The PlayStation 5 has been out for a good while now, and many users will have expanded their game collections close to the internal hard drive’s maximum capacity.
The console’s 825GB storage is plenty if you’re only downloading a few must-play PS5 games, but, if you’re constantly downloading new titles and want to keep your saved progress, you might be struggling.
That’s where this guide comes in. Here, we’ve rounded up the best external PS5 SSDs that we’ve tested so far.
A post-launch software update now means you can move both PS4 and PS5 games over to external storage, and you’re also now able to expand the internal storage, too.
While most external drives can’t match the speed of the PS5’s own drive, meaning you also can’t play games from them directly, you’ll still get way faster transfer speeds and a smaller device.
The options we’ve listed below are all compatible with PS4, as well, just in case you’re looking to boost storage for Sony’s older console.
Our Top Pick: PS5 External Hard Drive
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
1. Best external PS5 drive overall
Best overall
A great SSD that is perfect for holding some extra PS5 games.
- Tiny size
- Rapid transfer speeds
This SSD from Samsung is a doozy – it’s pretty decently priced for the storage you get, with bigger sizes available, but it also comes with a fingerprint scanner that makes it amazingly secure.
You’ll get seriously fast transfer speeds through its USB-C cable, and it hardly takes up any space whatsoever. It’s the best bet for most people.
Seagate Game Drive
2. Best external PS5 drive for capacity
Reliable option
$92 $110 Save $18
A solid external drive – it’s not quick, but it’s got loads of storage.
- Reliable
- Good speeds (for an HDD)
- Affordable
Seagate is a big deal in storage, in case you didn’t know, and it has a variety of drives available, but its Game Drive range is specifically aimed at gaming.
This external HDD is not going to be able to run PS5 games directly, but it offers huge capacities at prices that you’ll struggle to match with an SSD, meaning there’s still a clear space for it in the market.
WD_Black P50 NVMe SSD
3. Best external PS5 drive for looks
Excellent alternative
$200 $250 Save $50
A great gaming drive with a unique design.
- Nice design
- Aimed at gamers
If you do indeed want to double your storage amount, though, this drive from WD_Black is gaming-branded and has a really resilient design.
It’s also impressively speedy and plays very nicely with other consoles, not just the PS5. However, you do again end up paying slightly over the odds for the storage you’re getting.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
4. Best external PS5 drive for ruggedness
Superb pick
$79.99 $137.99 Save $58
A great-priced drive that’s also good and rugged.
- Really rugged
- Nice small design
- Not the fastest transfer speeds
SanDisk has one of the most diminutive drives around in the form of its Extreme Portable, which is really dinky and easily clips onto even a keyring or any other loop.
That makes it great if you want to move your collection around, whether within your home or to a LAN party or another setting. It’s also really nicely priced given how rugged and reliable it also is.
ROG Strix Arion S500
5. Best external PS5 drive for RGB
Light it up
$53 $60 Save $7
This is the loudest-looking drive we’ve found, which might not be to everyone’s tastes but may well thrill some.
- Funky design
- Very decent price
If you want an external drive for your PS5 that really makes a song and dance about itself, there’s nothing out there to match this one from ROG, part of Asus.
It’s a fun little bit of design that has RGB lighting up in a couple of places to really stand out from the crowd, although we’re not sure how important that is for an SSD. Still, it thankfully also has very solid speeds and doesn’t cost a bomb.
Conclusion
There are plenty of great drives out there for your PS5 – the reality is that any great external drive is probably a good choice for your console. However, it’s got to be Samsung’s drive for us overall, offering the best combination of speed, capacity and pricing to make it the top pick.
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
$69.99 $89.99 Save $20
Our top pick has to be this simple but superb drive from Samsung.
How to choose an external drive for your PS5
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you go about picking an SSD for your PS5.
The first big thing to check in on is how much extra space you really think you need. If, like us, you find yourself having to delete games too often because a monster like Call of Duty: Warzone is taking up too much of your real estate, that might mean you can work out how much some extra room would be useful.
Most SSDs can be found in variations from 250GB up to 1TB, so be sure to pick up the right amount for your needs. Be warned, though – bigger drives obviously cost more!
Should you get an internal drive instead?
You can also add more space for your PS5 directly by installing an internal SSD, although the limits on what type of drive will fit and work are more restrictive. This is well worth looking into, especially if you want to store primarily PS5 games since you’ll be able to play them directly from the bigger drive inside your console.
Are you planning to store PS4 games?
If the collection of games you’re looking to offload from your console’s built-in storage is primarily from the last generation, then an external SSD is perfect. You can plug it in and play them directly from the SSD, after all, making for minimal moving around of software.
Trending Products
