Sony gives recommendations for PS5 SSD expansion, but no required speed
Sony has revealed details on how PlayStation 5 owners can expand SSD storage. The company gives some recommendations in terms of specifications, but there is no firm requirement in terms of speed. Sony also does not guarantee optimal operation.
Sony lists a number minimum requirements on its support website for the internal SSD expansion. It must be a PCIe 4.0 x4 instance with the M.2-22 form factor and a capacity between 250GB and 4TB. The length doesn’t matter; they may be M.2-2230 to M.2-22110 variants, either single-sided or double-sided. According to Sony, an SSD with a heatsink is required. The total dimensions including cooling block may not exceed 110x25x11.25mm.
About the speed, Sony only says that an SSD with a sequential read speed of 5500MB/s or higher is recommended. Sony says nothing about the write speed and the mentioned speed is not a requirement either. The PlayStation 5 has SSD storage with a read and write speed of 5500MB/s.
No guarantee of proper functioning
Sony also writes that it cannot guarantee that all M.2 SSDs that meet the stated properties will work in the console. The PlayStation manufacturer also says that not all games may run as optimally from an M.2 SSD as the internal PS5 storage, even if it concerns an M.2 SSD that achieves a higher speed of 5500MB / s.
Sony is not yet saying anything about recommended or certified SSDs for the PlayStation 5. Customers should contact the SSD manufacturer if they have questions about compatibility, the support page says.
The PlayStation 5’s M.2 slot is currently still disabled via firmware. In the latest beta of the PS5 software, the expansion slot has been activated. This will happen for all users at a later date. It is not yet known when the M.2 SSD expansion will be available to everyone.
Available SSDs
Various manufacturers have SSDs that are fast enough on paper as a storage expansion for the PlayStation 5. The Pricewatch contains models from brands such as Samsung, WD, MSI, XPG, Gigabyte, PNY, Corsair, Seagate, which offer both read and write speeds above the Get 5 GB/s. However, the dimensions and the availability of a suitable heatsink still need to be considered.
Several SSD manufacturers will probably recommend SSDs as suitable or optimal for the PlayStation 5. When the WD Black SN850 was introduced, Western Digital already said that it was suitable for the PS5. Seagate now says the same about its FireCuda 530 models announced in June. Against the Australian website finder says Seagate that it has tested operation in the PS5.
Seagate FireCuda 530 with heatsink