Internal M.2 SSD for PS5 | The best of 2022
After much talk, with the September 2021 update PS5 will support the addition of an internal M.2 SSD that will help you expand the console’s base 825 GB memory. The installation process (here our guide and complete video guide) is very simple and requires only a minimum of technical skill, since you will have to physically act on the console with a screwdriver, but it can hide pitfalls. For example, not all internal M.2 SSDs are supported (at least officially) by Sony and PS5 and these could compromise the functioning of the games or affect loading times. Others, on the other hand, do not have a heatsink and therefore require the user to purchase it separately.
In this guide you will therefore find a selection of only the best internal M.2 SSDs for PS5, which are not only perfectly compatible with the console , but they are also able to save you a little on the price.
Before proceeding, if you want, you can also take a look at the best external HDs for PS5, in case you are looking for devices intended for storage only, or to our other guides dedicated to PS5: the one to the best controllers and the one to the best accessories.
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Sony specific requirements
In this guide you will therefore find a selection of only the best internal M.2 SSDs for PS5, which are not only perfectly compatible with the console , but they are also able to save you a little on the price.
Before proceeding, if you want, you can also take a look at the best external HDs for PS5, in case you are looking for devices intended for storage only, or to our other guides dedicated to PS5: the one to the best controllers and the one to the best accessories.
Internal M.2 PS5 SSD, the best
Seagate FireCuda 530 SSD, the best Patriot Viper VP4300, the fastest Western Digital Black SN850, the optimized for gaming Samsung 980 PRO , the cheap but without heatsinkSeagate FireCuda 530 SSD, the best
Officially supported by Sony, among the fastest, with built-in heatsink and the one with the most memory cuts ever. If you want to expand your PS5's internal memory and squeeze its full potential, the Seagate FireCuda 530 is the internal SSD for you. The reading speed of this device goes well beyond the up to 5,500 MB / s required by Sony and reaches 7,300 MB / s so that even the heaviest game can run with the minimum of loads. The various cuts of available memory (500 GB - 4 TB) make it not only the best but at the same time the cheapest since you can take home the 500 GB one for just under 150 euros. Finally, you can also be sure at the level of warranty: this SSD in fact offers a 5-year warranty included in the price and up to 3 years of Rescue Data Recovery Service for data recovery in case of malfunction.View on Amazon
Patriot Viper VP4300, the fastest
If the speed of the previous Seagate still does not satisfy you and you want the best performing on the market, the solution proposed by Patriot with Viper VP4300 it is just what you are looking for. Imagine resetting the loading of any game, seeing boundless cities appear in the blink of an eye or switching from one menu to another without any slowdown. This Patriot SSD is able to give you all this with a reading speed that reaches 7,400 MB / s with a reduction in maximum loads. Moreover, thanks to the integrated heatsink, it is perfectly compatible with the internal slot of the PS5 and you will not have any problems with the assembly.View on Amazon
Western Digital Black SN850, the optimized for gaming
In this selection, of course, a product that comes from Western Digital, a brand of excellence in the field of memory devices, could not be missing. This is Western Digital Black SN850, always with integrated heatsink and which fits perfectly within the dimensions of the PS5 expansion slot. The proposed model, the Heatsink one, is also capable of minimizing thermal throttling while keeping every game at maximum performance (for the less accustomed to technical terms, thermal throttling is a situation that occurs when the heatsink cannot get rid of the excess heat generated by a CPU with too much work to manage. Consequently the CPU is forced to drop the performance of the device until the temperatures are brought back to a safe level. Even if the reading speed stops "only" at 7,000 MB / s, unlike the other devices proposed, this internal M.2 SSD from WD takes advantage of Next-gen PCIe Gen4 technology, specifically designed to improve gaming performance. And if all this is still not enough, know that it is also quite cheap.View at Amazon
Samsung 980 PRO, the cheap but without heatsink
Finally, if you are looking for an internal M.2 SSD for PS5 without heatsink hours (because maybe you already have one) we recommend the Samsung 980 PRO, currently the best among those that are sold without integrated heatsink. Also in this device the reading speed reaches "only" 7.000 MB / s remaining however much above what Sony required. Despite the lack of the heatsink, which can still be purchased separately for a few tens of euros, this device is one of the most performing and at the same time cheapest on the market. If we take for example the 2 TB model of this high quality memory, certified by the Samsung brand, the cost reaches 350 euros. A really cheap price and that hardly another manufacturer can match by adding at least 100 euros of difference for an SSD of the same size.View on Amazon
How to choose an M. 2 compatible with PS5
Sony has imposed very specific requirements for compatibility with an additional internal SSD which, if not respected, risk making your efforts in vain. Let's see which ones are to help you choose an internal SSD for PS5 along with other features that will help you choose the fastest and the one that best suits your budget. Sony specific requirements These are the official specifications released by Sony that must be considered before purchasing. So make sure whichever SSD you choose meets these features.
Interface: NVMe M.2 (Key M) SSD supported by PCI-Express Gen4x4 Storage memory: 250 GB - 4 TB Supported size: 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110 Dimensions including heat dissipation mechanism: Width up to 25 mm Length: 30/40/60/80/110 mm Depth: up to 11.25 mm (up to 8.0 mm from above the card, up to 2.45mm from under the card) Sequential read speed: 5,500MB / s or higher recommended Socket type Socket: 3 (Key M) Connection
As we have just seen, on this front there is little room for maneuver: the PS5 only supports M.2 SSDs. NVME with Socket 3 and type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110. No SATA, therefore, you must necessarily adhere to these specifications.
But why the NVME interface? This is a superior connection interface compared to the M.2 standard that allows data throughput greater than 3.5 GB per second. This means that an SSD with this interface is able to approach the speeds of the fastest memories ever, that is RAM.
Reading speed
The reading speed translates very simply into times loading. So the higher this is, the more the loading times will be zeroed and you will be able to play at lightning speed.
The SSDs recommended in this guide all have a reading speed of at least 7,000 MB / s. If you want to play at the highest levels, remember to aim for products with at least this speed.
Capacity
Sony allows you to combine the internal memory device with another SSD with memory between 250 GB and 4 TB. The choice, in this case, will depend a lot on your budget because absolutely nothing changes at the installation level. You like to keep the games saved on your SSD and always ready for use, so opt for a larger memory. If, on the other hand, you are the type to play and uninstall, then maybe a basic SSD is better, or maybe you don't really need an extra SSD. make pagan sacrifices to the god of fiber, even in this case an extra SSD could support you so you don't have to re-download the games.
If you choose to buy an internal SSD, our advice is to make a permanent purchase . In the sense that it is really useless to add 250 GB to the console. If you really have to buy one, get one of at least 2 TB or, better, 4 TB so as to cut the bull's head. This way you are ready to take on the greatness of the current generation games and to store whatever you want.
Heatsink
The dimensions of the slot for the PS5 internal SSD are very precise and do not allow a great deal of room for maneuver. For this reason, if you choose to buy an internal SSD with dimensions greater than the recommended you will have to go and buy it without a heatsink or deprive it of its heatsink to add a third-party one of the correct size. We believe that given the very little difference in price (a few tens of euros) it is preferable to buy an internal SSD that already has a heatsink with dimensions compatible with the PS5 slot so as to go and insert it without having to find a special heatsink. In case you still want to buy an SSD and then combine it with a heatsink, in this guide we also offer you the best internal SSDs for PS5 without a heatsink.
Brand
Western Digital, Seagate, Samsung and all the other brands recommended in this guide are the best in the PS5 SSD market. I don't say this because these companies have paid me to say it, but the thousands of positive reviews you can find on any store about these products do.
The PS5 SSDs made by these brands are products of great build quality, made to last over time, quick and easy to install. By choosing one of these brands instead of a discount device, you will have the security of playing in peace, with a guarantee and dedicated assistance. Of course, if you buy a product from a less famous or unknown brand, you are guaranteed to spend less, but how long will you play quietly?
Installation
To install your new internal SSD in the PS5 the steps to take are few and simple. Plus, you don't need any kind of absurd technical knowledge or specific tools. Just use the screwdriver indicated and follow the steps of this guide in which we have also included a video procedure so as to help you at 360 degrees.
Price
Finally, we come to the feature that most of all guides the our purchases: the price. Usually the products are divided by price ranges that guarantee you more or less functionality depending on the amount spent. In the case of a PS5 SSD, the features, speed or build quality are the same whether it is an SSD under 100 euros, or well over 400. Only the capacity changes, which as we have seen before can go from SSDs with 250 GB of memory (usually around 100 euros) up to those with 4 TB capacities (which instead are around 500 euros).
Our advice is to avoid SSDs more small: what do you do with SSDs that can be filled with about 3-4 games? Better to wait for the right opportunity and get a bigger PS5 SSD, perhaps at a good price. Well, this is the best time to buy SSDs for PS5 which, after a start that saw them reach stellar figures, now these products can be found even at half the price guaranteeing you the best in the sector without emptying your wallet! >
Interface: NVMe M.2 (Key M) SSD supported by PCI-Express Gen4x4 Storage memory: 250 GB - 4 TB Supported size: 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110 Dimensions including heat dissipation mechanism: Width up to 25 mm Length: 30/40/60/80/110 mm Depth: up to 11.25 mm (up to 8.0 mm from above the card, up to 2.45mm from under the card) Sequential read speed: 5,500MB / s or higher recommended Socket type Socket: 3 (Key M)
Connection
As we have just seen, on this front there is little room for maneuver: the PS5 only supports M.2 SSDs. NVME with Socket 3 and type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110. No SATA, therefore, you must necessarily adhere to these specifications.But why the NVME interface? This is a superior connection interface compared to the M.2 standard that allows data throughput greater than 3.5 GB per second. This means that an SSD with this interface is able to approach the speeds of the fastest memories ever, that is RAM.
Reading speed
The reading speed translates very simply into times loading. So the higher this is, the more the loading times will be zeroed and you will be able to play at lightning speed.The SSDs recommended in this guide all have a reading speed of at least 7,000 MB / s. If you want to play at the highest levels, remember to aim for products with at least this speed.
Capacity
Sony allows you to combine the internal memory device with another SSD with memory between 250 GB and 4 TB. The choice, in this case, will depend a lot on your budget because absolutely nothing changes at the installation level. You like to keep the games saved on your SSD and always ready for use, so opt for a larger memory. If, on the other hand, you are the type to play and uninstall, then maybe a basic SSD is better, or maybe you don't really need an extra SSD. make pagan sacrifices to the god of fiber, even in this case an extra SSD could support you so you don't have to re-download the games.If you choose to buy an internal SSD, our advice is to make a permanent purchase . In the sense that it is really useless to add 250 GB to the console. If you really have to buy one, get one of at least 2 TB or, better, 4 TB so as to cut the bull's head. This way you are ready to take on the greatness of the current generation games and to store whatever you want.
Heatsink
The dimensions of the slot for the PS5 internal SSD are very precise and do not allow a great deal of room for maneuver. For this reason, if you choose to buy an internal SSD with dimensions greater than the recommended you will have to go and buy it without a heatsink or deprive it of its heatsink to add a third-party one of the correct size. We believe that given the very little difference in price (a few tens of euros) it is preferable to buy an internal SSD that already has a heatsink with dimensions compatible with the PS5 slot so as to go and insert it without having to find a special heatsink. In case you still want to buy an SSD and then combine it with a heatsink, in this guide we also offer you the best internal SSDs for PS5 without a heatsink.Brand
Western Digital, Seagate, Samsung and all the other brands recommended in this guide are the best in the PS5 SSD market. I don't say this because these companies have paid me to say it, but the thousands of positive reviews you can find on any store about these products do.The PS5 SSDs made by these brands are products of great build quality, made to last over time, quick and easy to install. By choosing one of these brands instead of a discount device, you will have the security of playing in peace, with a guarantee and dedicated assistance. Of course, if you buy a product from a less famous or unknown brand, you are guaranteed to spend less, but how long will you play quietly?
Installation
To install your new internal SSD in the PS5 the steps to take are few and simple. Plus, you don't need any kind of absurd technical knowledge or specific tools. Just use the screwdriver indicated and follow the steps of this guide in which we have also included a video procedure so as to help you at 360 degrees.Price
Finally, we come to the feature that most of all guides the our purchases: the price. Usually the products are divided by price ranges that guarantee you more or less functionality depending on the amount spent. In the case of a PS5 SSD, the features, speed or build quality are the same whether it is an SSD under 100 euros, or well over 400. Only the capacity changes, which as we have seen before can go from SSDs with 250 GB of memory (usually around 100 euros) up to those with 4 TB capacities (which instead are around 500 euros).Our advice is to avoid SSDs more small: what do you do with SSDs that can be filled with about 3-4 games? Better to wait for the right opportunity and get a bigger PS5 SSD, perhaps at a good price. Well, this is the best time to buy SSDs for PS5 which, after a start that saw them reach stellar figures, now these products can be found even at half the price guaranteeing you the best in the sector without emptying your wallet! >