The best SSD for PS5 in 2024

If you're thinking about expanding your current PlayStation game library, getting your hands on the best SSD for PS5 should be a top priority. Although the PS5 Slim that released in November 2023 contains slightly more storage than the original launch version of the console, most current PS5 owners only have the default allowance of about 660GB of internal space to work with. With the size of many of the best PS5 games coming in at well over 100GB, your internal storage can fill up pretty fast - no matter which version of the console you own.

Thankfully while games have been becoming ever larger, quality PS5 SSDs from big-name brands like WD Black, Seagate, Kingston, and Corsair are getting much more affordable.  A lot of this has to do with the adoption of PCIe 5.0 (or Gen 5) standard which, without getting too technical, allows manufacturers to create more cost-effective 1TB and 2TB drives. This is great news, as this is the kind of high storage capacity that we would recommend for most gamers.

As there are lots of options on the market right now, we have carefully compiled this helpful list in order to outline all of the very best choices. Once you have made your SSD purchase, be sure to consult our guide on how to install a PS5 SSD which walks you through the installation process step-by-step. Once you've got your storage situation sorted out, you also might want to consider investing in more of the best PS5 accessories, one of the best PS5 controllers or even one of the best monitors for PS5 too.

The Quick List

The best SSDs for PS5 in 2024

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The best overall SSD for PS5

Kingston Fury Renegade

(Image credit: Future)
The best overall SSD for PS5

Specifications

Capacity: 500GB; 1TB; 2TB; 4TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 81.1 x 23.62 x 10.4 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,300 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 7,000 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Leading performance 
+
Excellent build quality 
+
Competitively priced 

Reasons to avoid

-
Higher configurations are expensive
-
No 4TB model
Buy it if

You want a speedy SSD for PS5: The Kingston Fury Renegade SSD is incredibly fast and outperforms many other drives. If you want a super fast NVMe model at a reasonable price, this one is hard to beat.

You want a durable SSD: The Kingston Fury Renegade should hold up for many years to come. What’s more, thanks to the 5-year warranty it is guaranteed for what is likely to be a large chunk of the PS5 console generation.

Don't buy it if

❌  You want a smaller capacity SSD for your PS5: There’s no getting around the fact that the 500GB version of the Kingston Fury Renegade is going to fill up very quickly and is expensive for what you get. If you're shopping for a smaller drive, cheaper models offer far better value for money.

The Kingston Fury Renegade excels across the board and can easily be considered one of the best SSDs for PS5. That's because this model, which comes with a dedicated heatsink to ensure compatibility with the console, delivers high sequential performance that we haven't seen from many other drives at the price point. 

In our testing, we found that the Kingston Renegade scored a sequential read figure of 6,500 MB/s in Sony's internal benchmarking test. That easily makes it the quickest drive that we have ever got our hands on. For comparison, most other drives we tested tended to hover around the 6,100 MB/s mark.

Speed and build quality aside, another of the Kingston Fury Renegade SSD's major strengths is its competitive price point. You can get the 1TB variant for just $117.99 / £152.40 / AU$197.21 while the 2TB version runs at $244.19 / £260.96 / AU$360.93. It's an aggressive price point given the prowess of the hardware inside, which includes the excellent Phison E18 controller. 

We strongly encourage you to pick the heatsink model as, while there is a standard version available a few dollars cheaper, not doing so will mean that you will need to install your own cooling solution which can be a hassle.

The best budget SSD for PS5

Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade

(Image credit: Future)
The best budget SSD for PS5

Specifications

Capacity: 512GB; 1TB; 2TB; 4TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80 x 22 x 4.3 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,400 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 6,800 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Strong performance 
+
Includes a low profile heatsink 
+
Budget price 

Reasons to avoid

-
Basic build quality
-
Other options are more reliable
Buy it if

You want good value for money: The Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade undercuts the competition while providing similar performance when used with the PS5. 

1TB is your capacity of choice: Compared to the other options available, the 1TB variant offers some of the best price-per-gigabyte value on this list.  

Don't buy it if

❌  You’re considering 2TB or above: If you want to go bigger with your storage, which is understandable given the large size of many modern games, you might want to consider other alternatives.

The Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade is a brilliant budget SSD for PS5. It is competitively priced compared to its rivals and performs just as well as some of the flagship models in our roundup. In our testing, we found that this drive clocked in at whopping 6,384 MB/s sequential read speed. 

The build quality of the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade is where the more modest pricing becomes the most apparen, however. The low-profile heatsink, while adequate enough, just isn't as robust as what you'll find on more high-end offerings. Considering that the 1TB version costs just $84.99 / £87.13 / $161.95 and the 2TB comes in at only $169.99 / £161.52 / AU$362.78, this is something that we think can be overlooked.

Performance is the most important factor with any SSD for PS5 and the Adata XPG Gammix S70 Blade is no slouch where speed is concerned. We were impressed to see some top-end games like Horizon: Forbidden West and Death Stranding: Director's Cut loading faster on this PS5 SSD than when played on the console's native storage. If you're on a tight budget, we think that the 1TB model is a hard value to beat given just how fast it is.

The best officially-licensed SSD for PS5

WD Black SN850 for PS5 inside the console's M.2 port

(Image credit: Western Digital)
The best officially licensed SSD for PS5

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB; 2TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80 x 23.4 x 8.8 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,000 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 5,300 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Far exceeds the stated requirements 
+
Quite fairly priced 
+
Officially licensed by Sony 

Reasons to avoid

-
Much more expensive than budget options
-
Even other WD Black drives can be cheaper
Buy it if

You want a fast drive: The SN850 has incredible read/write speeds that make it easy to launch games and copy over data quickly. 

You want a drive made for the PS5: This NVMe SSD has been specially designed for the console and sports a decent heatsink. This helps it perform well even if your system begins to heat up.

Don't buy it if

❌  You want the best value: While the WD Black SN850 is a superb choice, you are undeniably paying a little extra for a drive that is guaranteed to work with your PS5. 

The WD Black SN850 is easily up there as a top pick for the best SSD for PS5 when you're looking at options are officially endorsed by Sony. This storage drive, famously used by the console's architect Mark Cerny, far exceeds the 5,500 MB/s read requirements from Sony and utilizes a thick heatsink to ensure that thermal throttling doesn't impact your gaming performance when the console heats up. 

Something else that really propels the WD Black SN850 ahead of some of the competition is its aggressive price-to-performance capabilities. In 2024, it is entirely possible to pick up the 1TB variant for around the $150 mark, with the bigger 2TB configuration frequently retailing at, or under, $200. 

Although we don't recommend it quite so strongly, the standard non-branded heatsink model can frequently be found hovering around $130. Just be aware, however, that you will need to fit your own heatsink in order to use this model with your PS5.

In our testing, we found that the WD Black SN850 delivered top end performance and achieved 6,550 MB/s in Sony's own internal benchmark. It's a testament to just how well constructed the drive is, with its in-house controller and SanDisk flash memory, that it can easily still keep up with some of the best in the industry years after its launch.

The best high-end SSD for PS5

A Samsung 990 Pro on a wooden table in front of its retail packaging

(Image credit: Future)
The best high-end SSD for PS5

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB; 2TB;
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80 x 22 x 2.3 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,450 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 6,900 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Seriously fast performance 
+
Excellently designed heatsink 
+
Incredibly reliable 

Reasons to avoid

-
Runs hot
-
Relatively expensive
Buy it if

You want outstanding sequential read and write speeds: The Samsung 990 Pro caps out what's technically possible out of the Gen 4.0 NVMe technology and delivers outstanding sequential read and write speeds.  

You want a robust gaming SSD: The build quality is also top notch, meaning that this drive is likely to last for quite a long time.

Don't buy it if

❌  You're on a strict budget: There's no getting around the fact that the Samsung 990 Pro is pricey. The older Samsung 980 Pro could be a better buy if you've got limited funds at your disposal. 

The Samsung 990 Pro maxes out what's possible with NVMe Gen 4.0 technology in a way that few other SSDs for PS5 can. Available in either 1TB or 2TB configurations, this high-speed drive is seriously impressive across the board compared to the competition.

In our testing, we found that the Samsung 990 Pro was able to achieve read and write speeds of 7,465.49MB/s of 6,887.68MB/s respectively in our industry standard tests. That's a considerable improvement on the brand's previous flagship model - increases the drive's speed by around 50%. Loading times and file transfer times are equally impressive. In our testing, around 10GB of data made the jump to this NVMe SSD in less than four seconds which is incredibly fast.

Keep in mind that the Samsung 990 Pro is a little pricier than some other SSDs for PS5 in our roundup at the moment. You can currently expect to pay around $169.99 / £155 / AU$265 for the 1TB version and $289.99 / £283.99 / AU$439 for the larger 2TB variant. This high price tag is what keeps this drive from reaching the top spot in our roundup but we're sure that it will begin to receive regular discounts in the coming months. It also happens to run quite hot when pushed to its limits, so be sure to get the version with the PS5 compatible heatsink installed (or fit your own) for the best experience.

The best all-round SSD for PS5

Seagate FireCuda 530 on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)
The best all-round PS5 SSD

Specifications

Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80.1 x 22.1 x 3.6 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,300MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 6,900MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent sequential performance 
+
Well-made PS5 heatsink 
+
Consistent transfer speeds 

Reasons to avoid

-
Gets expensive in high configurations 
-
No longer the fastest Gen 4.0 drive 
Buy it if

You want an SSD for PS5 that will last: The Seagate FireCuda 530 features best-in-class write endurance for its price and performance, meaning that it is a drive that will likely last for quite a long time.

You want lightning-fast performance: Inside of the PS5, the Seagate FireCuda achieves 6,539 MB/s sequential read speeds, making it one of the fastest NVMe drives compatible with the console.

Don't buy it if

You’re thinking of going for lower capacity: You can only really get the most out of the Seagate FireCuda 530 with 1TB and above models, so if you’re gunning for a 500GB SSD, consider a much cheaper one that does the same job. 

Even nearly three years on the Seagate FireCuda 530 is a tough act to follow as far as the best SSDs for PS5 go. It features the excellent Phison E-18 controller paired with 176-layer Micron TLC Flash memory for performance that's hard to beat, as it's capable of reaching rates of up to 7,300 MB/s read speeds. In our testing, we found that this top-performing drive achieved 6,539 MB/s sequential read speeds making it still one of the fastest models that you can slot into your PS5's M.2 port to this day. 

At its time of release, the Seagate FireCuda 530 was incredibly expensive. While it's still pricey in the highest configurations, as many Gen 4.0 drives are, the cost of a new drive has come down dramatically over the years. As a result, you can pick up the 1TB variant for around $129 / £103.99 / AU$239.99 and the 2TB version for $239.99 / £189 / $AU414.78.

What helps the Seagate FireCuda 530 stand out the most is its write endurance (a rough indicator of how long an SSD should last with regular use), which is seriously high-level. You can expect around 1,275TBW for 1TB and 2,550TBW for 2TB which is substantially higher than what you will find on many SSDs for PS5. Couple this with an excellent included heatsink and you've got a winning combination here. It's no longer quite the fastest on the market, but it's still well worth picking up for your system at these prices.

The best SSD for PS5 with standalone heatsink

PNY XLR8 Gaming Kit

(Image credit: Future)
The best SSD for PS5 with a standalone heatsink

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4
Connector: M.2
Sequential Read Performance: 7,500MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 6,850MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Excellently designed heatsink 
+
Powerful performance 
+
Competitive price point 

Reasons to avoid

-
No longer the fastest Gen 4.0 NVMe
-
Standalone heatsink is not for first-timers
Buy it if

You want an excellent SSD and heatsink combo: The heatsink in the Gaming Kit is its most noteworthy inclusion. It will protect the CS3140 drive from heat damage and ensure its longevity for years to come.

You’re after consistent performance from your PS5: We were able to achieve a fairly consistent 1 GB/sec transfer speed in our testing, which can’t be faulted in-game or when transferring large file sizes.  

Don't buy it if

❌  You're not comfortable installing the heatsink: This design is certainly not for those less experienced tinkering with the console. If you'd rather have a drive with its own built-in heatsink then the other options in our list will be better choices. 

The PNY XLR8 SSD Gaming Kit combines the powerful PNY CS3140 Gen 4.0 drive with the company's custom-designed heatsink that has been made exclusively for the console. What really sets this kit apart from other storage sticks at a similar price point is how its heat spreader completely replaces the stock M.2 port shield that comes with the system. This enables better performance and advanced airflow. 

This also not only means that you're protecting your SSD for PS5 from damage, but that you can get the most out of the high-performance drive thanks to the reduced running temperature. In our testing, we found that the read speeds, while no longer the absolute fastest on the market, were still incredibly quick and consistent. With a benchmark figure of 6,198 MB/s sequential read speed, this model zooms past many others at a similar price point when it comes to performance. 

Price-wise, you're looking at spending $106.98 /£190.79 for 1TB, $180.98 for the 2TB model and $485.98 for 4TB variants. Those based in the US are getting the best deal by going for the Gaming Kit combo. If you're based in either the UK or Australia, then getting the PNY CS3140 and PNY PS5 SSD heatsink cover separately could be your best option as it can run cheaper. It's around £200 / AU$239.57 for 1TB, and £243.50 / AU$392.62 for 2TB at RRP but you can expect frequent discounts. 

The SSD for PS5 with the best designed heatsink

Corsair MP600 PRO LPX

(Image credit: Future)
PS5 SSD with the best designed heatsink

Specifications

Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Interface: PCIe Gen 4.0 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80 x 23 x 11 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,100 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 5,800 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding read and write speeds
+
Excellent heatsink design
+
Easy to install

Reasons to avoid

-
Other options are cheaper
Buy it if

You want an SSD for PS5 with an excellent heatsink: The finned graphite design of Corsair's flagship NVMe SSD means that it can stay cool even under extreme loads. 

You want good value for money: The Corsair MP600 Pro LPX is one of the more affordable drives in our roundup, making it a solid choice in 2023. 

Don't buy it if

❌  You want the lowest price: Despite its affordable price, this drive still comes in more expensive than some of the most budget-oriented models on this list. Choose something else or wait for a sale if you're trying to save the most money.

We've been very impressed by the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX since getting our hands on one in 2022. This compact Gen 4.0 NVMe drive is capable of excelling while playing games thanks to its lightning-fast read speeds and sequential write figures that are among the highest on this list.

In our testing, we found that the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX easily achieved 7,364 MB/s sequential read speeds and 6,870 MB/s during our sequential writer test. There are few models that can say the same, especially at the more affordable price point that this flagship drive retails for. 

As with many Gen 4.0 SSDs this year, the asking prices for this super-fast PS5 SSD have been steadily on the decline. This is excellent news for those searching for decent value. The 1TB model can often be found for $125 and the 2TB variant usually now retails for $220, which is a far cry from the once sky-high asking prices of $185 and $370 respectively.

The best endurance SSD for PS5

Samsung 980 Pro SSD

(Image credit: Samsung)
Best endurance SSD for PS5

Specifications

Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80.1 x 20.2 x 2 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,000 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 5,100 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Good performance 
+
Great heatsink design
+
5 year warranty

Reasons to avoid

-
Replaced by the Samsung 990 Pro
Buy it if

You want a competitively priced SSD for PS5: The price of this drive has decreased massively now that the it has been available for a few years and there is a newer model on the market. 

You're after a drive with solid write endurance: Our testing found that the Samsung 980 Pro has some of the strongest write endurance of its class that we've seen to date. 

Don't buy it if

❌  You want the absolute fastest SSD for PS5: The Samsung 980 Pro is no longer the flagship Gen 4 drive it once was. It has since been replaced by the 990 Pro, which offers better speeds.

Despite its age, the Samsung 980 Pro continues to be an excellent SSD for PS5. This is in large part thanks to its excellently designed heatsink and solid write endurance. If you're after an NVMe storage drive that's going to be able take a lot of punishment, the thick aluminum chassis of this model has enough strength to bear some very intense workloads - just don't try and throw it out of a window or something as that probably wouldn't end very well. 

The Samsung 980 Pro is quoted by Samsung as being able to reach sequential read speeds of up to 7,000 MB/s and we found in our testing that this model came very close and could achieve 6,783 MB/s. That's more than fast enough for file transfers and puts this drive far above the recommended 5,500 MB/s speeds that the PS5 console requires.

Thanks to the arrival of an even new model, the Samsung 990 Pro, the Samsung 980 Pro has received a series of welcome price cuts. You can regularly find it available for around $150 when shopping for the 1TB model or between $199 and $220 for the 2TB variant if you need that extra storage space. With a 5-year warranty, you also have peace of mind knowing it is guaranteed for a fair chunk of the PS5 console generation.

Best high-capacity SSD for PS5

Nextorage NEM-PA

(Image credit: Future)
The best high-capacity SSD for PS5

Specifications

Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4
Connector: M.2
Dimensions (L x W x H): 80 x 23 x 11 mm
Sequential Read Performance: 7,300 MB/s
Sequential Write Performance: 6,900 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Consistent performance 
+
Excellently designed heatsink 
+
Competitive price point 

Reasons to avoid

-
Availability is limited 
Buy it if

You download a lot of games: The Nextorage NEM-PA 4TB is the highest capacity that can go into the PS5 meaning that you will have a ton of space to work with. 

You want good value for money: If you're based in the US, you simply won't find many other 4TB NVMe Gen 4 SSDs for under $300 that perform this well making it a real game-changer in the high capacity market. 

Don't buy it if

You want a smaller capacity PS5 SSD: While the Nextorage NEM-PA is available in other capacities and still performs well, the prices are much less compelling at smaller sizes.

While the name might be initially unfamiliar, the team behind the Nextorage NEM-PA shouldn't be. That's because this flagship PS5-compatible SSD has been constructed by many ex-Sony hardware developers after being acquired by Phison. This means you're getting leading components in a competitively priced package. Featuring the Phison E18 controller and a 2GB DRAM cache, it's unsurprising that this high-capacity drive excels across the board and is one of the fastest available for your PS5 console. 

In our testing, we found that the Nextorage NEM-PA performed as good, or even better, than many flagship models from other companies running the same hardware - despite its much cheaper price. What was most impressive about the 4TB variant especially is how the drive actually gets faster when under heavy loads instead of slowing down, making it incredibly easy to transfer the contents of your PS5 game library around in minutes. 

You won't notice any slowdown at all either. We found that the drive could achieve 6,276 MB/s sequential read speeds in the system's internal benchmark which is well above the recommended spec for the console. The price is also very compelling, as it costs just $299.99 (around £232 / AU$439) for the 4TB version. The one thing really holding the Nextorage NEM-PA back is that it's only found easily in the US in the 4TB capacity and has yet to become easily available in the UK and Australia.

PS5 Storage: SSD Requirements

PS5 games can only be played from a compatible internal NVMe SSD or the console's own native storage. Below you will find the key requirements that need to be met in order to be compatible with the system's M.2 port: 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
PS5 SSD requirements
Header Cell - Column 0 Header Cell - Column 1
FormatPCIe Gen 4.0 (x4) M.2 NVMe SSD
Capacity250GB, 500GB, 1Tb, 2TB or 4TB
Read Speed5500MB/s or faster
Total size with heatsink110 x 25 x 11.25 mm
Form factor2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110
HeatsinkRequired

All the SSDs in our roundup meet or exceed the recommended requirements set by Sony and are natively PS5-compatible. Keep in mind that regardless of which drive you choose, you will need a PS5 SSD heatsink. This is because the console has no way to dissipate heat with the M.2 port. Without a heatsink, the temperature of your SSD could become dangerously hot and not only potentially damage the SSD but also your console.

The best SSD for PS5 - FAQs

Should I buy a 1TB or 2TB SSD for PS5?

The minimum size that we would recommend when buying an SSD for PS5 would be at least 1TB. Given the sizes of many games, anything smaller than this is likely to fill up incredibly quickly. If you are somebody who downloads lots of games, consider larger sizes like 2TB instead.

Which SSDs are compatible with the PS5?

The only SSDs that will work in the PS5 are Gen 4.0 NVMe models with heatsinks. Gen 3.0 models are too slow to reach the minimum recommended read speeds of 5,500 MB/s. Fortunately, the prices are continuing to fall on products from some of the biggest names in the storage world making this one the best time to consider investing in a new drive. 

Do I need a heatsink for my SSD on PS5?

Yes, you absolutely need a PS5 SSD heatsink in order to use an SSD properly on the console as they help keep the SSD cool. Excessive heat for prolonged lengths of time can damage or corrupt the drive which is the last thing you would want after splashing out on new hardware. Installing your own heatsink, while often cheaper, is a bit of pain so we recommend picking up an SSD which has one installed already.

How we test SSDs for PS5

We test SSDs for PS5 by recording the file transfer times in a range of tests in addition to the loading times in popular games. The official Sony benchmark tool gives us a consistent way to measure the sequential read and write performance. After that, we compare how the PS5 SSD that we are testing stacks up against the console's internal storage drive to see if it is on par or surpasses what the system does as standard. We also look at the asking price for the drives and compare them with the performance from competing products which factors into our overall verdict. 

Want to buy even more for your PS5? Consider one of our recommendations for the best PS5 controllers and the best monitors for PS5. For everything else, visit our hub for the best PS5 accessories.

Dashiell Wood
Hardware Writer

Dash is TechRadar Gaming's Hardware Writer. Before joining TechRadar, he was a print journalist writing articles for some of the UK's biggest gaming magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.

With contributions from