Internal M.2 SSDs for PS5 | The best of 2023
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 on the best controllers and the one on the best accessories.
Internal M.2 SSD PS5, 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 economic 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 the internal memory of your PS5 and squeeze its potential to the maximum, the Seagate FireCuda 530 is the internal SSD for you. The reading speed of this device goes far beyond the up to 5,500 MB/s required by Sony and reaches 7,300 MB/s in order to run even the heaviest game with minimal loading. The various available memory cuts (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 in terms of warranty: in fact, this SSD offers a 5-year warranty included in the price and up to 3 years of Rescue Data Recovery Service for data recovery in the event of a malfunction.
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Patriot Viper VP4300, the fastest
If the speed of the previous Seagate still doesn't satisfy you and you want the fastest performing on the market, the solution proposed by Patriot with Viper VP4300 is just what you are looking for. Imagine zero-loading any game, seeing huge cities appear in the blink of an eye or switching between menus without any slowdown. This Patriot SSD is able to give you all of this with a read speed that reaches 7,400 MB/s with maximum load reduction. Furthermore, thanks to the integrated heatsink, it is perfectly compatible with the internal slot of the PS5 and you will have no problems with assembly.
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Western Digital Black SN850, the optimized for gaming
Of course, this selection could not miss a product that comes from Western Digital, a brand of excellence in the field of memory devices . We are talking about Western Digital Black SN850, also with integrated heatsink and which fits perfectly into the size of the PS5 expansion slot. The proposed model, the Heatsink one, is also capable of reducing thermal throttling to a minimum while keeping each game at maximum performance (for those less accustomed to technical terms, thermal throttling is a situation that occurs when the heatsink is unable to get rid of the excess heat generated by a CPU with too much work to handle. As a result, the CPU is forced to drop device performance until temperatures return to a safe level. Even if the read speed stops "only" at 7,000 MB/s, unlike the other devices offered, this internal M.2 SSD from WD takes advantage of the Next-gen PCIe Gen4 technology, specifically designed to improve gaming performance.And if all this is still not enough for you, know that it is also quite cheap.
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Samsung 980 PRO, the economic but without heatsink
Finally, if you are looking for an M.2 SSD internal for PS5 without heatsink (because maybe you already have one) we recommend the Samsung 980 PRO, currently the best among those sold without integrated heatsink. Also in this device the reading speed reaches "only" 7,000 MB/s while remaining far above what Sony requires. Despite the lack of a heat sink, which can still be purchased separately for a few tens of euros, this device is one of the best 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 that another manufacturer can hardly match by adding at least 100 euros of difference for an SSD of the same size.
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How to choose a PS5 compatible M.2 SSD
Sony has imposed very specific requirements for compatibility with an additional internal SSD which, if not met, risk making your efforts in vain. Let's see what they are to help you choose an internal SSD for PS5 along with other features that will help you choose the fastest one and the one that best suits your budget. Sony specific requirements These are the official specifications released by Sony which must be taken into consideration before purchasing. So make sure that whatever SSD you choose respects these characteristics.
Interface : NVMe M.2 (Key M) SSD supported by PCI-Express Gen4x4 Storage memory : 250 GB – 4 TB Sizes supported : 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110 Dimensions including heat sink 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 top the card, up to 2.45 mm from under the card) Sequential Read Speed : 5,500 MB/s or faster recommended Socket Type Socket : 3 (Key M) Connection
As we just saw, 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 comply with these specifications.
But why the NVME interface? It is a superior connection interface compared to the M.2 standard which allows a data transfer rate of more 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, i.e. RAM.
Reading speed
Reading speed translates very simply into times loading . So the higher this is, the more loading times will be eliminated and you will be able to play at lightning speed.
The SSDs recommended in this guide all have a read 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 add another SSD with memory between 250 GB and 4TB . The choice, in this case, will depend a lot on your budget because absolutely nothing changes at the installation level. Do you like to keep your games saved on your SSD and always ready to use, then opt for a larger memory. If, on the other hand, you play and uninstall, then maybe a basic SSD is better, or maybe you don't really need an extra SSD.
If you have a fairly poor connection and every time you download a game you usually make pagan sacrifices to the god of fiber, also in this case an extra SSD could be of support so as not to have to re-download the games.
If you choose to buy an internal SSD our advice is to make a definitive purchase . In the sense that it's 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. In this way you will be ready to face the greatness of the games of the current generation and to store everything you want.
Heatsink
The dimensions of the slot for the PS5 internal SSD are very precise and do not allow much room for manoeuvre. For this reason, if you choose to buy an internal SSD with dimensions larger than the recommended ones, you will have to go and buy it without a heatsink or deprive it of its heatsink to add a third-party one with the correct dimensions. We believe that given the very small price difference (a few tens of euros) it is preferable to buy an internal SSD that already has a heat sink with dimensions compatible with the PS5 slot so as to go and insert it without having to find a special heat sink. However, if you 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'm not saying this because these companies paid me to say it, but the thousands of positive reviews that you can find on any store about these products say it.
The SSDs for PS5 made by these brands are products of great build quality, made to last over time, quick and simple to install. By choosing one of these brands instead of a discount device, you will be sure to play in peace, with a guarantee and dedicated assistance. Of course, by taking a product from a less famous or unknown brand, you will be guaranteed to spend less, but how long will you play without worries?
Installation
To install your new internal SSD in the PS5 the steps to take are few and simple. Plus, you won't need any crazy technical knowledge or specific tools. All you need is the indicated screwdriver and follow the steps in this guide in which we have also included a video procedure 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 into 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. What changes is only the capacity, which as we have seen before can ranging from SSDs with 250 GB of memory (usually around 100 euros) up to those with 4 TB capacities (which are around 500 euros instead).
Our advice is to avoid SSDs small : what do you do with SSDs that can be filled by about 3-4 games? Better to wait for the right occasion and get a bigger SSD for PS5 maybe 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 also be found 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 Sizes supported : 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110 Dimensions including heat sink 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 top the card, up to 2.45 mm from under the card) Sequential Read Speed : 5,500 MB/s or faster recommended Socket Type Socket : 3 (Key M)
Connection
As we just saw, 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 comply with these specifications.But why the NVME interface? It is a superior connection interface compared to the M.2 standard which allows a data transfer rate of more 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, i.e. RAM.
Reading speed
Reading speed translates very simply into times loading . So the higher this is, the more loading times will be eliminated and you will be able to play at lightning speed.The SSDs recommended in this guide all have a read 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 add another SSD with memory between 250 GB and 4TB . The choice, in this case, will depend a lot on your budget because absolutely nothing changes at the installation level. Do you like to keep your games saved on your SSD and always ready to use, then opt for a larger memory. If, on the other hand, you play and uninstall, then maybe a basic SSD is better, or maybe you don't really need an extra SSD.If you have a fairly poor connection and every time you download a game you usually make pagan sacrifices to the god of fiber, also in this case an extra SSD could be of support so as not to have to re-download the games.
If you choose to buy an internal SSD our advice is to make a definitive purchase . In the sense that it's 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. In this way you will be ready to face the greatness of the games of the current generation and to store everything you want.
Heatsink
The dimensions of the slot for the PS5 internal SSD are very precise and do not allow much room for manoeuvre. For this reason, if you choose to buy an internal SSD with dimensions larger than the recommended ones, you will have to go and buy it without a heatsink or deprive it of its heatsink to add a third-party one with the correct dimensions. We believe that given the very small price difference (a few tens of euros) it is preferable to buy an internal SSD that already has a heat sink with dimensions compatible with the PS5 slot so as to go and insert it without having to find a special heat sink. However, if you 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'm not saying this because these companies paid me to say it, but the thousands of positive reviews that you can find on any store about these products say it.The SSDs for PS5 made by these brands are products of great build quality, made to last over time, quick and simple to install. By choosing one of these brands instead of a discount device, you will be sure to play in peace, with a guarantee and dedicated assistance. Of course, by taking a product from a less famous or unknown brand, you will be guaranteed to spend less, but how long will you play without worries?
Installation
To install your new internal SSD in the PS5 the steps to take are few and simple. Plus, you won't need any crazy technical knowledge or specific tools. All you need is the indicated screwdriver and follow the steps in this guide in which we have also included a video procedure 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 into 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. What changes is only the capacity, which as we have seen before can ranging from SSDs with 250 GB of memory (usually around 100 euros) up to those with 4 TB capacities (which are around 500 euros instead).Our advice is to avoid SSDs small : what do you do with SSDs that can be filled by about 3-4 games? Better to wait for the right occasion and get a bigger SSD for PS5 maybe 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 also be found at half the price, guaranteeing you the best in the sector without emptying your wallet!
