The PlayStation 5 doesn’t come out of the box with a huge amount of storage. When you discount the space required for system files, you’re left with about 667.2GB for all your games. That’s enough room 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. You can choose between an internal or external SSD when buying an SSD for your PS5. But which one 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 installs inside your PS5. Installing an M.2 SSD on your PS5 is a simple and easy process. Designed to remove the cover of your PS5. You may have already done this to clean your system or replace the console cover.
If so, you may have noticed a small empty slot on your PS5. That space is reserved for an internal SSD. Installing an internal SSD is more convenient than an external SSD 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, this is the only SSD you can use to play PS5 games. You are unable to play PS5 games directly from external SSD.
If your library is mostly made up of PlayStation 5 titles, you’re much better off installing an internal SSD. You’re thinking of getting one to play games on your PS5, so it’s important to make sure your SSD is capable of running PS5 games.
An internal SSD improves your PS5’s performance
Installing an internal SSD in your PS5 has also been proven to increase the performance of your system. We’ve crunched 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 go for it? If you’re interested in upgrading your console, installing an internal SSD is one of the biggest upgrades you can make to your system and allows it to perform at its highest potential.
An internal SSD doesn’t use up any of your PS5’s USB slots
Your PS5 is only equipped with a precious few USB slots. There’s only a single USB Type-A high-speed slot on the front of the system, with a USB-C SuperSpeed slot on the bottom. There are also two USB Type-A SuperSpeed slots on the back of the system.
If you don’t have a charging stand or something similar for your extra controllers, you’ll at least have one USB slot reserved to make sure you’ve always got a charged controller on deck. And if you have even more controllers than that, you may need all the USB slots you can get.
By installing your SSD internally, you keep all of your USB slots free for anything else you might need.
Storing your SSD internally is far more convenient
You don’t necessarily want to have an external SSD hanging out of your PS5 at all times. Installing one directly to your PS5 makes it a lot easier to store and play your console. Moving the console is already hard enough. They are often heavy and have lots of cords to keep track of. Installing your SSD internally means one less thing you have to remember when moving it around.
Storing your SSD internally is far more convenient
You don’t necessarily want to have an external SSD hanging out of your PS5 at all times. Installing one directly to your PS5 makes it a lot easier to store and play your console. Moving the console is already hard enough. They are often heavy and have lots of cords to keep track of. Installing your SSD internally means one less thing you have to remember when moving it around.
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 be automatically downloaded directly to your SSD, so you’ll 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 just set and forget. But having an external SSD also has many advantages.