The Best PS5 SSDs of 2024

The Sony PlayStation 5 supports an additional SSD to expand your game and app storage. The installation process is simple, but determining which SSDs will work can be complicated.

What to Look For in a PS5 SSD in 2024

Not every SSD is compatible with the PS5, and any storage options you choose should have a specific list of traits to work inside the Sony console. This can be confusing if you're new to SSDs and have never had to buy one or install one yourself.

Chances are you are using a phone or computer that utilizes an SSD, or solid-state drive, for high-speed storage and overall performance. The PS5 isn't any different with its built-in 1TB SSD. The problem is that SSDs generally come in smaller capacities than hard drives. Combined with the increasing size of video games (some reaching over 100 GBs in size), you'll either have to be diligent about what you install or save yourself the headache and get an expansion SSD.

Sony breaks down what it expects of your SSD on the company's support page. Most of these specifications, like the interface and socket type, are hard to miss when buying an SSD. But the SSD's speed and size are where things get tricky. Sony recently announced that PS5 supports SSDs up to 8TB in size, so be sure to stick to that limit. Go above it, and you'll run into compatibility issues.

The PS5 requires an internal SSD with a 5,550MB/s or faster read speed. They must also be at or under 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm thick so it actually fits in the console. Finally, your SSD needs a heatsink to withstand the high temperatures in the PS5 case.

Here's the problem—not every SSD comes with a heatsink. Buying and installing heatsinks on your own is possible, but it's a barrier that many won't be interested in overcoming, given the tight space requirements. That's why all the SSDs below come with heatsinks—make sure you purchase the right version of our recommendations, and you're good!

As with most SSDs, especially M.2 ones, you should look for fast sustained read and write speeds around 5,500MB/s to 7,000MB/s. This leads to certain games loading in graphics faster, like open-world titles. It also means booting up games and apps will be faster, not to mention the higher transfer speeds.

SSDs measure random read and write speeds, which in games come up more often than sustained ones. These are called input/output operations per second, or IOPS. Generally, you want these to also be fast, clocking in at above 500,000. All the SSDs below hit these numbers easily.

So with this knowledge in hand, let's get into our picks.

The WD SN850X is unbelievably fast. It's not quite as consistently speedy as the Seagate FireCuda 530, which is our pick for the fastest PS5 SSD, but it handles just about any task your PS5 may throw at it with ease.

It helps that WD's SSD was made explicitly with gaming in mind. Most of this SSD's resources went into creating blazing read and write speeds, making almost any type of game you play run smoothly. The only downside? You might not have enough time to grab a drink during loading screens anymore.

Specifically, the SN850X uses a dynamic method of storing data before properly writing it to the SSD so that the entire process feels faster to you. This is WD's nCache 4.0 technology for SLC caching in play. Don't fret over the confusing names, though; all it means is this SSD makes downloading and installing large games or apps a breeze by doing extra work behind the scenes.

Combined with its 7,300MB/s sequential read speed and 6,300MB/s write speed, the WD SN850X is a robust storage solution. Finally, it will fit perfectly inside your Sony PS5 and comes with a heatsink.

The SN850X is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models, with the option of a heat sink for all but the 4TB version.

Often when you see a budget product, you need to be prepared to make sacrifices to save a bit of money. But with the Corsair MP600 PRO LPX, you can get a quality PS5 SSD while saving some cash.

The Corsair SSD can get up to 7,100MB/s sequential read and 6,800MB/s sequential write speeds, which is blazingly fast. However, these high speeds are reserved for the higher capacity 4TB model, which is anything but budget.

If you want to save money while upgrading your PS5, you'll have to deal with the lower sequential write speeds of the lower-capacity models. For the 500GB model, the write speed is down to 3,500MB/s, with the 1TB we recommend at 5,800MB/s.

While you do sacrifice the faster speeds compared to other SSDs on this list, Corsair also includes a heatsink in the MP600, so you can be sure it won't overheat in the console and fail. For the price, that's a great feature to have.

The Corsair MP600 PRO LPX is available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models, with the 1TB model offering a great balance of specs and price.

Sabrent may not be as well-known as other brands on this list, but its 4TB Rocket 4 Plus SSD is an admirable companion for your PS5. Along with a reasonable price and fast speeds, it includes a heatsink to protect your console from damage.

Like all PS5-compatible SSDs, this one is built to specific standards. The console requires speeds of at least 5,500MB/s, but Sabrent went above and beyond by building the Rocket 4 Plus with 7,100MB/s read speeds and 6,600MB/s write speeds. In other words, it should be impossible to tell the difference between running content on the native SSD and this one.

If you don't mind shopping for brands that aren't as popular, Sabrent has a lot to offer. It even comes with an installation guide and thermal tape to help you get it running without any hiccups. And with 4TB of space, you shouldn't have to delete any games ahead of a big launch.

If you're a gamer who feels the need for speed, the Crucial T700 Gen 5 NVMe M.2 SSD could be the one for you. It delivers sequential read and write speeds of up to 12,400MB/s and 11,800MB/s respectively, which is eye-wateringly fast.

Integrated within this superfast SDD is a premium aluminum heatsink to keep things nice and cool, making it as efficient as it is fast. However, if you want to save a few bucks, the T700 is also available in a bare version, without a heatsink. While it's great that both options are available, you should opt for the heatsink version if your budget can stretch to it.

With its super speeds, the T700 is capable of rendering high-resolution textures up to 60% faster and can load game files in mere seconds, giving it an edge in performance that few other SSDs can compete with.

Offering next-generation storage, the Crucial T700 is designed for high-performance gaming. It's arguably faster than you may actually need, although this does help to future-proof it somewhat.

We included the 1TB version of the Corsair MP600 PRO LPX above as our Best Budget pick, but the premium 8TB version is an absolute beast, so the same model makes our list twice, albeit in different capacities.

With sequential read and write speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and 6,100MB/s, it is impressively fast and comes with an almost inexhaustible amount of storage for your PS5 library. Exceeding all of Sony's M.2 performance requirements, game files load quickly and efficiently directly from this SSD.

It has an integrated heatsink to keep it running cool and reduce throttling, so you can use it without worrying about overheating.

However, with a price tag just shy of $1,000, this is an SSD for serious gamers only. For everyone else, you can find 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB versions that will suit smaller budgets and less grandiose game libraries.

The Western Digital 1TB P40 Game Drive SSD is both reasonably priced and impressive in terms of its performance. This gaming-focused external hard drive takes the same specs as the previous P50 and adds some customizable RGB lighting to jazz things up.

With read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s and 1,950MB/s,, respectively, it offers decent performance, although it tends to run a little hot over extended periods of use.

The build quality is impressive, and the P40 boasts a rugged and durable form factor. It's highly portable, too, thanks to its shock-resistant structure, which can protect it from a drop of up to two meters.

Unfortunately, it's not available in a larger 4TB capacity, so you'll have to make do with 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB versions. While not exactly a deal-breaker, it's something to consider if you plan to store a more comprehensive library of game files.

FAQ

How do I install an SSD into a PS5?

Installing an NVMe SSD into a PS5 is easy enough for just about anyone to accomplish...as long as you know your way around under your console's hood. Check out our full guide on installing an NVMe drive in your PlayStation 5 for more info.

What SSDs are compatible with a PS5?

While many SSDs are compatible with the PS5, some form factors are not. To upgrade your console's storage, you'll want to look for an M.2 NVMe SSD rather than a SATA alternative. All drives featured in this roundup are compatible with the PlayStation 5.

Do I need a heat sink with a PS5 SSD?

No, you do not technically need a heat sink with your SSD. A test run by Tom's Hardware found that removing the SSD cover, even without a heat sink in place, was enough heat dissipation to maintain comfortable temperatures while in use. However, a heat sink will certainly aid in keeping your SSD cool, calm, and collected during long or resource-hungry gaming sessions.

How many SSD slots does the PS5 have?

The PS5 offers one SSD expansion slot with support for up to 8TB of storage.

Can an external SSD play PS5 games?

While it may surprise you, the answer is no, you cannot run PS5 games directly from an external SSD. You can store as many games on the external drive as it allows, but when you want to play them, you'll have to copy them to the PS5's internal storage first. Once the game files are copied, you can run the game.

How many SSD slots does the PS5 have?

There is one expansion SSD slot available inside the PS5. You can also connect external SSDs using USB ports.