The PS5 Storage Arms Race: Why 2TB is Now the Baseline, and What’s Coming Next
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone 2.0 could consume over 240GB of your PlayStation 5’s storage. That’s not a hypothetical scenario; it’s the reality facing gamers today, and it’s why the conversation around PS5 SSD upgrades has shifted dramatically. What was once about simply having extra space is now about future-proofing your console against increasingly massive game installs and the evolving demands of next-generation gaming.
Beyond Capacity: The Speed Imperative
While capacity remains crucial, simply slapping any old SSD into your PS5 won’t cut it. Sony’s requirements – a minimum sequential read speed of 5,500MB/s – are there for a reason. Slower drives might work, but you risk performance bottlenecks and potentially compatibility issues down the line. The sweet spot remains Gen4 NVMe SSDs, offering a balance of speed and affordability. Models like the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX and Crucial T500 consistently top recommendation lists, delivering speeds well above Sony’s threshold and often including pre-installed heatsinks – a necessity for sustained performance.
The Heatsink Dilemma: DIY vs. Pre-Built
Speaking of heatsinks, the cooling solution is often overlooked. SSDs, particularly during prolonged gaming sessions, generate significant heat. Without adequate cooling, performance can throttle, and the drive’s lifespan can be reduced. While pre-built SSDs with integrated heatsinks offer convenience, opting for a bare drive and adding your own heatsink can save money. Laptop NVMe heatsinks are a surprisingly effective and affordable solution, readily available and designed for tight spaces. Just ensure it meets Sony’s height restrictions (maximum 11.25mm, with only 2.45mm allowed below the drive).
The Rise of PS5-Specific Designs
Manufacturers are responding to the unique thermal challenges of the PS5. Sabrent’s Rocket 4 Plus, with its innovative heatsink designed to replace the console’s storage bay cover, is a prime example. While pricier than standard options, it demonstrates a commitment to optimized cooling for the PS5 ecosystem. This trend towards purpose-built solutions is likely to continue as game developers push the boundaries of storage performance.
External Storage: A Useful Companion, Not a Replacement
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking an external SSD can solve all your storage woes. While you can store PS5 games on an external drive, you can’t play them directly from it. External SSDs, connected via USB, are best suited for archiving games you’re not actively playing or for storing your PS4 library. The Samsung T7 and its successor, the T9 (boasting read/write speeds up to 2,000MB/s), remain excellent choices for this purpose. However, for seamless, high-performance gaming, an internal NVMe SSD is non-negotiable.
Looking Ahead: Gen5 and the Future of PS5 Storage
Currently, investing in a Gen5 SSD for your PS5 is premature. Sony’s console doesn’t yet support the PCIe 5.0 standard, and while Gen5 drives are backward compatible, the price premium isn’t justified. However, that’s almost certainly going to change with the PS6. As game sizes continue to balloon and developers increasingly leverage the potential of direct storage technologies (allowing games to load assets directly from the SSD, bypassing the CPU), the demand for faster storage will only intensify. We can anticipate the PS6 requiring a Gen5 SSD as a baseline, potentially unlocking even faster load times and more immersive gaming experiences.
Furthermore, the industry is exploring computational storage – SSDs with integrated processing capabilities. This technology could offload certain tasks from the CPU, further enhancing performance and enabling more complex game worlds. While still in its early stages, computational storage represents a significant leap forward in storage technology and could revolutionize the gaming experience in the years to come. TechRadar provides a good overview of this emerging technology.
The PS5 storage landscape is evolving rapidly. What started as a simple upgrade to address limited space is now a critical component of the overall gaming experience. Investing in a high-quality 1TB or 2TB Gen4 SSD today is a smart move, but keeping an eye on the development of Gen5 and computational storage technologies will be essential for staying ahead of the curve.
What storage solutions are you planning for your PS5? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!