Hey guys, it’s Kevin, and welcome back to another video.
So, it’s been a year since Sony enabled M.2 SSD support for the PlayStation 5.
And with the new PlayStation Plus memberships, you have access to even more games.
This will quickly fill up the built-in storage on the PS5, which only 667 GB is usable.
So, is it better to go for an external SSD or internal SSD?
In today’s video, I’ll go over the setup process and talk about the pros and cons for each option.
So, let’s get started.
Ok, first things first.
You’ll need a few items before you begin.
The most obvious one is a PS5.
If you still haven’t got your hands on one,
I did read it’ll be somewhat easier to get this year.
Next, you’ll need an external SSD and USB-C cable
or an M.2 SSD with a heatsink.
You’ll also need a small Phillips head screwdriver.
Alright, if you’re going for the external SSD route,
then this will be quick and easy.
Here, I have the 1 TB Samsung T7.
You just plug a USB-C cable to it,
then plug the other end to one of the ports on the PS5.
I recommend using a USB-C to USB-A cable.
That way, you can hide the drive behind the PS5
and not have a cable sticking out of the front.
Now, for M.2 SSD, it’ll take some time and effort,
but it’s still easy and straightforward.
Not all of them will work on the PS5 since Sony has a list of requirements,
which I’ll list here and link below.
First, you’ll want to remove all of the cables from the PS5
and place it on a flat surface.
The SSD slot is on the same side as the disc drive,
or if you have the digital version,
it’s on the side that doesn’t have the PlayStation logo.
With the rear ports facing away from you,
you grab the top left part of the plate,
pull up at angle, and slide it off.
Inside this metal plate is where the M.2 SSD will be stored.
Just grab your Phillips head screwdriver and remove the single screw.
I have the 1TB Samsung 980 Pro.
I installed a heatsink myself and saved a few dollars.
From the side, you have the bottom plate, thermal pad,
SSD, another thermal pad, and the top plate.
Screw in the three tiny screws on each side, and it’s ready to install.
In the SSD slot, you’ll need to remove the screw and spacer from the PS5.
Then slide the SSD right in,
add the spacer and screw to keep it in place,
and put the metal plate back.
Once you’re done, slide the PS5 plate back on, and plug in the cables.
When you turn on the PS5, you’ll get this message to format the M.2 SSD, then it’ll perform a read test.
If everything checks out, it’s ready to use.
So, external SSDs are cheaper than M.2 SSDs.
The T7 retails for $140,
and the 980 Pro is $210 without a heatsink
and $240 with a heatsink.
A heatsink costs around 10 to $20.
There are deals right now, so you can get all of these products for a lot cheaper.
I’ll link them in the description box below.
If you’re looking at price alone,
an external SSD wins,
but there are limitations, which I’ll go more into later.
An external SSD is easier to setup
since you just plugged it in the PS5.
There’s no need to open up the PS5 and install an internal SSD.
Sure, it’s more convenient, but there is one downside.
You can only store PS5 games on it, not play them.
PS4 and older games can be stored and played though.
This can be a hassle if you have a lot of PS5 games
since you need to copy the game back to the built-in storage in order to play them.
Depending on the type of games you play (PS4 or PS5),
an external and internal SSD both win this round.
But bonus points for external drives
since you can copy some video and audio files from a computer
and play them on a PS5.
M.2 SSDs are crazy fast.
The 980 Pro has read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s
while the T7 can go up to 1,050 MB/s.
This is why Sony limits playing PS5 games to only M.2 SSDs.
External SSDs aren’t fast enough for a smooth gaming experience.
When I copied a 90 GB PS5 game to the M.2,
it only took about a minute.
And copying that to the T7 took…
more than that.
So, M.2 SSDs win this round.
Overall, both types of SSDs have their pros and cons,
and it’ll depend on the type of games you download.
If you want to save the extra money,
and don’t mind copying PS5 games back and forth,
then an external SSD will be fine.
But personally, I would get the M.2 SSD.
The speed and convenience is worth the extra money.
And that’s it for my PS5 SSD Upgrade video.
Let me know which option you’ll go for in the comments down below.
If you enjoyed this video,
then you might like to watch my PS5 review and my favorite Mac apps.
Please like, comment, and subscribe.
And I’ll catch you guys in the next one. Bye!