After the September update, PlayStation 5 owners can finally install an SSD in their game console. Not every SSD works via the built-in m.2 slot, the SSD must be a lightning-fast PCIe 4.0 copy. If you want to know what the best SSD is, read on. We’ve tested the most important SSDs for the PlayStation 5 for you.
In addition to the lightning-fast built-in SSD, the PlayStation 5 also features an M.2 slot that supports PCIe 4.0 x4 NVME SSDs. You will find the M.2 slot under a cover that appears after you remove the side panels of the Playstation. When the PlayStation 5 was introduced, the M.2 slot was not yet active, but that has changed after a software update, allowing you to expand the storage of the PlayStation 5. You can read how to install an SSD step by step here.
How did we test
We performed the same test under the same conditions for each SSD. The drives without a heat sink all have identical heat sinks. After installing the drives, we ran the standard PS5 speed test. We then moved a selection of games with a total size of 363.6 GB to the SSD. During this process we kept track of time and temperature. Unfortunately, this temperature measurement turned out to be not completely reliable, because there were huge differences in the transfer time. After all, if a drive is used for longer, the temperature also rises. So we ran another test and measured the temperature after a 15-minute gameplay session. We also registered the start-up time of various games and the moment a game is actually playable. With all this data together, we have drawn a final conclusion. Please note that the conclusions we draw in this article only apply to the PlayStation 5, we will not consider use in the PC in this article.
Minimum requirements for an SSD
Not just any m.2 ssd fits in the PlayStation 5. There are a number of points that you should pay attention to. For example, the ssd must support PCIe 4.0 x4 and be at least 500 GB in size. The maximum size supported is 4 TB. The read speed should be at least 5500 MB per second. Slower works, but officially they are not supported. The PS5 does support standard lengths of 30, 42, 60, 80 and 110 millimeters. A cooling element for the SSD is also required. Not all SSDs are equipped with a heatsink, luckily you can find it online for a small price. The SSD including the cooling element may not be larger than 110 x 25 x 11.25 millimeters.
Gigabyte AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD
Gigabyte AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD
8 Score 80 
- Pros
- Excellent heat sink
- Low temperature
- Negatives
- Less fast when loading games
According to the speed test of the PlayStation 5, this is the slowest SSD of all. That also corresponds to the specifications that Gigabyte gives us. The SSD achieves up to 5,600 MB/s read speed via the PS5 M.2 expansion slot and a write speed of up to 4400 MB/s. We were stunned when the test showed that the AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD was the first to finish moving the games. This was not the only thing in which this SSD excelled. The drive itself is wrapped in a beautiful copper heatsink that feels solid and heavy. The expectation was that this SSD would pass the temperature test with flying colors. After the transfer, the temperature does not rise above 36.5 degrees. Given that the drive was done so quickly, this could also have affected the temperature. But even after the fifteen-minute game session, the temperature does not rise above 43.5 degrees. That is well below the rest of the drives tested. So a cool boy!
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850
9 Score 90 
- Pros
- Good performances
- Comes out strong in all tests
- Negatives
- High price website Western Digital
At Western Digital you can choose between a WD_BLACK SN850 with or without a heat sink. We were able to test both drives in the PlayStation 5 and are very pleased with the results. As expected, the model with the pre-mounted heatsink stays slightly cooler than the model that we applied a universal heatsink to. The heat sink supplied by the manufacturer almost always ensures better heat conduction. In the transfer test, the drives come in second and third place after the AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD. If we look at the loading times of games, the drives appear to be the two fastest, closely followed by the AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD. The price of the drives, like other hardware, fluctuates wildly. The drive with heat sink is sold for 219.99 euros on the Western Digital website. The model without a heat sink is on the same website for 201.99 euros. Street prices in other stores are lower. For example, we found the WD_BLACK SN850 without heat sink at the time of writing from 153.90 euros on Amazon. Prices change quickly, so it pays to keep an eye on them through a price comparison website.
Samsung 980 Pro
Samsung 980 Pro
7 Score 70 
- Pros
- Well available
- Negatives
- No heat sink
- Transfer Speed
For many, the Samsung 980 Pro is lord and master when it comes to performance and reliability on the PC. The Samsung SSD scores average on the PlayStation 5. Especially during the transfer test, the drive failed and it took almost eight minutes to save the games. In the other tests, the Samsung 980 Pro performed well. The temperature of the SSD that we fitted with a universal heatsink remained approximately the same as the WD_BLACK SN850 with a universal heatsink. The boot times for games are also fine. Incidentally, the boot times of all drives are within one second of each other. In practice, you will not notice a difference between a Samsung, Western Digital, AORUS or Seagate ssd while gaming. At the time of writing, the price for a 1TB variant is around 165 euros and that is fine.
Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD
Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD
9 Score 90
- Pros
- Stylish design
- temperature
- Negatives
- Not available in every webshop
After the experiences we had with the smaller brother of the AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD, the expectations of the AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD were high. The SSD does absolutely not bad in the test. The transfer speed is fine and is close behind the WD_BLACK SN850. The heat sink of the AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD is unfortunately not made of copper, but designed to reduce weight. The design of the cooling fins is not only stylish, it also conducts heat well. The temperature therefore remains slightly lower than the WD_BLACK SN850 with heat sink. The price is also slightly lower than the WD_BLACK SN850 with heatsink. The AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD found for prices around 200 euros.
Seagate FireCuda 530
Seagate FireCuda 530
6 Score 60 
- Pros
- A model with a heat sink also available
- Negatives
- High temperature
- Transfer Speed
- Price
Seagate is no stranger to storage. They also have a lot of experience in the console market. For example, Seagate already supplied external drives for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and is the only company to offer a Storage Expansion Card for the Xbox Series X/S. So we had high hopes for the Seagate FireCuda 530, which advertises “with its groundbreaking speeds of up to 7300 MB/s.” Unfortunately, Seagate falls short when we test the drive in practice. During the transfer test, the FireCuda 530 took more than 9 minutes. The temperature was also quite high. We even applied a different thermal cooling pad to rule out the possible problem with that. Unfortunately, that did not help and the measured temperature came to 58 degrees. There is now also a FireCuda 530 available with a heat sink, unfortunately we were not able to test it. The cheapest price we could find at the time of writing is 214.90 euros.
The test results
If we compare the drives to the current Formula 1 championship, the Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850 and AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD are just as close as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are. It’s hard to pick a winner because both drives perform like champions in the PlayStation 5. Both the WD_BLACK SN850 and the AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD have above-average speeds and temperatures remain below average.
Those who really think cooling is important should consider the AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD. This drive is literally a solid block of copper with an SSD hidden somewhere in between. Had the same cooling block been fitted to the AORUS Gen4 7000s SSD, our choice for a winner would have been a lot easier.
The Seagate FireCuda 530 and Samsung 980 Pro score slightly less well in this test. During the transfer test, both drives took a lot longer to copy everything. Although the temperature of the Samsung was still within the range, the Seagate FireCuda got quite hot. The Seagate FireCuda 530 really disappoints and in our opinion is not the best choice for your PlayStation 5.
.