Sony’s next-gen console, the PS5, will ship with a custom 825 GB SSD out-of-the-box. Out of the 825GB, only 667GB is available for game storage, which should theoretically be enough for now.
That’s because Sony will only allow PS5 owners to add more storage later in an upcoming software update. The company told the Verge SSD expansion is “reserved for a future update.”
Sony’s custom 825GB SSD reads at 5.5 GB/s, and the company has not yet named which third-party SSDs are compatible with the console. Because not all M.2 SSDs will be fast enough to suit the hardware needs of the PS5.
The SSD must also be small enough to fit inside the console’s SSD bay, and it also needs to be compatible with Sony’s I/O controller. During the PS5 spec announcement, PlayStation hardware architect Mark Cerny said third-party SSDs should have at least 5.5GB/sec transmitted via PCI Gen 4 connection.
Sony’s requirements mean that not all M.2 SSDs with PCI Gen 4 connection will be compatible with the PS5.
So before you make a splurge on an M.2 SSD, you should wait for Sony to release their list of compatible PS5 SSDs.
Otherwise, if you just want to play PS4 games on the PS5, go ahead, buy any external HDD or SSD and plug it via the available USB ports – it will work fine.
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