The best SSD for PS5 in 2024: Top M.2 solid-state drives

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If you're running out of space on your PS5, you can expand your console's storage by installing an internal solid-state drive (SSD). But the system requires a certain type of drive, so you must ensure that the model you buy is an NVMe M.2 SSD. To help you easily find a compatible drive, we've picked the best SSDs for PS5 across various speeds and budgets.  

The best SSDs for PS5 all deliver the specifications needed to both store and play PS5 games, but there are slight differences between certain models. We've researched all of the top drives to determine which are best for certain needs, whether you're looking for a great all-around M.2 SSD that balances price and performance like the Corsair MP600 PRO LPX, or you want the absolute fastest loading times with a top-speed drive like the Samsung 990 Pro.

Sony recommends that you use a heatsink with any PS5 SSD you buy, so all of our best SSD for PS5 picks come with one built-in. However, it's possible to purchase a PS5 SSD without a heatsink and then buy one separately. With that in mind, we've also included a heatsink recommendation.

Our top picks for the best SSD for PS5

Best overall: Corsair 1TB MP600 PRO LPX - See at Amazon

Best budget: Crucial 1TB P5 Plus - See at Amazon

Best for speed: Samsung 1TB 990 PRO - See at Amazon

Best for big storage: XPG 4TB Gammix S70 Blade - See at Amazon

Best separate heatsink: Sabrent M.2 NVMe PS5 Heatsink - See at Amazon

Best overall

The Corsair MP600 Pro checks all the boxes we look for in a PS5 SSD. It's a reliable NVMe M.2 solid-state drive with a read speed exceeding Sony's recommended minimum and a reasonable price tag. It also offers the most options for expanding your PS5 SSD storage, with sizes starting at 500GB and going up to 8TB. 

Like all our picks, this SSD has a heatsink preinstalled and fits easily into the console's expansion slot. The read and write speeds of the Corsair MP600 rank just below the fastest SSDs for PS5, but its specs are more than enough to deliver fantastic performance with speedy load times. And the affordable price point, especially for the 1TB option, makes it our top choice for most people looking to expand their PS5 storage.

Best budget

The Crucial P5 Plus M.2 SSD provides great value for its available capacity. The 1TB drive is often on sale for under $100, and it sometimes dips down to under $60, which makes it the least expensive 1TB model on our guide. 

While its listed specifications state a read speed of 6,600 MB/s, our PS5 showed a speed of around 5,500 MB/s when formatting the drive. Though slower than anticipated, that's still enough to meet the system's recommendation, and despite this discrepancy, we didn't encounter any notable drawbacks when playing games off the drive.

On the downside, the largest available size is 2TB; we would love to see a larger 4TB model as a low-priced alternative to some of our other picks.

Note: Crucial has replaced this model with its new T500 SSD that claims to deliver up to a 7,300 MB/s read speed. But we still recommend the P5 Plus since it remains available for less money.

Best for speed

Samsung's 990 PRO is the best SSD for PS5 if you want one of the absolute fastest drives you can get for your console. It narrowly edges out the competition thanks to its lightning-fast read speed of 7,450 MB/s and a similarly impressive 6,900 MB/s write speed. 

These specs will translate to incredibly snappy load times, but it's important to remember that the real-world performance difference between this card and our other picks will be minimal when actually playing, downloading, and transferring games. Yes, you'll likely save an extra few seconds here and there, but all PS5 M.2 SSDs are fast in their own right. Still, this is the pick to go with if you want to rest easy knowing you're truly yielding the most efficient performance you can get. 

The Samsung 990 Pro is a bit pricier than similar-sized drives, but it's far from the most expensive on the market, especially considering its great performance.

Best for big storage

The XPG Gammix S70 Blade is one of the only PS5-ready SSDs we found that has 4TB of storage for a typical street price of less than $300. Most 4TB drives are priced at $350 or higher outside limited-time deals. 

While the PS5 can support up to 8TB SSDs, those drives cost $750 to $800, so we can't recommend buying an 8TB PS5 SSD until their prices drop.

While the S70 Blade reports a maximum read speed of 7,400 MB/s, the SSD is actually limited to about 6,100 MB/s with the PS5. While that's a noteworthy difference on paper, it still beats the recommended speed of 5,500 MB/s and you're not likely to see much of an actual speed difference during real-world applications.

However, one potential downside of this model is its heatsink. It has a thin aluminum heat spreader that isn't as heavy-duty as some traditional heatsink designs. This shouldn't be an issue for most use cases, but buyers particularly worried about heat management may want to go with a different model. 

Best separate heatsink

While all of our best SSD for PS5 picks have a built-in heatsink or heat spreader, buying a separate heatsink for an NVMe M.2 SSD that doesn't already have one is possible. Sabrent's affordable option completely replaces the PS5's expansion bay door. The aluminum heatsink helps absorb extra heat from the SSD and keeps the rest of your console cool.

By replacing the PS5's expansion door, this heatsink avoids size conflicts that could prevent it from fitting inside the expansion bay with the hard drive. The PlayStation 5 can technically run an expansion SSD with no heatsink attached, but Sony recommends using one. 

It should be noted that adding a heatsink to a drive that already has one may cause unforeseen issues, so you should only use this accessory with a PS5 SSD that does not include a built-in heatsink or spreader.

PS5 SSD FAQs

What type of built-in SSD storage does the PS5 come with?

The original PlayStation 5 console released in 2020 came with an 825GB M.2 NVMe SSD; about 667.2 GB of that space is usable after the required software is installed. The new slim redesign of the PS5 released in November 2023 comes with a slightly higher capacity 1TB solid-state drive that leaves 842.2GB of usable space after necessary installations.

Both digital and disc drive versions of the PS5 contain the same amount of built-in storage.

What are the internal M.2 SSD PS5 requirements?

To work properly with a PS5, an internal M.2 solid-state drive must have a minimum of 250GB of storage with a sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s. The drive must also use a PCI-E Gen 4 interface, the standard for most M.2 NVMe SSDs.

The SSD must have a maximum size of 25 x 110 x 11.25 millimeters (WxLxH) to fit inside the PS5 properly. Compatible M.2 solid-state drive form factors include 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110. 

All of our best SSD for PS5 recommendations meet these requirements.

What is the maximum storage space for a PS5 SSD?

The PS5 supports M.2 solid-state drives up to 8TB.

How do I install a PS5 SSD?

The only tool needed to install a PS5 SSD is a Phillips-head screwdriver. The console's plastic cover can be popped off without any tools, and the SSD expansion slot is secured with a single screw. A second screw holds the drive in place once installed. Sony has a step-by-step video installation guide.

Does my PS5 SSD need a heatsink?

Sony states that SSDs for PS5 need a heatsink, but one is not technically required for a drive to work with the console. However, a heatsink will help keep the drive cool and give the best possible performance, so we recommend ensuring your drive has one.

All of the options we recommend in our guide to the best SSD for PS5 come with a built-in heatsink or spreader, but it's also possible to buy a separate heatsink for a drive that doesn't already have one.

Can I use an external hard drive for PS5 games?

You cannot run PS5 games from an external hard drive. PS5 games can only be played from an internal M.2 NVMe SSD. However, games released for PlayStation 4 can be installed and played off of an external drive connected to a PS5.

It is also possible to save installation data for PS5 games on an external hard drive so you can transfer that data to your internal SSD later without waiting for a longer download from the internet.

Best overall: Corsair 1TB MP600 PRO LPX

The Corsair MP600 Pro checks all the boxes we look for in a PS5 SSD. It's a reliable NVMe M.2 solid-state drive with a read speed that exceeds Sony's recommended minimum and it carries a reasonable price tag. It also offers the most options for expanding your PS5 SSD storage, with sizes starting at 500GB and going up to 8TB. 

Like all of our picks, this SSD comes with a heatsink preinstalled and fits easily into the console's expansion slot. The read and write speeds of the Corsair MP600 rank just below the fastest SSDs for PS5, but its specs are more than enough to deliver fantastic performance with speedy load times. And the affordable price point, especially for the 1TB option, makes it our top choice for most people looking to upgrade their PS5 storage.

Best budget: XPG 1TB Gammix S70 Blade

The XPG Gammix S70 Blade delivers excellent value across a range of storage capacities. At a typical street price of $70, it's the cheapest 1TB PS5 SSD that you can get with an included heat spreader, and it's one of the only PS5-ready SSDs we've found that has a 4TB option for less than $300; most 4TB drives are priced at $350 or higher. 

While the S70 Blade reports a maximum read speed of 7,400 MB/s, the SSD is actually limited to about 6,100 MB/s with the PS5. While that's a noteworthy difference on paper, it still beats the recommended speed of 5,500 MB/s, and you're not likely to see much of an actual speed difference during real-world applications.

Best for speed: Samsung 1TB 990 PRO SSD

Samsung's 990 PRO is the best SSD for PS5 if you want one of the absolute fastest drives you can get for your console. It narrowly edges out the competition thanks to its lightning-fast read speed of 7,450 MB/s, and a similarly impressive 6,900 MB/s write speed. 

These specs will translate to incredibly snappy load times, but it's important to keep in mind that the real-world performance difference between this card and our other picks will be minimal when actually playing, downloading, and transferring games. Yes, you'll likely get an extra couple of seconds here and there, but all PS5 M.2 SSDs are fast in their own right. Still, this is the pick to go with if you want to rest easy knowing you're truly yielding the most efficient performance you can get. 

The Samsung 990 Pro is a bit pricier than similar-sized drives, but it's far from the most expensive on the market, especially considering its great performance.

Best separate heatsink: Sabrent M.2 NVMe PS5 Heatsink

While all of our best SSD for PS5 picks have a built-in heatsink, it is possible to buy a separate heatsink for an NVMe M.2 SSD that doesn't already have one. Sabrent's affordable option completely replaces the PS5's expansion bay door. The aluminum heatsink helps absorb extra heat from the SSD and keeps the rest of your console cool.

By replacing the PS5's expansion door, this heatsink avoids size conflicts that could prevent it from fitting inside of the expansion bay with the hard drive. The PlayStation 5 can technically run an expansion SSD with no heatsink attached, but Sony recommends using one. 

It should be noted that adding an additional heatsink to a drive that already has one may cause unforeseen issues, so you should only use this accessory with a PS5 SSD that does not include a built-in heatsink.

PS5 SSD FAQs

What type of built-in SSD storage does the PS5 come with?

The original PlayStation 5 console released in 2020 came with an 825GB M.2 NVMe SSD; about 667.2 GB of that space is usable after the required software is installed. The new slim redesign of the PS5 released in November 2023 comes with a slightly higher capacity 1TB solid-state drive that leaves 842.2GB of usable space after necessary installations.

Both digital and disc drive versions of the PS5 contain the same amount of built-in storage.

What are the internal M.2 SSD PS5 requirements?

To work properly with a PS5, an internal M.2 solid-state drive must have a minimum of 250GB of storage with a sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s. The drive must also use a PCI-E Gen 4 interface, which is the standard for most M.2 NVMe SSDs.

The SSD must have a maximum size of 25 x 110 x 11.25 millimeters (WxLxH) to fit inside the PS5 properly. Compatible M.2 solid-state drive form factors include 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110. 

All of our best SSD for PS5 recommendations meet these requirements.

What is the maximum storage space for a PS5 SSD?

The PS5 supports M.2 solid-state drives up to 8TB.

How do I install a PS5 SSD?

The only tool needed to install a PS5 SSD is a Phillips-head screwdriver. The console's plastic cover can be popped off without any tools, and the SSD expansion slot is secured with a single screw. A second screw holds the drive in place once installed. Sony has a step-by-step video installation guide.

Does my PS5 SSD need a heatsink?

Sony says that your PS5 SSD needs a heatsink, but it is not technically required to work in the console. However, a heatsink will help keep the drive cool and ensure that it gives the best possible performance, so we recommend making sure your drive has one.

All of the best SSD for PS5 models that we recommend come with a built-in heatsink, but it's also possible to buy a separate heatsink for a drive that doesn't already have one.

Can I use an external hard drive for PS5 games?

You cannot run PS5 games from an external hard drive. PS5 games can only be played from an internal M.2 NVMe SSD. However, games released for PlayStation 4 can be installed and played off of an external drive connected to a PS5.

It is also possible to save installation data for PS5 games on an external hard drive so you can transfer that data to your internal SSD later without waiting for a longer download from the internet.