Players will be able to add specific M.2 SSDs to the PS5 with a new system update to be released tomorrow, two months after a beta version with this option was made available to users who signed up.
As detailed in a post on the PlayStation blog, the update offers users the option to increase the overall storage capacity of the PS5 by installing a PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD (which oscillates · Between 250 GB and 4 TB) that meets certain technical and dimensional requirements. Once the M.2 drive is installed, the new storage space can be used to copy, download, update and play PS4 and PS5 games, as well as multimedia applications. The result will essentially add a second fully functional internal drive to the console.
This is a big step above the cold storage solution that was added to the system in April, which allowed state-of-the-art gaming to run directly from an external SSD hard drive or Standard SSD via USB, and mostly maintained players do the same for PS5 games. As a result, the feature did little more than allow gamers to free up space for PS5 games by storing PS4 games on an external drive … or simply letting PS5 downloads collect dust in storage, which Sony he said it still allowed for faster transfers to internal storage than re-downloading from scratch. For PS5 players, this did nothing to alleviate the issues with the 667 GB internal console space available.
Some assembly is required
As a public version of the beta version of the update that was offered from July, it appears that the specifications of the usable M.2 SSDs do not change. Dual-sided and double-sided M.2 devices can be used, and Sony recommends a minimum sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB / s. Compatible devices also require a heat dissipation component with a cooling structure.
In physical terms, to fit in the SS5 slot of the PS5, the width of a drive cannot exceed 25 mm (which includes space for a heatsink). Meanwhile, the length can vary between 30 and 110 mm depending on the model. Users have the option of using a drive with a built-in heatsink or installing their own, although Sony specifies that the PS5’s housing only allows for a total SSD depth and heat dissipation of up to 11 , 25 mm. Although the company does not currently have a list of recommended specific compatible M.2 models, it states that the “majority” of the key numbers M 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110 will be adapted to the expansion bay. PS5 Storage
A couple of standard liability exemptions apply, just like during the beta version. Players running games from an SSD may not have the same experience as playing from the PS5’s standard internal storage, regardless of the sequential read speed of a device. Sony also does not guarantee that all M.2 SSDs with these specifications will work. It’s probably best to stick to well-known names like Seagate and WD Black, which offer built-in, low-profile models in a variety of storage capacities. (Samsung is also a reliable option, although it should be noted that, as of this writing, the manufacturer does not offer any devices compatible with integrated heatsinks).
Compared to the Xbox S and X series, which require a proprietary memory card of only 1 TB for $ 220 (unless you want to try this hack), the widest and cheapest selection of PS5 SSDs that work with this update is a considerable improvement. Fans of gluttonous storage games like Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, which can take up more than 200 GB in a full installation, should be a welcome change.
In addition to SSD expansion options, the new update also includes 3D audio features for built-in TV speakers and new features on the PS5 and UX control panel, among other additions.