1. The Quick List
2. Best overall
3. Best integrated heatsink
4. Best 1TB
5. Best budget
6. Best value
7. Best separate heatsink
8. Best licensed
9. Best external SSD
The best SSDs for PS5 aren't as affordable this year, which is a real shame. We had some great prices to benefit from in 2022 and 2023, but it's much harder to pick up affordable drives for your console this year. Nevertheless, these speedy little things are still worth the investment, and we've collated a list of the best ones for Sony's console. If you have to pay more, these are the ones we'd recommend splashing out on.
The best PS5 SSDs on the list below fit into the internal M.2 port you can find by popping off the console's rear face plate. While installation might seem a little daunting if you've never dabbled in PC building, it really isn't as complicated as it seems. The best SSDs for gaming these days literally slide and click into place, and you don't have to deal with SATA cables or any faff at all.
You can extend your PS5 storage internally or externally, with one of the best PS5 external hard drives. Although, keep in mind that you won't be able to play PS5 games on an external drive. You can now store PS5 games on an external SSD though, you’ll just need to transfer them over to an internal drive to actually play them.
One important thing to keep in mind is that if you get an internal PS5 SSD, you'll need to pair it with a PS5 heatsink. Modern SSDs are extremely fast, but they build up a lot of heat when working hard. If you don't back one up with a heatsink, it can cause damage to the drive. Luckily, a lot of SSDs are designed with PlayStation users in mind and have integrated heatsinks built into their designs.
The Quick List
Best overall
Samsung's 990 Pro is one of the top Gen 4 SSDs money can buy, and in terms of pure speed, might just be the one that takes the cake. If not, it's one of the best all-rounders.
Best integrated heatsink
There are plenty of PS5 SSDs with integrated heatsinks, but Corsair's MP600 Elite has a great build quality that balances aesthetics and performance.
Best 1TB
Seagate's FireCuda 530 is a legend of the storage market right now. Its heatsink model designed for PS5 is the best all-rounder 1TB drive you can get.
Best budget
You might not have heard of Nextorage, but its PS5 SSD is priced very competitively, and the performance it gives you is pretty decent as well.
Best value
The Samsung 980 Pro is aging, which means its price tag is getting more reasonable. All the while, its performance holds up to the best options on this list.
Best separate heatsink
PNY's XLR8 SSD gaming kit is an excellent choice, packing a decent internal SSD and combining it with a brilliant heatsink that's separate from the drive itself. There's a little extra work to put in here, but the combo works particularly well.
Best licensed
WD Black's SN850 range is a staple of the gaming storage market, and its SN850X is our favorite. If you want an SSD with PlayStation's watermark on it, look no further.
Best external
This portable SSD comes at a price, but it's the quickest and sturdiest external hard drive we've ever tested. If an internal option isn't for you, this is what you need.
The best PS5 SSD overall
The Samsung 990 Pro is the latest Gen 4 M.2 SSD from the brand and offers some top-contender performance for PS5 and PC. Unlike most SSDs at the moment, its price is holding pretty firm (since it's never exactly gone for cheap prices). It's also readily available, perhaps since Samsung makes a lot of its own parts. I use the 4TB version of this drive in my PS5, and I can thoroughly recommend it.
✅You want the fastest speeds available: This is as good as it gets. Say goodbye to loading screens.
✅You want more than 2TB: The 4TB model is now available.
✅You don't mind paying a bit more: This does tend to be more pricey than other top-dogs, so it's worth considering other drives that are almost as fast.
❌You want something more affordable: While it's becoming more deals-prone, it's still one of the pricier drives on this list.
❌You don't care about speeds: Go for a budget option with slower speeds if you just want more storage space.
❌You have a 980 Pro already: While there is an upgrade to be had here from the 980 Pro, it's not going to be that noticeable in the PS5.
Design and features: The 990 Pro is available with or without a heatsink, now in up to a 4TB capacity. Its heatsink is incredibly stylish and has some lovely red flashes that line its face. In an instant, you can recognize this drive's gaming chops just from its appearance.
On the box, you're told this drive can reach unearthly speeds for a Gen 4 drive - 7,450 / 6,900 MB/s. It has a new controller that hasn't been seen in other models, which is codenamed Pascal. Beyond that, we don't know all that much about the innards of this SSD, but its numbers do speak for themselves.
Performance: This is the gen 4 SSD maxed out - the 2TB model of this drive we tested for review nailed Samsung's quoted figures, scoring 7,462MB/s reads and 6,877MB/s writes. From extensively using the 4TB version of this drive in my own PS5, I've found much the same, and it's the fastest SSD Sony's own benchmark has ever recognized. In short, this is the pound-for-pound fastest Gen 4 drive on the market, and if you don't mind paying a bit more for it, it's an easy recommendation from us.
Read more: Samsung 990 Pro review
The best integrated heatsink PS5 SSD
The Corsair MP600 Elite is the latest Gen 4 SSD from Corsair, and it carries with it the quality we've come to know from the previous MP600 models. The biggest names on this list have needed a shake-up for a while, and we're happy to say that beyond this drive's excellent and classy heatsink design, it's also one of the strongest-performing SSDs you'll find on this list.
✅You're worried about temperatures: This SSD has a pretty substantial heatsink, so you won't run the risk of damaging your drive.
✅You want top speeds: Corsair's latest PS5 SSD does have some pretty brilliant speeds, even if they aren't quite as fast as Samsung's.
✅You want value: The MP600 Elite is competitively priced for a drive that's made by a big brand and released in 2024.
❌You aren't bothered about speeds: If you don't need one of the fastest drives available, you could also go for a budget brand or smaller capacity.
❌You're on a tighter budget: The older MP600 LPX SSD is roughly the same price as this at the moment, but it's bound to get cheaper.
❌You have a heatsink already: There's no model without the heatsink.
Design and features: Disappointingly, you'll only find the MP600 Elite in 1TB and 2TB sizes, but luckily it is available with a black heatsink, a white one, or without a heatsink. Prices across the range seem to be pretty competitive, so with a heatsink this good, we'd always recommend opting for it to keep your installation nice and simple.
The reason we love this drie's heatsink is because it blends the aesthetic choices more boisterous SSDs aim for, but is actually pretty innovative in its own right. Beneath the drive, you'll see a space for air to flow through it. Admittedly, this does make the drive somewhat chunkier than others, but it also matches the rest of Corsair's cooling components, most of which rely on solid airflow.
Performance: The Corsair MP600 Elite stands toe-to-toe with the likes of Samsung, WD Black, and Seagate in the PS5 race, and we're happy that a new Gen 4 drive has come along in 2024 to shake things up. As those drives get older, this one comes in to match their performance while also offering a fair price.
The quoted read/write speeds on the box here are 7,000MB/s and 6,500MB/s respectively, and in testing we actually found these numbers were surpassed (albeit slightly). CrystalDiskMark found read speeds of 7,038MB/s and writes of 6,587MB/s. That comes in just under the Seagate FireCuda 530, but given just how good that drive is, these numbers are a real win. Inside the PS5, it formatted to a read speed of 6,539MB/s, which is up there with the fastest internal speeds within the PS5 we've come across.
This all equates to an SSD that's pretty much as fast as the PS5 will really allow. Taking everything into account here, you're getting a really solid SSD for the money, and one that's heatsink is going to give you peace of mind too.
The best 1TB SSD for PS5
Technically, this was the first SSD confirmed for PS5. The Seagate FireCuda 530 is undoubtedly one of the best PS5 SSDs, and definitely one of the most popular. Touted to have blistering speeds, and confirmed to be a solid performer with or without a heatsink, this is truly a staple of the SSD market. While it enjoyed a long while at the top of this list, it's getting harder to get a hold of. When stock does return, it's usually gone very quickly, and it's hard to find at a reasonable price.
Nonetheless, this is one of the best SSDs for PS5 money can buy at the moment.
✅You want excellent speeds: This drive is undoubtedly one of the top performers on the market - on par with the likes of the Samsung 990 Pro and the SN850X.
✅You want quicker load times on PS5: If installed in the PS5, you'll notice a bump in load times since it's faster than the console's own drive.
✅You want something affordable: You can find this SSD for unbelievably affordable prices these days, which is an excellent thing to say for the best PS5 SSD overall.
Design and features: The Firecuda 530 has a recognizable black body with some lovely orange branding highlights. Its heatsink is a fairly understated black with one simple orange strike through it. A classy and less bold design than a lot of the fancy heatsinks you'll find on SSDs these days. Oh, there is also a fantastic Star Wars limited edition that makes your drive look like a lightsaber, but it doesn't fit inside the PS5, so there's no point in us getting you excited.
In a more technical world, the 530 comes in sizes of 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, and you can choose whether or not you want the heatsink attached. On the box, you're quoted to get speeds of up to 7,300MB/s read, and 6,900MB/s write. The drive uses the Phison E18 controller and its cache scales depending on what size you opt for. Crucially it's got the latest in tech inside it as it sports 3D TLC NAND memory and next-gen PCIe 4.0.
Either way, this is a slimline and compact M.2 drive that has some of the best Gen 4 features you'll find on the shelves.
❌You're looking for something on PC that's Gen 5 compatible: The Seagate FireCuda 530 isn't a Gen 5 drive, which is worth bearing in mind if you need something truly next-gen for PC.
❌You don't need the very best there is: If you don't care about your load times and just want something that'll give you extra room there are other options we'd recommend.
❌You want the absolute last word in speed: If you want the fastest of the very fast, you might be able to get better with the 990 Pro.
Performance: In our formal review tests we found that the Seagate Firecuda 530 2TB matched its on-the-box speeds, which is very impressive. Having used this drive for my gaming PC build, I can personally attest to how consistent it is at loading up games quickly. It's a noticeable boost over a lot of the other Gen 4 drives out there. Short of going for either the SN850X or the Samsung 990 Pro, it doesn't get as good as this in the Gen 4 arena.
The best part is, like many great SSDs at the moment, this is extraordinarily affordable for just how good it is. If you can get this for under $70, which is more than likely, you should do it. Your PS5 will thank you for fitting in the best all-round SSD on this list.
Read more: Seagate FireCuda 530 review
The best budget PS5 SSD
Nextorage is a relatively new brand on the scene in the storage market. It's a company made up of former Sony employees who have now broken off to start a very successful solo career. Sony, admittedly does own a share in its new solo act, but when looking for an SSD for PS5, that might actually be a good thing. Nextorage has been turning heads with its NEM-PA Series because as all the other cotenders have been getting more expensive, this lovely little drive has remained more affordable.
✅You want more for your money: This drive is competitively priced, but still gives you great numbers.
✅You want something designed for PS5: Nextorage has geared the NEM-PA Series directly at Sony's console.
✅You're buying 1TB: The 1TB model of this drive gives you serious bang for buck when it comes to price.
Design and features: The design of the NEM-PA Series isn't as flashy as the big names on this list, but it's available with a really solid heatsink that will slot easily into the PS5's M.2 tray. It's all black in color, so aesthetically it isn't massively interesting, but the vent lines along its body will do the trick, and that's the main thing when the drive will be covered by a faceplate anyway.
Advertised speeds here are 7,300MB/s / 6,900MB/s read/write respectively, and the NEM-PA is available in 1, 2, 4, and 8TB shapes. Architecturally, there's a dynamic SLC cache, up to 2GB of DDR4 DRAM, and 4th Gen PCIe interface support. Those numbers, in particular, put it up there with the giants of the market, and are very comparable with the likes of the Samsung 980 Pro.
Like all Gen 4 options with the required read speed, this is compatible with PC and PS5, but its emphasis on PS5 specifically means it doesn't seem available without a heatsink. Luckily, its price is fair, so you shouldn't feel the need to look for a cheaper option anyway.
❌You want the very best performance possible: Nextorage nailed it with this drive, but it isn't the absolute king of the market.
❌You have a hard time trusting budget brands: We've tested this drive, and we can safely say you have nothing to worry about, but it is made by an unknown brand, which can be tough for an investment of this size.
❌You want more than 2TB: This drive goes up to 8TB, but the prices do get a bit silly after the 2TB mark.
Performance: Inside the PS5, Nextorage's option scored a solid 6,539MB/s in Sony's formatting benchmark. This is actually up there with the highest internal PS5 numbers we've come across, which speaks to its quality against much bigger, much pricier brands. CrystalDiskMark showed us numbers that actually surpassed the advertised write speeds, clocking in an average of 6,924MB/s across three tests.
Transfer times were equally as impressive, as Alan Wake 2 moved from the internal stock SSD in the PS5 to the NEM-PA Series in only 30 seconds from an average of 3 tests. That’s 77.87GB in less than half a minute. In return transfers, Alan Wake 2 moved back to the internal SSD of the PS5 in 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
We noticed quicker-than-usual load times on the console as well, so it's safe to say we're thoroughly impressed by what Nextorage has made here. A lot of the time with products we award "best budget" labels to, the quality isn't quite up there with the others we review. It's usually a sign that for the money, that product is good, and does the trick. With this, however, you get something genuinely competitive with what is typically pricier.
Read more: Nextorage NEM-PA Series 5 review
The Patriot Viper VP4300 is another great budget option in the PS5 SSD arena that could just get you top-drawer speeds for less. This is supremely underrated and is often found cheaper than most rival drives. For that reason, its name has to be mentioned in the best budget conversation.
✅You want fast speeds on the cheap: According to those quoted speeds, you're getting some ridiculous power for the money here.
✅You need something affordable: Patriot's Viper drive is readily available most of the time and is priced super competitively.
✅You want heatsink options: This drive comes with two different heatsinks, so if you want options at your disposal for fitting this drive into a console or PC, fire in.
❌You want a sure-fire recommendation: We haven't had the chance to test this drive yet, so if you want something we can be more sure of, check out another option on this list.
❌You can find faster models for a similar price: At the moment, pretty much every M.2 SSD is a budget buy.
❌You want less than 500GB or more than 2TB: Had another capacity value in mind for your PS5 SSD? You might want to look elsewhere.
Design and features: The viper's claimed speeds are up to 7,400MB/S read and up to 6,800MB/s write - which are supremely fast. That puts it in the same league as the Samsung 990 Pro, which will set you back a lot more money usually.
It also comes with two heatsinks: one thin graphene layer, and one 'full size' aluminium one which, for what it's worth, looks pretty cool. This means you have options at your disposal if you want a more slimline option, or if you need to use it in a PC at some point.
It only comes in 1TB and 2TB models, and even though these are usually the sizes we recommend anyway, it means you have fewer options if you want a smaller 500GB drive.
Performance: We haven't been hands-on with this drive yet, so our recommendation is a bit more tentative. From other reviews, and the user reviews, it seems as though this is an excellent option to go for. If not, there's a solid 5-year warranty.
If we get to test this drive we'll be sure to update you with out thoughts. If those quoted read and write speeds are anything to go by though, you're getting a lot of performance for budget price here.
The best value PS5 SSD
The Samsung 980 Pro is still one of the best PS5 SSDs on the market, especially considering that the heatsink model is now widely available, and frequently discounted, too. While this drive may no longer be the absolute fastest Gen 4.0 unit that you can slot into your Sony system, the all-star sequential rates of up to 7,000 MB/s read cannot be denied.
✅You want value for money: Now that it's older and the 990 Pro is out, this will likely be cheaper when you find it.
✅You want something with a glowing reputation: The 980 Pro was once the king of the SSD hill, and it's aging just fine.
✅You want great speeds: This drive has excellent speeds that will only be bested by newer drives on the market.
Design and features: While Gen 4 drives running the likes of the Phison E18 controller are going to offer more consistent, and faster overall random performance, the Samsung 980 Pro matches the console's internal storage and is usually available substantially cheaper than newer drives on the market. The addition of a dedicated heatsink custom-made for the system is going to be ideal for anyone preferring the plug-and-play approach as opposed to having to go all DIY, too.
In terms of potential sizes here you get 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB models, and you can elect to get one with or without the heatsink.
❌You'd rather have the latest model: The 990 Pro is here.
❌You need something right away: If it isn't on offer, we'd recommend waiting for a deal to get the most value for money.
❌You can find something newer for cheaper: SSDs are constantly on sale, so if you can get something better for a similar price, you should probably do that.
Performance: Even if the 990 Pro is a bump up in terms of speed, the 980 Pro is still one of the fastest drives going, offering speeds of 6.7GB/s read and 4.9GB/s in our review tests. Since this is likely found discounted these days, the value for money here is pretty outrageous.
If you want faster, the SN850X and 990 Pro will give you that, but certainly, if you're waiting to buy until deals season, the 980 Pro will have you covered.
Read more: Samsung 980 PRO Review
It might not be as widely available as some of the other big-name brands on this list, but the Verbatim Vi7000G might be one of the best value SSDs available in a 2TB capacity.
✅You want value for money: If you can find this drive, it's usually cheaper than a lot of the competition but still gives you great performance.
✅You don't care about the biggest brand names: Verbatim isn't usually thought of in the modern SSD game, but it's onto a real winner here.
✅You want 2TB for cheaper: 2TB drives can bump the prices up, so if you want that larger headroom for less, go for this.
❌You don't need the be-all, end-all in speed: You won't get the fastest load times on this list, but you will get some excellent performance for what you pay.
❌You don't mind searching for it: It's not the easiest to find and isn't available at a massive range of retailers, so you may need to hunt for it at times.
❌You have a heatsink already: There's no model without the heatsink.
Design and features: the Verbatim Vi7000G has one of the best-integrated heatsinks I've come across, as it kept the drive noticeably cooler than the WD Black SN850P immediately after our in-house tests. The ridged and cornered design makes it a breeze during installation too because you can easily grip it when it's ready to be pushed into place in the M.2 slot.
It's available in 1TB and 2TB sizes and gets a quoted read speed of up to 7,400MB/s. While the actual speeds we found weren't quite that high, there's serious value for money to be had with Verbatim's drive.
Performance: In terms of its price, it comes in under a lot of the top dogs, and that isn't even a discount price. In terms of speeds, it knocks at the door of those super fast Gen 4 contenders, reaching read/write speeds of 7,124/6,947MB/s in our testing PC. In the PS5, it didn't get quite that close to the on-the-box speeds, but it did get 6,250MB/s, which is respectable enough for 2TB at this price.
Overall, this is a great way to get yourself a solid-performing Gen 4 SSD for the PS5 with two whole terabytes of space without breaking the bank. If you can seek one out, this is definitely up there with the best PS5 SSDs.
Read more: Verbatim Vi700G review
The best PS5 SSD with a separate heatsink
Combining the prowess of the PNY CS3140 with the company's specifically engineered PS5 heatsink, the PNY XLR8 SSD Gaming Kit delivers on its all-in-one promise for fuss-free expansion.
✅You'd like a separate heatsink to use in the future: If you ever upgrade to a new SSD that doesn't have a heatsink, you're all sorted.
✅You don't need the top speeds: This isn't the fastest, but it isn't slow by any means.
✅You just want more storage space: There's a 2TB and 4TB model available.
❌You want the shortest loading times imaginable: There are faster SSDs out there.
❌You want faff-free installation: If you're worried about the DIY involved with the SSD installation, don't be. But if you need it to be as easy as possible, this might make things more complicated.
❌You have a heatsink already: There's no point having an extra heatsink lying around.
Design and features: We've seen PS5 heatsinks that replace the console's M.2 port before, but what makes PNY's model different is the thick aluminium heat spreader that positions itself on top of the drive which is built into the cover. The brand claims that this provides up to 40% better airflow, and judging from the performance we found in our testing, we're inclined to believe it. Most PS5 SSDs tend to top out at around the 5.5 GB/s read mark, but we were able to clock an extra 1 GB/s here, likely due to the heatsink in place.
While it might seem like more faff to have a separated heatsink, think of it as better value for money. If you ever want to upgrade to a newer SSD down the line, and you manage to find a deal on one that doesn't have an integrated heatsink, you're already set. In my eyes, that's a pretty great deal.
If you're after even more storage for your game libraries, there's also the addition of 2TB and 4TB models as well,
Performance: Sony's official post-format numbers from the PS5 gave us 6,547.477 MB/s for this drive and its heatsink. This figure certainly lives up to the quoted sequential read capabilities, but won't give you the last word on SSD speeds. Either way, this is a fantastic option to go for, and one that will more than do anyone looking to simply expand their library.
Read more: PNY XLR8 SSD review
The best officially licensed SSD for PS5
While we held off adding the SN850X to this list for a while, its price has finally leveled out so that the extra performance you gain with this model versus the SN850 isn't a huge trade-off. The SN850 is still a great option, although it may get harder to find as it continues to age.
✅You want the best performance: This is one of the top three Gen 4 drives you can find.
✅You want value for money: The SN850X is the best value option in the SN850 series - including the newer SN850P.
✅You are considering the SN850P: Seriously, the SN850X is better and gives you the exact same performance.
❌You have the SN850: It really isn't that big an upgrade.
❌The 990 Pro or FireCuda 530 are cheaper: If you find the two biggest rival drives on offer, maybe consider them over this.
Design and features: The WD Black SN850X has one of the more stylish heatsink designs on this list, and to be honest, the same can go for any of WD Black's SN850 series. A big problem with the SN850 was that it could run fairly hot when it was working hard. The SN850X does a great job of dealing with that though, because WD implemented a new thermal management profile that reduces performance throttling when it's under pressure.
Performance: Although the 4K performance and random speeds underperformed compared to the older model in our tests, the SN850 X is one of the strongest all-rounders you'll find on the market. It can actually be found cheaper than a lot of the entries on this list for the most part, and it's right up there with the FireCuda 530 and the 990 Pro in terms of speeds.
During our tests, we found it achieved 7,300MB/s reads, while writes leapt up from 5,300MB/s to 6,300MB/s. IOPS were really impressive too. It may not be a massive improvement over its predecessor, but it is an improvement - and one that can be found a darn sight cheaper these days thanks to the introduction of the SN850P.
If you want one of the very best SSDS out there, the SN850X will be a great purchase.
Read more: WD Black SN850X review
Best external PS5 SSD
You can now transfer PS5 games to one of the best PS5 external hard drives, meaning you don't have to keep redownloading games when you want to make room for other games. You can't play these games on an external PS5 SSD, but transferring from the external to internal PS5 SSD is super quick. While PS5 games can't be played from an external drive, PS4 games can, and loading times are much faster than on a PS4 or PS4 Pro.
The WD_Black P40 SSD is the latest in WD's gaming-focused external hard drives, and it's one of the best performers you'll find. It takes the specs and design of the P50 and carries both over to a compact build that makes use of some beautiful RGB lighting.
Read and write speeds were great in testing. The 2000MB/s speed you see on the box is as good as you'll get in an external hard drive, but in reality, it translates to some great load times and transfer speeds on PS5 and PC. When testing it out, we managed to move a load of game capture footage from PS5 to PC in a heart beat, with 30 clips spanning a total of 22GB, the P40 swallowed it up from the PS5 in about a minute. The same was true of game storage. We transferred three games that added up to 18GB in just shy of a minute with this drive.
Disappointingly, the P40 is one of the pricier options available, particularly because it's a newer release from WD. For your money, you get the drive which comes with WD's Windows dashboard, a USB-C cable and USB-A adapter, a quick install guide, and a 5-year warranty I'd be surprised if you need to use. WD's solid build with forged aluminium means it's a sturdy piece of kit.
Editor's note:
If you go for another M.2 SSD, that's totally fine, but make sure it's in line with the PS5's internal SSD specifications. We've listed the most important ones below.
- PCIe Gen4 interface (not Gen 5, sadly)
- 250GB - 4TB capacity
- Minimum 5,500MB/s read speed or faster
- 22mm width (do not go for 25mm units)
- a heatsink is required (built-in or DIY)
Best PS5 SSD: Heatsinks
While some SSDs that are specifically designed with the PS5 in mind come with a heatsink built-in, others do not. Either way, you will need to pair your PS5 SSD with one of the best PS5 heatsinks.
On the plus side, you can buy them separately from a wide range of manufacturers. They're very easy to fit and will stop your new SSD from overheating and being damaged as a result. It's usually fairly easy to see if an SSD doesn't have a heatsink already, because it will be very thin, and will most likely have elements of the circuit board on show. Products with a heatsink attached will usually say on the listing page, and will often be a little thicker, with vent-looking elements on one or both sides.
Sometimes built-in heatsinks drive up the cost quite a lot, so buying your own can save you a decent amount of cash. We've listed a few of our favorite options below.
The Sabrent is probably our favorite PS5 heatsink and the one that we always recommend first when asked. We wouldn't be surprised if this design starts becoming the default during the PS5's lifespan - it replaces the entire SSD bay door and promotes heat dissipation by transferring SSD heat from the bay to the spacious PS5 interior. And, by the way, if you're interested in the Sabrent SSD itself, then buy one that comes with this heatsink.
If you're looking for something to do a solid job and only spend a few beans, however, then this ELUTENG PS5 Heatsink is as good as they get at the budget end of the spectrum. For less than $10 /£10, this is a reliable heatsink that you can put together easily yourself, and tuck away inside the PS5 bay. Though we would 100% recommend putting this PS5 heatsink together using the screw-in method, rather than the banded together approach.
Also rocking the budget-end of the spectrum, the QIVYNSRY PS5 heatsink is another solid sub-$10/£10 option. Cut from the same cloth as the ELUTENG it has a simple design that can be neatly constructed to form a double-sided heatsink that will wrap around your SSD. Overall, this is a simple solution but still a terrific budget PS5 heatsink. Once again, be sure to screw it together to ensure the best and most secure fit for your SSD.
How to install a PS5 SSD
The installation process is a lot easier than it seems, and if you feel you need visual help, there's an official PlayStation tutorial video. Essentially, you'll need a flat surface to work on, a number one Philips screwdriver, and some light.
Start by putting the PS5 on its side, with the faceplate showing the PlayStation logo face-down. After removing the other faceplate, you should be able to see the SSD tray. Unscrew the bespoke PlayStation symbol screw, and remove the lid. You should now see a green slot with a few different measurement holes. With your SSD in hand, find the line that corresponds to your drive's size. Once you've taken a quick mental note of the number, unscrew the small fixing screw and spacer. Then place the spacer in the correct measurement hole for your new SSD.
Once that's done, you can line up one of the best PS5 SSDs for insertion into the console. If the room is well lit, you'll be able to clearly see which way up your drive should be by lining up the small gap in the insertion component with that of the PS5 M.2 port. Starting at a diagonal angle pointing down and into the port, make sure the ends of your SSD fit in without too much resistance. After that, you'll need to let the drive angle down a bit, and then be quite firm to ensure it's inserted all the way. Do not apply too much pressure diagonally down, or the SSD will break. Once it is, attach your heatsink if you need to, ensuring the thermal layer has had its tape removed. Then simply put the tray lid back on if you have the room, and screw into the spacer hole you prepared earlier to secure everything in place.
That's it! Put the faceplate back on by sliding the opposite way from when you took it off, and plug the PS5 back in. The software on the PS5 should recognise that a new drive is in place, and will ask you to format it.
Best PS5 SSD - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best SSD for PS5?
In our testing, we've found that the Seagate FireCuda 530 is extremely easy to install, and is probably the best all-rounder. WD Black's SN850X and Samsung's 980 and 990 drives are close seconds, with some even beating the FireCuda in terms of pure speed. Kingston, PNY, and Sabrent all have some of the other top options too. The PS5's M.2 port is capable of supporting any NVMe SSD that is Gen 4.0 compatible and features a maximum possible width of 22mm. To save you some DIY faff, we'd argue the best PS5 SSDs are ones that have heatsinks already pre-attached. So aim for a specific models that have been designed with PS5 in mind.
Will Gen 5 SSDs work with PS5?
Unfortunately, the M.2 slot in the PS5 maxes out at Gen 4, meaning the latest and greatest SSDs for gaming won't work inside it. Having said that, the latest System Software Beta looks like support for up to 8TB SSDs will be added soon, so at least there's plenty of Gen 4 futureproofing to be had within the PS5's lifespan.
What is the best size SSD for PS5?
Generally speaking, we think that a 1TB PS5 SSD is going to be ideal for most gamers because it strikes the perfect balance of price-to-performance. A 1TB Gen 4.0 NVMe drive can commonly be found at, or under, the $150 mark and can more-than-double the standard out of the box internal storage on PS5.
Having said that, SSD prices have been coming down throughout 2022 and 2023, so it may be that you find more affordable 2TB options than before. If you want extra futureproofing, a 2TB drive may be more viable. The PS5 M.2 port supports a maximum total of 4TB, so if you want to go all out with tonnes of room to spare, you definitely have options to play with.
What is the maximum size for a PS5 SSD?
The biggest SSD you can put in the PS5 has been limited to 4TB since the M.2 slot was enabled, but the latest firmware beta added support for up to 8TB of space, which, will take some serious downloading to fill up all the way. These 8TB drives can also be pretty pricey, so we'd say for most players, 1 or 2TB PS5 SSDs will futureproof you more than enough.
What SSD speed is good for PS5?
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The minimum requirement for PS5 SSDs is 5,500MB/second. Some of the picks on our list like the Samsung 990 Pro and Seagate Firecuda 530 even surpass that to the tune of 7,000MB/s, so anywhere between those two figures is a solid SSD speed for the best PS5 SSDs.
For anyone keeping score, solid HDDs (like the ones used in the PS4) struggle to break read and write speeds of 200MB/s.
How we test PS5 SSDs
You can find out the specifics of how we test SSDs in our full GamesRadar Hardware Policy, but it's worth going stating here, too. At GamesRadar, we utilize extensive testing methods when reviewing the latest SSDs and hard drives, either for standalone write-ups or in lists just like this one.
For PS5 SSDs, the three biggest tests that we conduct are as follows:
- Sony's official benchmarking speed test (which happens after a device format)
- File transfer speed tests (from the consoles internal storage and back again)
- In-game loading times (time clocked between menus and gameplay, etc.)
Value for money and price-to-performance ratio are paramount when considering what makes a PS5 SSD one of the best on the market. For example, not all Gen 4.0 drives are created equal, and this is due to different NVMe M.2 slot SSDs using different controllers. We also take the quality and durability of the PS5 SSD heatsinks, should one be provided by the manufacturer as well.
Looking to upgrade your PS5 with more than just expanded storage? Check out our lists of the best PS5 headsets and best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X. Alternatively, here's everything we know about the DualSense Edge controller.
