Video games are becoming larger and larger. God of War Ragnarok, which just released in November 2022, had a file size around 90GB for the PS5. The new Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 had a file size around 151GB. With every new triple-A game release, an external hard drive for PS5 becomes more and more essential.
The PS5 has an internal storage space of 667.2GB available, which holds roughly around four to five large games. If you’re like me and prefer not to juggle the number of games on your system, an external hard drive would be the best option. In this article, we’ll discuss how an external hard drive will improve your gaming lifestyle, and which external hard drives we recommend.
What is an External Hard Drive in Gaming?
An external hard drive acts as another storage space to hold your games, and save files or media content. With an external hard drive, you won’t have to play Tetris with your internal storage on your PlayStation 5. Using an external hard drive allows you to have more playable games ready to go.
Before getting an external hard drive, I had to delete games off my console in order to download more. If you’re someone who loves to take photos and videos of your games, getting an external hard drive is even more vital. An external hard drive allows you to save more media files without having to worry about space.
How to Choose an External Hard Drive
There are a lot of hard drives to choose from, and each has their own features and benefits. Here are three important areas you want to focus on when choosing an external hard drive.
Amount of Space Needed
This is the most important aspect in choosing an external hard drive for PS5. Are you the type of gamer to have over 15-20 games on your console? Do you love to have tons of media files, like photos and videos? Do you use your console for more than gaming (i.e., Netflix, Spotify)?
External hard drives typically range from 500GB all the way to 5TB. The higher you go the more you future proof the amount of games you can have. The last thing you want is to buy a 500GB drive and, down the line, you realize it wasn’t enough. I like to get a hard drive around 1TB, this allows me to not worry about storage space issues for years!
Read and Write Speed
The read and write speed of a drive means how fast a file can open, download, and be accessed from your main console to your external. The faster, the better. Now, it’s important to note that the PS5 has a cap speed on USB 3.2 Gen 1 at 5 GBps and USB 3.2 Gen 2 at 10GBps. There is a good chance that won’t affect most of the drives out there, but it’s always good to be aware.
Drives tend to have a read/write speed range from 250 MB/s all the way to the high tier of 7,300MB/s or more. The faster the speed, the faster the load times, and also the more expensive the drive. I shop around for drives in the middle tier around 1,000 – 2,500 MB/s.
Portability, Accessibility & Style
This isn’t as vital as the other features, but it’s something to think about. If you plan on traveling with your console, you want to get an external hard drive for PS5 that is easy to pack and transport. If you plan on leaving your console in one location, buying a hard drive that looks good next to it always adds some flair. Some hard drives offer RGB lighting and can liven up a living room.
You should also be aware of the USB type. Some hard drives will use USB 3.2 Gen 1 or Gen 2. Some will use USB-C. Now, USB-C will be a lot faster, and you won’t have that PS5 throttle as well. Keep in mind the PlayStation5 only has one USB-C port to use.
Best External Hard Drive for PS5
WD Black P10 4TB
This option has a ton of space for a great price. The WD Black P10 has multiple sizes ranging from 1TB all the way to 5TB. WD Black is a fantastic brand that specializes in console and PC hard drives. The read and write speed will be slower than most drives on the market, though the price and size will make up for it.
Seagate FireCuda
The Seagate FireCuda brings color to your gaming world. With a full RGB front lighting array, it’s designed to compliment your gaming station. There are two options to choose from — 2TB and 5TB — so you’ll have plenty of space. It connects via USB 3.2 Gen 1, and has a slower read/write speed than the WD Black.
Crucial X6 2TD
The Crucial X6 is a Solid State Drive (SSD), and plugs in via USB Type-C. This drive brings the speed and portability with its size. There are a ton of options to choose, from 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. The read speed is up to 800 MB/s, which is faster than most hard drives.
Samsung T7 Shield
The Samsung T7 Shield is an incredibly fast SSD at an amazing price. With a USB Type-C, you get read and write speeds of up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s. I really like the design on this, it has that rugged look and durability. The T7 shield comes in 1TB and 2TB.
Lexar SL660 Blaze
The Lexar SL660 Blaze ups the speed on SSD, and has the style too. With a read speed of 2000 MB/s and a write speed of 1900 MB/s, you’ll be zooming. It connects via USB Type-C which allows you to have those faster speeds. It’s incredibly portable, comes with a five-year warranty and stand. Another great option is the 512GB for those who don’t need 1TB.
SanDisk Extreme
It doesn’t get any more portable than the SanDisk Extreme. It’s incredibly compact allowing you to bring this wherever you go. With four different sizes ranging from 500GB all the way to 4TB, you have options aplenty. It plugs in via USB Type – C, and has a read speed of 1050 MB/s and a write speed of 1000MB/s.
WD Black 8TB
Last but not least, this is a beast of a hard drive. This is built for those who need the extra space for tons of in-game photos and videos on their console. Most gamers won’t need this much space but, for the price, it’s unbeatable.
Conclusion
The next-gen consoles have made external hard drives a necessity. If you want to have the luxury of swapping between games without deleting and reinstalling, then an external hard drive is mandatory. Add in the free PS Plus games you get monthly, online games, and videos and photos you take, there is little reason not to buy one. Make sure the one you get future proofs your storage for years to come, and has the space and speed you need to game for hours!
