Best PS5 SSD expansion: get more PlayStation 5 storage for your games

The best SSD for PS5 can expand your console storage and solve one of the system's biggest headaches

(Credit: The Shortcut)

The best PS5 SSD expansion solves one of the biggest challenges facing PlayStation 5 owners: the console’s limited storage space. With only 667GB of usable space, it doesn’t take long to fill up the PlayStation 5’s SSD once you’ve downloaded a few of the best PS5 games.

The good news is there’s never been a better time to buy a PS5 SSD expansion. Prices have fallen drastically since the PS5 launched in 2020, meaning you can often find a 1TB for less than $100 – something that was unthinkable just three years ago.

Expanding your PS5’s storage with an SSD expansion should be a top priority, then. Not only will it allow you to download and play all of the PS Plus free games, but you won’t have to worry about constantly deleting things to make room for new releases. That’s why we strongly advise picking up an NVMe SSD today as it’s one of the best PS5 accessories you can buy.

But before you rush out and buy just any old NVMe SSD for your PS5, it’s important to make sure it meets Sony’s specs and requirements. Not all NVMe SSDs are compatible with the console, so choosing the right one can save you the hassle of having to return it or potentially wasting your money.

To make things easier for you, we’ve put together a list of the best PS5 SSD options that meet Sony’s compatibility requirements and won’t break the bank, so you can spend less time worrying about storage space and more time enjoying your favorite games.

Again, all of the PS5 SSD recommendations listed below are 100% compatible with both of Sony’s consoles – PS5 Disc and Digital – so you don’t have to worry about accidentally picking up the wrong SSD. If you’re worried about installing one of the best PS5 SSDs in your console, check out our PS5 SSD install guide for step-by-step instructions. It’s a lot easier than it seems.

You can expand the PS5’s storage by 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and soon even 8TB once the new PS5 update is available later this year, and the installation process is relatively straightforward. However, the higher capacity you choose, the more you’ll have to pay. The sweet spot in terms of bang for your buck is 1TB, but 2TB SSDs are now far more affordable.

PS5 SSD specs and requirements

• 📝 Format must be a PCIe Gen 4.0 (x4) M.2 NVMe SSD

• 📖 Read speed must be 5500MB/s or faster

• 🔥 A heatsink is required

• ✅ Maximum size: 110 x 25 x 11.25mm with a heatsink installed

• 🙅‍♂️ External SSDs and hard drives can’t run PS5 games – they aren’t fast enough

Best PS5 SSD expansion: quick links

• WD Black SN850

• Samsung 980 Pro

• Seagate Firecuda 530

• Gigabyte AORUS 7000s

• Corsair M600 Pro

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1. WD Black SN850

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

➕ Exceeds all of Sony’s speed requirements

➕ Usually discounted

➖ 2TB model is still pricey

The WD Black SN850 is popular among PlayStation 5 owners, which isn’t surprising. Not only does it exceed the PS5 SSD requirements outlined by Sony, but it’s also a favorite of PlayStation 5 lead system architect Mark Cerny. How’s that for a seal of approval?

So far, in 2023, WD Black SN850 comes in three capacities: 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. There’s no 4TB PS5 SSD from WD just yet. The sweet spot for value is the 1TB model, which should provide plenty of extra room to store the best PS5 games. The WD Black SN850 often goes on sale, too, so we’d avoid paying MSRP unless you’re desperate.

With super-fast read/write speeds up to 7000/5300MB/s, PS5 titles will load just as fast as Sony’s official drive, and the built-in heatsink means performance won’t be affected when things get a little hot under the hood.

Word of warning: WD Black has recently released a new WD Black SN850 NVMe SSD for PS5, which is “officially licensed for PlayStation 5 consoles”. However, it isn’t worth the extra $10 markup, so we’d opt for the standard SN850 instead.

WD Black SN850 1TB as low as $109:

WD Black SN850 2TB as low as $159:

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2. Samsung 980 Pro

(Credit: Matt Swider/The Shortcut)

➕ Incredible performance

➕ Proprietary heatsink

➖ Sometimes more expensive than the WD Black PS5 SSD

Samsung was onto a winner with its 980 Pro SSD, but it required users to install a third-party heatsink as per Sony’s requirements.

That may have been too much of a hassle for many, so Samsung has wisely created a version of the Samsung 980 Pro with a proprietary heatsink installed, making it one of the best PS5 SSDs you can buy.

Samsung’s drive has read/write speeds of 7,000/6400MB/s, meaning it’s quicker at reading data than the excellent WD Black SN850. However, it’s sometimes more expensive than other PS5-compatible SSDs on the market, so price-check it below before you make a purchase:

If you’re after the newer version of the Samsung SSD 980 Pro, check out our Samsung 990 Pro review.

Samsung SSD 980 Pro (1TB) as low as $69.99:

Samsung SSD 980 Pro (2TB) as low as $139:

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3. Seagate Firecuda 530

(Credit: The Shortcut)

➕ The fastest SSD on this list

➕ 4TB capacity available

➖ Always in high demand

Seagate has been in the data storage game since the 70s, so it’s fair to say it’s a brand you can trust.

The Seagate Firecuda 530 is yet another quality product from the storage specialists and is one of the few drives with a 4TB option available. That’ll set you back up to $750, but it’s there if you never want to worry about storage for the rest of the console generation.

The Seagate Firecuda 530 also has a blazing-fast read speed of 7300MB/s, making it the fastest drive on this list, and a custom heatsink that ensures the SSD stays cool when under heavy load.

Seagate Firecuda 530 1TB as low as $99:

Seagate Firecuda 530 2TB as low as $164:

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4. Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7000s

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

➕ Uses the latest SSD tech

➕ Blazing fast speeds

➖ No 500GB option

The Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7000s combines excellent performance with a great price point, which is why it’s often out of stock. It meets all of Sony’s requirements, so it’ll slot easily into the PlayStation 5’s open SSD bay.

I’ve personally tested the Aorus NVMe Gen 4 7000s and can confirm it works flawlessly. The PS5 shows a read speed of 6559MB/s when installed, which exceeds Sony’s recommended minimum read speed of 5500MB/s.

Gigabyte AORUS 1TB as low as $74:

Gigabyte AORUS 2TB as low as $249:

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5. Corsair MP600 Pro LPX

(Credit: The Shortcut/Corsair)

➕ Competitively priced

➕ Super-fast read speeds

➖ Not as aesthetically pleasing as other SSDs

Another PS5 SSD that’s easy to recommend is the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX. Its robust build quality and excellent heatsink mean your speeds will never throttle when the SSD heats up.

It’s also a perfect fit for the PS5, and with impressive read and write speeds of 7100/6800MB/s, your games will load incredibly fast. Thankfully it’s priced competitively, making it a great buy if your preferred drive isn’t available.

Corsair MP600 Pro LX 1TB as low as $67:

Corsair MP600 Pro LX 2TB as low as $109:

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We’ll keep this page updated, as the best PS5 SSD deals change over time. You’ll need that extra money for other things in the PS5 pipeline, too. Sony’s new virtual reality headset, PSVR 2, is out now and you’ll need to make some room for all the new PSVR 2 games.

Updated: August 14, 2023