Western Digital’s new PS5 SSDs could be your answer to console storage woes
Double or triple up
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PS5 storage space has a tendency to fill up fast, but Western Digital’s latest PS5 SSDs look set to combat that, as well as cut down on long load times.
The WD Black SN850 NVMe SSD forPS5is available now to buy from Western Digital’s officialonline store, and comes in both 1TB and 2TB variants. They cost £179.99 (around $213.99) and £289.99 (around $344.99) respectively. US prices have yet to be confirmed.
Don’t expect these new PS5 SSDs to show up as part ofAmazon’sPrime Day deals, though, as Western Digital has confirmed they won’t appear on other storefronts until mid-August.
These latest products from the SSD specialist have been developed in tandem withSony. If you needed that extra seal of quality, then, rest assured that these SSDs are officially licensed PlayStation products.
More storage, faster gaming
The WD Black SN850 NVMe SSD for PS5 consoles is a successor to the original SN850 model that tops ourbest PS5 SSDslist. However, this latest model boasts an improved sequential write performance of 5300MB/s, as opposed to the original version’s 4100MB/s.
Read speeds match the original’s 7000MB/s, which should allow for lightning fast booting of apps and impressively low load times. That’s a good deal quicker than the PS5’s pre-installed SSD, which clocks in at around 5500MB/s.
Western Digital has also made the process of installing the WD Black SN850 NVMe SSD blissfully easy, as both the 1TB and 2TB models come with a heatsink pre-fitted. If you’re still nervous about installing an internal SSD for yourself, though, read our handy guide onhow to install a PS5 SSD.
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NVMe SSDs do tend to be on the pricier side, and there’s no exception here. However, extra fast storage on PS5 is a worthwhile investment in our opinion. With a 1TB or 2TB SSD, you can effectively double or triple the amount of space available on your console.
On top of that, NVMe SSDs are typically much quicker, meaning they’ll drastically reduce load times in-game. That’s a huge plus if you regularly play games with massive file sizes likeHorizon Forbidden WestorCall of Duty Warzone.
Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
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