- The PlayStation 5 comes with upgradable storage with an extra M.2 slot.
- Samsung 990 Pro and Corsair MP600 Pro LPX are great, high-performance SSDs for PS5.
- Some of the budget options include the GM7009 from Acer, Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus, and T-Force Cardea A440.
Do you want to install more games on your PS5 but are worried about the internal storage space running out? After all, the PS5 only comes with an 825GB NVMe SSD, out of which only 667.2 GB of storage space is accessible. However, the console has an additional SSD slot to upgrade the storage. Adding an SSD is one of the biggest upgrades you can make to your PS5, and if you’re looking for the best SSD to buy for your PS5, here are all of them.
Prerquisites for a PS5 SSD
There are certain things you should remember when adding an SSD to your PS5. For example, you cannot add an SSD that’s thicker than 11.25mm. Moreover, not all SSDs are made equal. So, not all 2TB or 4 TB SSDs are slim enough to fit in the PS5’s M.2 slot with the slot cover. Keep an eye out on the “Available Capacities” section in our list below will only mention those that can fit in the PS5 SSD slot.
Most of the SSDs included in the list below come with a heatsink, so they are plug-and-play. You can easily choose one of them and install the SSD on your PS5 using our guide. But for SSDs without a heatsink, you must confirm the compatibility as well as buy a heatsink (listed below) with the thickness.
1. Samsung 990 Pro – Fastest SSD for PS5
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,450/6,900 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 600 (1TB), 1200 (2TB), 2400 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
The 990 Pro from Samsung is Hands down, the fastest M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD you can buy for storing PS5 games with sequential Read and Write speeds of 7,450 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s, respectively. The SSD uses Samsung V-NAND and is an MLC unit. Besides, there are two variants of the SSD – one that comes with a heatsink and one without. The heatsink versions cost $50-$70 more than the regular 990 Pro unit.
Samsung exclusively sells the 990 Pro as a PS5-ready SSD so you know it will easily fit inside the PS5. There are three storage variants to choose from — 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. Samsung has been in the SSD business for as long as we can remember. The way their regular consumer PC and laptop SSDs are built, we can vouch that the 990 Pro is one of the best SSDs you can get for PS5 in the market. Sure, it’s not an all-rounder but it’s the fastest SSD you can get if that’s all that matters to you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fastest in the business. | Expensive |
| Great write endurance | |
| 4TB capacity available | |
| Is usually discounted |
2. Corsair MP600 PRO LPX – Best Overall PS5 SSD
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,100/5,800 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 350 (500GB), 700 (1TB), 1400 (2TB), 3000 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Corsair’s MP600 PRO LPX is a value-for-money choice, undercutting the price of many other options on this list. It isn’t the fastest with sequential Read/Write speeds of 7100 MB/s and 6800 MB/s, respectively on the top-end 2TB/4TB models. For the price you pay for this PS5 SSD, you also get a low-profile heatsink, perfect for PS5. The 1TB variant of the SSD can sometimes go for the same price as the 500GB variant during sales, making this the best value-for-money PS5 SSD you can buy.
The feature list also mentions that this SSD is “Optimized for PS5,” which is great. Corsair is a leading brand in the gaming hardware space, and you can definitely consider their SSD for upgrading your console’s storage. Even the 4TB variant is supported on PS5, so you can store many games on this. But, make sure you get the PRO LPX model as the non-pro variant does not meet the recommended speed requirements.
Pros Cons Includes heatsink for plug-n-play None as such Value for money pick Fast read/write speeds 4TB capacity available
3. WD Black SN850/ SN850X – Specifically Made for PS5
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,300/6,600 (1TB)
- TBW Rating: 300 (500GB SN850), 600 (1TB SN850X), 1200 (2TB SN850X)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB (without heatsink)
The WD Black SN850/ SN850X is one of the fastest PS5 SSDs you can buy right now. The variants that include a heatsink are confirmed to work well with the PlayStation 5. The SN850X has a read and write speed of 7300 MB/s and 6300 MB/s, respectively, which is well above the PS5’s recommended 5500MB/s.
It is available in capacities of up to 2 TB, so you can store tons of games on it. It’s a very popular option among users upgrading their PS5’s storage. Coming from Western Digital, a highly reputed brand, it’s a top contender for your PS5 SSD upgrade. There is a 4TB option, but it doesn’t include a heatsink, so we did not include that option.
Pros Cons Includes heatsink 4TB variant does not include a heatsink Very fast read/write speeds Expensive compared to the competition Plug-and-play for PS5
4. Seagate FireCuda 530 – Longest-Lasting SSD for PS5
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,300/6,000 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 640 (500GB), 1275 (1TB), 2550 (2TB), 5100 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Seagate Firecuda 530 is one of the fastest drives they offer, and the variant we linked includes a low-profile heatsink designed by EKWB. It has a maximum read and write speed of 7300 MB/s and 6900 MB/s. While the 2TB & 4TB models are a bit thicker, they will fit well within the clearance of your PS5’s M.2 SSD slot.
Seagate is a well-known brand in the industry, so, you can consider their Firecuda 530 SSD for your PS5 storage upgrade. You also get Seagate’s Rescue Data Recovery Services with this drive. So, if you were looking for a 4TB PS5 SSD, this is a great pick.
Pros Cons Includes heatsink for plug-n-play None as such 4TB Capacity Available Higher TBW rating than other options Very fast read/write speeds
5. Kingston Fury Renegade – Great Endurance Rating
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,300/6,000 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 500 (500GB), 1000 (1TB), 2000 (2TB), 4000 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
The Kingston brand is quite well-known for SSD, DRAM, and other storage products. The Fury Renegade SSD is a speedy option and is a suitable option for your PS5 SSD upgrade. It has read & write speeds of up to 7300 MB/s & 7000 MB/s respectively on higher-capacity (2TB/4TB) models.
It’s not a budget pick, but priced well and remains to be a good contender and they have officially mentioned compatibility with the PS5. Furthermore, there are four storage variants to offer and all of them come with a heatsink. The Gen4 performance combined with included heatsink and amazing endurance make it one of the best SSDs to get for your PS5.
Pros Cons Has the highest endurance rating of any SSD None Very fast read/write speeds More affordable than top-end options
6. Silicon Power XS70 – Best Budget SSD
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,300/6,000 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 700 (1TB), 1400 (2TB), 3000 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
The Silicone Power brand is known for its affordable products, and the XS70 SSD is no exception. It’s officially PS5 compatible and this SSD comes at quite a decent price point, so you can definitely consider it to upgrade your PS5’s storage without going over your budget. It can be a good 4TB SSD for PS5 as the brand does offer that capacity as well.
The read & write speed tops out at 7,300 MB/s and 6,800 MB/s respectively, for the 2TB/4TB variants. It has a compatible heatsink, and when you think of that inclusion at this price point it definitely shapes up to be one of the best budget PS5 SSDs to buy.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Value for money | No 500GB variant |
| Includes heatsink for plug-n-play | |
| Very fast read/write speeds |
7. T-Force Cardea A440 – Affordable SSD for PS5
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,000/5,500 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 700 (1TB), 1400 (2TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 1TB, 2TB
The T-Force brand offers several popular hardware products and their Cardea A440 SSD is a great pick. Aimed toward PS5 users, this SSD is a great pick with the overall feature set and the fact that it comes at quite a competitive price. Its rated performance maxes out at read & write speeds of 7000 MB/ & 6900 MB/s respectively on the 2TB variant.
Furthermore, it includes a graphene heatsink that fits nicely and keeps the temperatures down. For users looking for a 4TB PS5 SSD to store several new games, you can buy this SSD and use the included slim heatsink. T-Force is generous enough to bundle a second aluminum heatsink available in the box (Yes, you get two!) but it’s too thick for the PS5 and can be used if you’re installing the SSD in a PC.
Pros Cons Includes heatsink for plug-n-play No 500GB/4TB variants Fast read/write speeds Value for money pick
8. Crucial P5 Plus
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 6,600/5,000 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 300 (500GB) 600 (1TB), 1200 (2TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
The Crucial P5 Plus is a good choice for your PS5 SSD upgrade, coming from a reliable brand that is well-known for its storage & RAM products. This is a solid SSD that is compatible with the PS5 and while it’s not that cheap, it’s still available at a more appealing price point compared to flagship options. There’s a small caveat – you’ll need to purchase a heatsink separately like the ones mentioned in the last section of this guide.
The read & write speed is rated at 6600 MB/s & 5000 MB/s respectively, so it’s definitely a little slower than other options on this list. But, after observing the experience of many users, there is little to no difference with SSDs that are under 7000 MB/s read speeds. It is still above the PS5 requirements, so don’t worry too much because every PS5 game will run fine on it.
Pros Cons More affordable than top-end options No 4TB variant Decent read/write speeds Comes with a heat sink
9. Samsung 980 Pro SSD – Second Best Samsung SSD for PS5
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,000/5,000 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 600 (1TB), 1200 (2TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 1TB, 2TB
Samsung 980 Pro is our next choice in PS5 SSD recommendations. The variant we have included comes with a heatsink, and it’s designed to be PS5-compatible. With read and write speeds of 7000 MB/s and 5100 MB/s, respectively, this SSD is speedy enough for your PS5.
So, the Samsung 980 Pro is plenty fast and one of the top-selling SSDs for PS5. While the Samsung 990 Pro is technically faster, the user experience shows that the PS5 can’t reach the advertised speeds of that SSD, so it doesn’t make sense to spend more to get it. This SSD is also available in capacities of up to 4TB.
Pros Cons Includes heatsink for plug-n-play No 512GB/4TB variants Fast read/write speeds Often available at deal prices
10. Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus – Second-Best Affordable SSD
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,000/5,800 (1TB)
- TBW Capacity: 350 (500GB), 700 (1TB), 1400 (2TB), 2800 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Sabrent is a known brand and sells a variety of storage solutions. The Rocket 4 Plus SSD is a suitable option for your PS5. The top-end 1TB and 2TB variants have read & write speeds of 7000 MB/s and 6850 MB/s. Although it’s available in up to 8TB capacities, the PS5 doesn’t support anything beyond 4TB so we haven’t linked that model.
They include a heatsink as well which they previously didn’t used to. However, if you bought one without the heatsink, you can buy it separately for $16.99 on Amazon. Overall, we’d definitely recommend getting the Rocket 4 Plus if you’re looking for a good SSD for PS5.
Pros Cons Fast read/write speeds Price is slightly on the higher side 4TB Capacity Available More affordable than top-end options
11. Acer Predator GM7000 – Cheapest SSD for PS5
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,400/6.400
- TBW Capacity: 300 (512GB), 600 (1TB), 1300 (2TB), 2600 (4TB)
- Heatsink Included: No
- Available Capacities: 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB
When we talk SSDs, Acer isn’t one of the first names that comes to mind. The GM7000 is a PCIe Gen4 SSD. Acer claims read/write speeds of 7400 MB/s and 6400 MB/s and the SSD comes with DRAM cache as well. Acer offers 5 years of warranty and the TBW ratings are quite low compared to other SSDs on the list. The ratings for 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB are 300, 600, 1300, and 2600.
The GM7000 is the cheapest PS5 SSDs you can find on Amazon with the 512GB version starting at $54 and the 2TB variant costing $140. The endurance ratings are definitely concerning but if you’re looking for a cheap SSD for PS5 with lots of storage, the Predator GM7000 is the one to get.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extremely value for money | Very low endurance ratings |
| Fast read/write speeds | |
| 5-year warranty | |
| Available in 4TB capacity | |
12. Seagate Game Drive – Certified PS5 SSD
- Read/Write Speed (MB/s): 7,300/6,000 MB/s
- TBW Capacity: 1,250 (1TB), 2550 (2TB)
- Heatsink Included: Yes
- Available Capacities: 1TB/2TB
Look carefully at the above key specifications. See something extremely different than other non-Seagate SSDs? Yes, the Seagate Game Drive, alongside the Firecuda 530 are drives that have more TBW rating than their actual capacities. This translates to high endurance, meaning the drives can last for eons. The 1TB variant has a 1250 TBW rating whereas the 2TB variant has 2550 TBW.
The Game Drive is certified and licensed to be used on the PS5; hence, no compatibility issues. Besides, the drive is relatively cheaper at just shy of $100 for the 1TB variant and $200 for the 2TB variant.
Overall, if you’re someone who writes and deletes a lot of data from a drive like adding and deleting the games and then adding them back again, realistically you still shouldn’t be able to exhaust the TBW, but this makes the Seagate Game Drive one of the best SSDs for PS5.
Pros Cons Value for money No 4TB option Fast read/write speeds 5-year warranty Exceptional endurance ratings
Best PS5 M.2 SSD Heatsinks
Before you decide on buying a PS5 SSD, you should look into its specifications under the SSD manufacturer’s website, and note down the SSD’s height. You need to ensure that after adding an M.2 SSD heatsink, the total thickness/height is under 11.25mm, as stated by Sony as anything above that won’t fit.
Some users have been removing the PS5 M.2 expansion slot cover, but it’s not recommended to do so. A few of these options include a replacement cover. That said, if you already have an SSD that meets the criterion to be used in a PS5, then you’d only need a heatsink. Here are some suitable PS5 M.2 SSDs heatsinks you can easily install SSD in PS5:
- Sabrent M.2 NVMe PS5 Heatsink ($16.99)
- PNY XLR8 SSD Cover & Heatsink for PS5 ($19.99)
- ELUTENG M.2 2280 Heatsink for PS5/PC Double-Sided Heat Sink ($8.98)
- GRAUGEAR PS5 SSD Cover & Heatsink ($18.95)
- M.2 Heatsink Copper with Silicone Thermal Pad ($6.99, Slimmest)
PS5 games can get quite big, with Gran Turismo 7 needing around 185GB to install. Warzone 2 and CoD MW 2 can take up 200GB of your PS5’s storage.
This depends upon the user’s requirements. A 1TB SSD can store around 5 to 10 games, while a 2TB SSD can store around 15-20 games. This is a rough estimate considering how big PS5 games can get.
An external SSD does not slow down PS5, but you can only install PS4 games on it.
Yes! A 1TB or 2TB SSD doesn’t have to cost too much, and you’ll be able to store twice or thrice as many games as before.
The PS5 SSD you should buy must meet your storage requirements, so accordingly get the right capacity. The Corsair MP600 Pro LPX is our recommended PS5 SSD to buy for its price and the inclusion of a heatsink, makes it a plug-and-play SSD for PS5.
Yes, it’s necessary for the heatsink to be installed along with the SSD. Otherwise, your storage drive might overheat and you might observe slowdowns when playing games.
A 1TB SSD can store around 5-10 PS5 games, but it is also based on their size. This is because, several high-end PS5 games can take up 150-200GB of your storage.
While all SSDs can work with the PS5, only PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs that are installed in the PS5’s dedicated M.2 SSD expansion slot will support installing & running PS5 games.
