on PlayStation on Android Central.You can find him on twitter @Samuel Tolbert.
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