The PlayStation 5 doesn’t come with a huge amount of storage. When you discount the space required for system files, you’re left with about 667.2 GB for all your games. This is enough space to store between four and ten titles.
Once you inevitably run out of space, you’re left with a few options. You can start deleting games to make more space or buy an SSD. When buying an SSD for your PS5, you can choose between an internal or an external SSD. But which is better?
What is an internal SSD and why should I get one for my PS5?
An internal SSD is a small USB-sized device that is installed inside your PS5. Installing an M.2 SSD in your PS5 is a simple and easy process. The covers on your PS5 are designed to come off. You may have already done this to clean your system or replace console covers.
If so, you may have noticed a small empty slot inside your PS5. That place is reserved for an internal SSD. Installing an internal SSD is more convenient than an external one for several reasons.
An internal SSD is the only SSD you can play PS5 games on
There are many benefits to installing an internal SSD directly into your PS5. But first and foremost, it’s the only SSD you can use to play PS5 games. You cannot play PS5 games directly from an external SSD.
If your library consists mostly of PlayStation 5 titles, you’re much better off installing an internal SSD. After all, you’re thinking about getting one to play on your PS5, so it’s important to make sure your SSD is capable of running PS5 games.
An internal SSD improves the performance of your PS5
Installing an internal SSD in your PS5 has also been shown to increase the performance of your system. We’ve broken down the numbers, and the numbers show that installing an M.2 SSD makes your PS5 games load faster.
If you lead a busy life, every moment counts. The PS5 is already a fast and powerful system. But if installing an internal SSD makes it even better than it already is, why not give it a try? If you’re interested in upgrading your console, installing an internal SSD is the biggest upgrade you can make to your system and allows it to perform at its full potential.
An internal SSD does not use any of the USB slots on your PS5
Your PS5 is only equipped with a couple of precious USB slots. There is only one Hi-Speed ​​USB Type-A slot on the front of the system with a SuperSpeed ​​USB-C slot below. There are also two SuperSpeed ​​USB Type-A slots on the rear of the system.
If you don’t have a charging stand or something similar for your spare controllers, you probably have at least one of the USB slots reserved to ensure you always have a loaded controller in the rig. And if you have even more controllers than that, you might need all the USB slots you can get your hands on.
By installing your SSD internally, you can keep all your USB slots free for whatever else you might need them for.
Storing your SSD internally is much more convenient
You don’t necessarily want to have an external SSD dangling from your PS5 all the time. Installing one directly on your PS5 makes storing and moving your console so much easier. Relocating consoles is hard enough. They tend to be heavy and have a lot of wires to manage. Installing your SSD internally means there’s one less thing to remember when moving it.
You also don’t have to worry about it accidentally falling off your console and potentially corrupting your data. When you remove an external storage device from whatever it’s attached to, you need to eject it before you physically remove it. If you do not safely eject your USB drive before unplugging it, your data transfer may be interrupted. If this happens, your data could be damaged.
If your storage solutions aren’t ideal for your PS5 and your external SSD goes down, there’s a chance your data could be lost forever. If you install your SSD internally, this risk is reduced.
Once you’ve installed an internal SSD in your PS5, you can set your M.2 SSD as the default install location for your games. Everything will download directly to your SSD automatically, so you never have to think about it again. This is by far the most convenient storage solution for your PS5.
What is an external SSD and why should I get one for my PS5?
An external SSD is a compact device that connects to your system via a USB cable. It might not be as convenient as having one installed on your PS5 that you can set and forget. But there are also many advantages to having an external SSD.
As long as you remember to safely eject your external SSD before removing it, there is no additional risk to your data. External SSDs can be quite useful.
External SSDs are portable
Having an external SSD opens the door for you to take it with you anywhere. An external SSD only connects via USB instead of being permanently installed in your console. So if you want to bring your game library over to your friend’s house to play on their PS5, you can.
It’s not plausible to take your PS5 console apart and unscrew its internal SSD, so you can take it over to your friend’s house and temporarily install it in your game sharing system. But if you had an external SSD, removing it and connecting it to another PS5 console would only take a few seconds.
External SSDs are much cheaper than internal SSDs
An external SSD is usually a much cheaper option than its internal counterparts. So if you’re shopping on a budget, an external SSD might be the best buy for your PS5.
Because external SSDs are so much cheaper than internal ones, you can buy a much larger external SSD for the same price as a much smaller internal one. If you’re looking to get the most space possible for the lowest price, an external SSD would be the best option.
An external SSD is perfect for PS4 games
You can store your extra PS5 games on an external SSD, but to play them, you’ll need to download them back to your console’s internal storage. And when you’re looking for a storage solution that doesn’t involve deleting and re-downloading your games, an external SSD becomes redundant.
But if you have a large library of PS4 titles, an external SSD would be perfect for you. You probably want to save your PS5 storage for PS5 games. With an external SSD, you can dedicate your entire system storage to PS5 games while still accessing your PS4 game library directly from your external SSD.
Should I buy an external or internet SSD for my PlayStation 5?
There are many pros and cons to internal and external SSDs for the PlayStation 5. But when it really comes down to it, the biggest difference between the two is that an internal SSD stores and plays PS5 games, and an external SSD doesn’t. .
If you mainly play PS5 titles, you should get an internal SSD. If you’ve been a PlayStation gamer for years and have a solid library of PS4 games that you want to play regularly, an external SSD would be the best option for you.
Beefing up your PS5 storage space is an unfortunate but necessary expense for any avid gamer. There are so many options on the market that trying to find the best one for you can be incredibly overwhelming.
Hopefully this guide has helped you find the answer to your PS5 storage problems, so you can stop worrying about space and start focusing on your game.