Your PlayStation 5 has a lot of internal storage to play with, but it’s not an infinite supply of bytes. If you’ve noticed your available space is running low, it might be time to invest in a standalone SSD, otherwise known as a solid-state drive. There are more options in this consumer tech category than ever, which can actually make the research process a little daunting. We’re here to make things easier though.
We have a lot of experience when it comes to vetting and testing external storage mediums, so we’ve created this roundup of the five best PS5 SSDs to share our expertise.
The Samsung 990 PRO line of SSDs now has a version with a heatsink installed, making it easy to use with the PS5. While the 1, 2, and 4TB versions are all favored and have equally good hardware, the 2TB version hits the sweet spot in terms of price, usability, and overall customer satisfaction.
You’ll find that the Samsung 990 Pro SSD is uses high-quality materials, a premium construction, and is (oddly enough for an SSD) feature rich. Starting with the all-important heatsink, this SSD uses a nickel-coated controller. While copper may, on a theoretical level, provide more heat conductance, Nickel heatsinks are effectively just as good and provide for other interesting properties. And this is especially so when combined with Samsung’s Thermal Interface Material (TIM) that runs along the top and bottom of the SSD.
Next, speed. The Samsung 990 Pro SSD provides increased speeds for loading games than previous Samsung SSDs and, it appears, is reaching the edges of capabilities in what a PS5 can handle. In short, this is a lighting-fast SSD. But it’s definitely veering on the edge of being overkill. If it weren’t so fairly priced, and especially so at the 2TB level, that might be a problem. It even has features like RGB lights on the exterior (invisible from within your PS5) and “Samsung Magician” software that’s really only useful if you plug your SSD into a PC. This is one of the best PS5 SSDs for a reason, however, as it was built with quality and usability in mind from start to finish.
For many gamers, the WD Black SN850P will be the only PS5 SSD ever looked it. It’s officially licensed, has a heatsink, and comes with a perfect review score (at the time of this writing) over at Best Buy after over 700 reviews. Additionally, it comes from the highly popular WD (Western Digital) brand, who is known for making some of the best PS5 SSDs around.
The exterior of the WD Black SN850P’s heatsink has a PlayStation logo on it, signifying the partnership that made this an officially licensed product. Skeptical consumers will worry this is just an excuse to make the product more expensive while providing lower extra value. On the contrary, we’re finding that the price is right (especially when on sale) and value to the consumer is high. This SSD’s heatsink is built to the needs of a PS5’s SSD slot, and it has the stamp to prove it.
One of the few complaints (it’s hard to find issues with this product) you might find is the lack of product-specific installation instructions. Note that you really shouldn’t need any, as PlayStation’s video installation guide is so thorough that you should not have any trouble.
For most gamers, a 4TB SSD for PS5, like the FireCuda 530 4TB will be the highest amount of space they could possibly want. Since large sizes tend to also mean longer and more consistent overall usage, it pays to get something that can make it in the long run. The FireCuda 530 has consistently proven it can do just that for thousands and thousands of regular users.
In everyday use, you’ll like its high read and write speeds, which collectively average out just above the 7,000MB/s level. Note that manufacturer-provided materials suggest a 7,300MB/s read speed for the FireCuda 530, their spec sheet labels the 4TB version as topping out around 7,250MB/s. In practice, you’ll see different consumer speed reports depending on actions performed, but the consensus is that the FireCuda 530 works fast. Additionally, the provided heatsink is highly effective at controlling and normalizing the SSD’s temperature, reducing heat-related speed dips and maintaining the longevity needed for a PS5 SSD.
And, speaking of longevity, it is a crucial factor to be one of the best PS5 SSDs at the 4TB level. In addition to the heatsink, the chassis is designed with materials that dissipate heat, thereby protecting your hardware. On the interior, the components are supposed to last 1.8 million hours, which is enough for your grandchildren to have been born and died. It has a 5,100TB TBW rating, meaning it can rewrite up to 5,100 TB before exhausting its power. In the words of SeaGate, the FireCuda 530’s manufacturer, you can “rewrite 70% of the drive capacity every day for 5 years.” And, speaking of 5 years, that also happens to be the warranty time for this SSD.
A lot of gamer’s are going to find the 8TB of this version of the Corsair MP600 PRO LPX to be overkill, but if you want the power (you know who you are) this is the one to get.
At large, the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX is already considered to be one of the best PS5 accessories, with the 1TB version being an affordable pickup. However, our analysis show that this product does really well amongst 8TB competitors as well, combining affordability with quality design. While it is slightly slower than the competition (‘slightly’ being the operative word), you appreciate it for its form factor and internal heat spreading.
The Nextorage Japan 1TB SSD, like most 1TB SSDs, has quite good pricing. Again, most 1TB SSDs are going to be somewhat affordable, and if you like the branding or speeds on any of the earlier models, you can find their 1TB SSD versions from the appropriate store page. The Nextorage Japan SSD, however, beats them out as one of the best PS5 SSDs on a budget due to its rare combination of having a heatsink and being under $75. It’s something not to be missed.
Of course, not everything is perfect. A few users have complained about having issues getting the Nextorage Japan installed and read by the PS5, though they are few and far between. This is a 4.7 stars (at the time of this writing) product over on Amazon, even after 2,000+ customer ratings. Less than 1% of users have mentioned this issue. Still, if you’re wanting another low cost alternative that has less of a chance of being fiddly, we once again suggest you check out the other best of the best PS5 SSDs on this list and find their 1TB edition.
