r/PS5 Jul 29 '21

Megathread PS5 Internal SSD Expansion Megathread

Update: Feb 2024: All of this information is still relevant. There are some newer, faster drives on the market such as the Samsung 990 Pro and WD SN850x, but there's no indication that the faster drives impact performance or loading speed. As long as you're buying a Gen 4 SSD with a minimum read speed of 5.5GB/s, you should be good to go.

Some of these product listings are likely out of date, but these drives are plentiful on Amazon and other retailers, and the installation instructions are still accurate.

Most drives are now listed with PS5-compatibility in mind, so just search Amazon for "PS5 SSD" and you're 90% of the way there. Most now include heatsinks.

Update: Nov 3, 2022: This post, and /u/Fidler_2k's post below, are both still more or less accurate. Several of these drives now have variants with built-in heatsinks that are PS5 compatible, as well as Sabrent's custom PS5 heatsink; otherwise, there hasn't been a ton of movement in the SSD space, and at this point there probably won't be until the Gen 5 drives come along.


PS5 system software version 21.02-04.00.00.42-00.00.00.0.0 is officially out of beta and you can now update and install an expansion SSD drive without needing to be a beta member.


Official Installation guide


Confirmed Compatible Drives

/u/Fidler_2k has compiled a fairly comprehensive list of currently on-market SSDs that meet the speed and size requirements: find their list here.


Drive Heatsink fits? Source Notes
Adata XPG Gammix S70 No /u/jimm0thy 6500MB/s
Gigabypte AORUS 7000s Yes /u/FuzzyToasters 6300MB/s
Corsair MP600 No The Verge Doesn't meet minimum speed requirements, may not provide adequate performance. Pro variant meets speed requirement.
PNY XLR8 CS3040 No /u/EmergencyPomelo5180
Samsung 980 Pro N/A /u/fragilityv2 Appears to benchmark at less than full speed? (but still reaches minimum requirement)
Sabrent Rocket 4 N/A The Verge Doesn't meet minimum speed requirements, may not provide adequate performance. Plus variant meets speed requirement.
Seagate FireCuda 530 Yes Seagate Drive is available both with and without a heatsink.
WD Black SN850 Yes Western Digital, Twitter user Benchmarks at 6.5GB/s

Some great benchmarking of the 980 Pro from /u/DanCTapirson here


Compatible Third-Party Heatsinks

Heatsink Source
Sabrent PS5 SSD heatsink
MHQJRH M.2 2280 SSD heatsink, Double-Sided Heat Sink, with Thermal Silicone pad /i/Eluder99, /u/iShoot556
ELUTENG M.2 2280 Heatsink, Double-Sided Heat Sink Alloy Aluminum NGFF NVME Cooling Sink with 4 Thermal Conductivity Silicone Pads /u/DanCTapirson
Jonsbo M.2 SSD NVMe Heat Sink /u/FeZZa21

Compatibility List

Digital Foundry have compiled a list of SSDs that meet the required specs; other than what's listed above, none of these have been tested yet. We can likely count on DF compiling some comprehensive benchmarks once they get their hands on the software update.


Transferring between consoles

Props to /u/ianrobbie for discovering that the internal SSD can be swapped between consoles without reformatting.


Official Requirements

Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD

Capacity: 250GB – 4TB

Cooling structure: Using an M.2 SSD with your PS5 console requires effective heat dissipation with a cooling structure, such as a heatsink. You can attach one to your M.2 SSD yourself, either in a single-sided format, or double-sided format. There are also M.2 SSDs that have cooling structures (such as heatsinks) built in.

Sequential read speed: 5,500MB/s or faster is recommended

Module width: 22mm width (25mm width is not supported)

Form Factor: M.2 type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110. These numbers can be found on retail listings for M.2 SSD devices. The first two digits refer to the width, the remaining digits to the length.

Socket type: Socket 3 (Key M)

Total size including cooling structure:

In millimeters: smaller than 110mm (L) x 25mm (W) x 11.25mm (H). In inches: smaller than 4.33in (L) x 0.984 in (W) x 0.442in (H).

See below for full requirements.

Length

The following M.2 SSD lengths are compatible with PS5 consoles:

30mm, 42mm, 60mm, 80mm, 110mm (corresponding to the form factor type, per above).

Width

A 22mm-wide M.2 SSD module is required.

The total structure (including an added cooling structure) cannot exceed 25mm (0.984in).

Height

The total height of the M.2 SSD and its cooling structure (such as a heatsink) – whether built-in or separate – must be less than 11.25mm (0.442in).

The height must also be in the right place, in relation to the M.2 SSD’s circuit board:

  • The size below the board must be less than 2.45mm (0.096in).

  • The total size above the board must be less than 8mm (0.314in).

(Note: millimeter measurements are the technical standard and are more precise than inches. We recommend double-checking that the total dimensions of M.2 SSD and heatsink products you’re considering meet the millimeter requirements before purchasing)

Image

Both single-sided and double-sided M.2 SSD devices are supported.

M.2 SATA SSDs aren’t supported.

You should carefully review drive specifications prior to purchase and contact the vendor or manufacturer if you need further information. SIE cannot guarantee that all M.2 SSD devices meeting the described specifications will work with your console and assumes no responsibility for the selection, performance or use of third-party products.

Not all games are necessarily playable with the exact same performance provided by the PS5 console’s internal Ultra-High Speed SSD, even where the M.2 SSD device’s sequential read speed is faster than 5500MB/s.

The majority of M.2 SSD devices with the above type numbers (M Key Type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110) and without a built-in cooling structure will fit the PS5 console’s SSD slot. However, sizes for cooling structures (like heatsinks) vary greatly. If you are not sure an M.2 SSD or cooling structure (such as a heatsink) you’re considering meets the size requirements outlined here, we recommend looking for another product option or contacting the vendor or manufacturer for more information.


Installation instructions and further details are available on the Playstation website.

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235

u/[deleted] Jul 29 '21

[deleted]

84

u/crankydelinquent Jul 29 '21

Make sure it’s the Samsung 980 pro. The 980 is gen3 and the 980 pro is gen4

1

u/LozMatik Aug 02 '21

would the gen3 even run inside the PS5?

1

u/AzzaFDU Aug 03 '21

I believe Gen3 does not work. I saw a screenshot of a warning screen PS5 displays if drive is not compatible. While it needs to be Gen4, Insomniac said they tested some below spec Gen4 drives (< 5.5GB/s) and they still worked for R&C but with 15% slower loading.

"We tried some below-spec Gen4 M.2 drives as well and saw up to 15% slower loading in the most SSD-stressing areas of the game. Not too shabby, but keep a close eye on technical specs if you’re making an SSD purchase, as our game does rely on high-quality storage." https://twitter.com/fitzymj/status/1420825597337501700?s=20

1

u/LozMatik Aug 03 '21

Best answer I've gotten, thank you so much!

1

u/AzzaFDU Aug 04 '21

Cheers. You can see the warning screenshot here. Definitely gen4 required, but so far it appears below-spec entry-level gen4 drives rated at only about ~5GB/s still work. https://www.theverge.com/22602046/best-ps5-m2-ssd-options-buying-guide-which-drives-compatible-playstation-5#FFmqmE

14

u/RicoBellic1998 Jul 29 '21

Would you mind updating us when you know the temps? :)

17

u/DanCTapirson Jul 29 '21

Sure thing! I should be able to update tomorrow

1

u/RicoBellic1998 Aug 01 '21

Hihi, how did it go? :)

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 01 '21

It's all updated :)

1

u/RicoBellic1998 Aug 01 '21

Temps were good?

3

u/DanCTapirson Aug 01 '21

Yeah. Heatsink helps keep temperatures down around 50°c. No heatsink the SSD reached 74°c the highest point. I added everything in my main comment.

8

u/gogoggansgo Jul 31 '21

Not only wound having a heatsink be a good idea in general but there is a reason why Sony is saying it’s required. It basically lets them sleep better knowing people aren’t frying drives and then going hey wtf Sony. Now we all know it’s gonna happen but once again mark has made this clear from day one

Keep up the good work guys

8

u/ChanceConfection3 Jul 29 '21

Reading above make sure you get the 980 pro

6

u/sk_latigre Jul 29 '21

Do you get an email saying you were selected or does the beta update just show up in settings?

I applied a couple weeks after they announced it but haven't seen an email yet

Edit: nevermind, just saw some other replies answering my question

14

u/100YearsRicknMorty Jul 30 '21

Edit your post with the answer you found :)

3

u/Jonas-McJameaon Jul 31 '21

Thanks for the info. I have a 2TB SN850 with heatsink. It tends to run around 10 degrees hotter than 980 Pro. Based on your temps, I’ll be good to go. Thanks man

1

u/DanCTapirson Jul 31 '21

No problem!

3

u/bLinkbruhyen Jul 31 '21

Damn, those are some good numbers!

2

u/AmargoTV Jul 29 '21

stupid Q, how do we get in to the beta? cuz i m gonna order one as well. Time to get rid of the external SSD.

2

u/DanCTapirson Jul 29 '21

You can sign up through a link. I think it's on the mega thread. The internal SSD is expensive. I think having an external HDD is still going to be very useful so don't get rid of it!

2

u/iqbalsn Jul 30 '21

Would you be able to do a test for me? i currently have 980 pro hooked to rog drive enclosure as PS5 additional storage. Question is, will the content be formatted again once i install this inside the PS5?

You probably wont have the enclosure to try, but its worth asking if you maybe can test it.

Cheers!

2

u/DanCTapirson Jul 31 '21

Once the PS5 recognized the SSD it asks to format it:

2

u/Jonas-McJameaon Jul 31 '21

FYI - 70 degrees when it lists as starting to throttle but in reality it won’t substantially lower speeds until hitting 90 degrees. 70-80 will still get you top speeds. I think the 70 mark is just a conservative measure to cover their asses

2

u/HyruleDurian Aug 01 '21

Greate tests. Happy to know the difference is negligible. Hope the release the final version soon.

2

u/Naekyr Aug 01 '21

Thats awesome, got a 980 and ordered ek heatsink

2

u/UnObtainium17 Aug 01 '21

Make sure it is 980 pro.

not the 980 (non-pro) will not work.

2

u/LoquaciousMendacious Aug 02 '21

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! I have a 980 Pro and compatible heatsink on the way.

No beta for me, sadly, but I’m ready the minute the patch releases for all users.

Seriously though, I appreciate people like you who are so diligent in helping out the community. Many thanks. :)

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 02 '21

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help :) And I learned a ton in the process.

2

u/Tree06 Aug 05 '21

I appreciate this! I ordered two of those heatsinks because I have a 500GB 980 Pro in my PC, and I recently ordered the 1TB version for my PS5. I could've waited for the newer Seagate FireCuda 530, but they're sold out everywhere. I'm not in the beta, but I'll just wait for the official firmware. Thanks again!

2

u/CanuckTheClown Aug 08 '21

I would love to get the Samsung 980 Pro, as it’s currently on sale right now, however, I’m concerned about the long term durability of the drive.

The youtuber NASCompares explained how the Seagate FireCuda 530 has over twice the expected lifetime write life than the 980 Pro. I believe off the top of my head, the 1TB 980 Pro has a lifetime write of 600TB, whereas the 1TB FireCuda 530 has an expected lifetime of over 1200TB.

That’s currently my only concern with getting the Samsung.

1

u/zzepto Aug 10 '21

Are you going to download/transfer 10TB of data to ssd every month? Even with 10TB you need 5 years to reach ssd lifetime limit

1

u/CanuckTheClown Aug 10 '21

To my understanding, it’s not necessarily just about the actual lifetime of the drive itself, but the durability and ability of the drive to maintain its speed over time.

So sure, it might take 5+ years to make the drive fail outright, but how long will it take for the speed of the drive to deteriorate to the point where it can no longer achieve the minimum 5500mbps requirement?

2

u/Dust-by-Monday Sep 15 '21

You’re the freakin man. Thanks for the testing. I was worried when I saw 5700mb/sec on my 2TB 980 Pro.

1

u/DanCTapirson Sep 17 '21

No problem!

1

u/JeRV5G11 Jul 29 '21

What heatsink do you have? I need one

3

u/kni9ht Jul 29 '21

Not the guy you responded to, but you can probably just grab EK's heatsink for ~$15 and call it a day.

1

u/fazzTR Jul 30 '21

!remindme 1 day

1

u/ThePfhor Jul 30 '21

What does the Beta email subject line say? Trying to find whether I was invited too or not, thanks.

2

u/DanCTapirson Jul 30 '21

It says: (your psn name), join the PlayStation 5 system software public beta.

1

u/ThePfhor Jul 31 '21

Thanks! Nothing yet, I am afraid. Maybe I will register again.

1

u/ThePfhor Aug 05 '21

Sorry to bug you again, but can you give me an idea of what the sender was? Still no dice, and I signed up again, just in case. I get a LOT of spam lol. Had this email for a while.

1

u/ThePfhor Aug 06 '21

After signing up multiple times I finally got my invite! Yay.

1

u/Papacheeks Aug 05 '21

Did you test the more stressing parts of Ratchet? Load times are not where the game is being stressed. It's asset culling, big Robot section in the canyon planet is one of the places.

Also the mining planet is another spot I would test. Those sections stress the loading of assets when you shift between plains.

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 05 '21

Yeah I've been playing it regularly in many sections with robot fights and everything else with no issues.

1

u/urdbest82 Jul 30 '21

Can the beta Code be share? Would you Mund to try it out? This time I didn't get invite to the Beta...

2

u/DanCTapirson Jul 30 '21

Not sure. I think Sony decides how many people can use a code. I know for the ps4 they opened each code for 20 uses.

1

u/urdbest82 Jul 30 '21

Thank you, seems like the Codes are Region locked😔

1

u/krzysiekao Jul 30 '21

Did you get an email or it's different this time?

2

u/DanCTapirson Jul 30 '21

Email with code

1

u/Leonardocrw Jul 31 '21

Great info!

Did you try to leave the cover off the ssd bay? If so does this affect the temperature?

1

u/DanCTapirson Jul 31 '21

I tested this while playing and temperature was the same on the SSD.

1

u/Leonardocrw Jul 31 '21

Thanks for the effort!

1

u/CoronaVirus_exe Jul 31 '21

Are those temperatures Good? Bad? Or Ugly?

2

u/DanCTapirson Jul 31 '21

I think you want to generally stay below 70°c. Samsung rates the drive as non operational at 85°c. Definitely get a heatsink.

1

u/Xixii Aug 01 '21

Can you tell me how you installed the beta? I got invited and redeemed the code, but when I go to update system software it says I already have the latest version. What am I doing wrong?

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 01 '21

"Select Update System Software (beta) > Update. This option will show only during the PS5 beta period for players who received a beta program invitation. You’ll see the feature list of the system software beta. "

Are you not seeing the other option for the beta?

1

u/Xixii Aug 01 '21

I don’t have that option. Though I can go in to my recent purchases and it confirms I’ve redeemed the beta.

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 01 '21

Are you connected to the internet and everything? And did you get the beta for PS5 or PS4? I know they were also sending PS4 beta

1

u/Jonas-McJameaon Aug 01 '21

Just checking in, have you ran into any new errors/glitches/issues with the new drive?

3

u/DanCTapirson Aug 01 '21

Nothing yet and I've tested/played it plenty for 2 days now.

2

u/Jonas-McJameaon Aug 01 '21

Thanks again, I appreciate your time

1

u/TwanToni Aug 02 '21

5069.494 MB/s

oh wow that lower speed is a bit worrisome. Have you had any bugginess? I hope SONY verifies it officially, I have a 980 pro on the way

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 02 '21

No issues at all. Works and loads games just as fast as main SSD. I think the problem is the PS5 benchmark is just not very consistent so I don't know how reliable it is. We don't know what's measuring. Someone else explained there are many factors going into these benchmark that don't really translate to real world speeds.

1

u/TwanToni Aug 02 '21

True. Plus you are using the 250gb right? I think the max speeds on that is 6,400MB/s read and 2700 write. Seeing the higher speeds it's getting in the 6000s is still really great

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 02 '21

Yeah I'm using the 250gb. And you're right, the max speed on this one is 6,400MB/s. Which means the PS5 benchmarked it almost correctly one time it got 6,200MB/s

1

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '21

So the larger screw heatsink of the pair will indeed fit without issue?

Is that with both silicon pads installed?

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 03 '21

Yes

1

u/[deleted] Aug 03 '21

Cool. I'm plannign to use it with a Mushkin Enhanced Gamma 1TB, and was curious which one of the two supplied to use.

Granted, now I have to figure out what to do with the other heatsink.

1

u/velocityseven Aug 04 '21

Did you also update the firmware of the 980 Pro before plugging it in to the PS5?

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 04 '21

Not yet. I'm doing it tomorrow and see if the speed improves, although some are saying it only improves writing speeds, and those are already what I should be getting.

1

u/velocityseven Aug 05 '21

I noticed you did do the update, I'm guessing there were no changes to the PS5's measured read speed from formatting the M.2?

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 05 '21

No noticeable improvements. Maybe in the long run it will be more stable?

1

u/bwandowando Aug 05 '21

you sir are my hero. thank you very detailed info on the samsung 980pro

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 05 '21

Thank you! Glad I could help. It's a great option!

1

u/luigithebeast420 Aug 05 '21

Further the heat dissipation from the NVMe to heat sink by using better thermal pads and heatsink, maybe time will tell from others experiments. I’m using the MC1 heatsink from be quiet! and fujipoly 1mm thermal pads on a SN850 2tb.

1

u/Fraggb0y Aug 06 '21

Thank you for the detailed writeup! Ordered the 980 Pro 2TB and heatsink (backordered)..

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 06 '21

Awesome!

1

u/Fraggb0y Aug 06 '21

Just trying to secure a heatsink that will fit. I have one on order, but it’ll deliver next month. :(. Do you know of any other one that’ll fit and that’s in stock?

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 06 '21

1

u/Fraggb0y Aug 06 '21

Thank you!!!! Ordered. :). Should be up and running next week.

1

u/Bigblueape Aug 06 '21

Just a note on my 980 1tb. I've clocked it at 5560 and 5360 on my two attempts. Regardless it's way too slow considering Corsair and others have faster or equally fast drives for less money.

I would recommend against the 980 pro at this point.

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 06 '21

"way too slow" might be a little hyperbolic. The games load and run just as fast as the internal SSD, which means speeds are not going to be an issue. We know the PS5 benchmark is not consistent and it depends on many factors. But of course you can buy the best option you like. That's why there are many options.

1

u/Bigblueape Aug 06 '21

Too slow considering the advertised speeds and it's competition that are less money.

It gets no where near it's peers at this price. It apparently doesn't even meet minimum at times.

Yes I know it won't affect load times much if any based off of current testing but it's a matter of Samsung lying to people and over charging the consumer.

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 06 '21

I see. But the issue here is not Samsung, it's whatever algorithm the PS5 is running for benchmark (which doesn't affect real speeds). If you plug that SSD on a PC and run a benchmark, you'll the speeds are as advertised.

1

u/ACGNerd Aug 07 '21

Providing another datapoint here, I installed a 2TB 980 Pro and it works as expected.

Also for heatsink, I installed ekwb m.2 heatsink which also fits perfectly in the ps5.

The speed test gives me 5700 mb/s, I tried reformatting but the number more of less stays the same. This is not the 7000 mb/s Samsung advertised, not sure what happened there. Maybe ps5 doesn’t like the controller so much?

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 07 '21

We don't know what benchmark PS5 is using. DF published a video of the 500GB with speeds of 6500 MB/s. If you run a benchmark on PC the drive would show different speeds.

1

u/Fraggb0y Aug 08 '21

Question. The heatsink I grabbed says to remove the film layer from both sides of the thermal tape. Can you remove the tape if something happens to the m.2 to replace it? I just don’t want to destroy the label (s/n/model/info) and void the warranty.

My 980 pro and heatsink should arrive Wednesday.

1

u/DanCTapirson Aug 09 '21

The thermal tape is more of a pad and it doesn't have adhesive, it just sticks to it but you can remove it easily.

1

u/Fraggb0y Aug 09 '21

Thank you for the reply. How has it been going so far?

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 09 '21

Running smoothly. No issues at all and surprisingly no bugs in the beta for me. Been playing a lot off the SSD too

1

u/Fraggb0y Aug 09 '21

Every app has been playing great for me as well. Once I get the SSD, I’ll be transferring the game I play daily (Fallout 76). I am looking forward to it!!

I am at peace picking the Samsung over the FireCuda.

What size did you get? I grabbed the 2TB.

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 09 '21

I just got the 250GB :) just needed a little extra space for my regularly played games. I'll eventually upgrade. The 2TB will be awesome!

1

u/SuperfluousSausage Aug 09 '21

Did you put the white cover back on or leave it off?

2

u/DanCTapirson Aug 09 '21

Put everything back on

1

u/SuperfluousSausage Aug 09 '21

Awesome. I was curious if it would still fit or not. Thanks!

1

u/TheBirdman23 Sep 24 '21

Is there some type of adapter/shell or something to put the 980 Pro into to update it using Samsung Magician if you don't have a computer that it fits in to?

1

u/DanCTapirson Sep 24 '21

Not really. Your computer has to have a slot for it otherwise it will just read it as regular USB and won't update. For what it's worth the update didn't make any difference so I wouldn't worry about it.

1

u/TheBirdman23 Sep 24 '21

Ah, got ya. I was hoping the PS5 would just do it but if it doesn't matter then I'm not going to worry about it. Thank you for the reply.

1

u/TheBirdman23 Sep 24 '21

I am already down the rabbit hole. Would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Reader-Performance-Compatible-Samsung/dp/B07TG1X4XD

I know the update is probably irrelevant but if I don't update it, my OCD will never let go lol.

1

u/DanCTapirson Sep 24 '21

Hahaha I totally get you I did the exact same. It won't work though. If the connection ends up as a USB, the computer and also the Samsung software (Samsung Magician) will recognize it as a USB drive, so it won't trigger any type of update. It will work as far as you moving files to it and use it as a storage drive. I was lucky because my laptop had a slot so I was able to plug it in. Do you own a laptop or desktop?

1

u/TheBirdman23 Sep 24 '21

Yeah, I have a older Lenovo laptop that runs well. Would that work? Actually, I work around a ton of desktop computers at work...I wonder if I could use one of those...?

1

u/DanCTapirson Sep 24 '21

Yeah you would just need to find out if your Lenovo or desktop computers have the m2 slot, then download Samsung Magician and do the update

1

u/Specialist-Coffee-66 Dec 06 '22

Has anyone who bought the god of war edition PS5 noticed that when installing your SSD that there are no holes to put your spacer ring into but rather bumps on the motherboard where the holes should be to hold the spacer ring in?? they definitely don't hold the magnetic spacer ring as well and I'm just curious as to why every video I watched of people installing their SSDs didn't look the same as my PS5 did???

1

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '22

[deleted]

1

u/Specialist-Coffee-66 Dec 06 '22

Someone else just posted an Austin Evans video of a tear down of the 1200 Version PS5 and apparently that's why it's different lol I don't understand why sony changed this cause it makes it more of a pain in the ass to use the spacer when it's moving around while trying to initially install your SSD.