Some PCIe 4.0 SSDs are faster in a PS5 than they are in a PC
Gigabyte claims that their AORUS NVMEe Gen4 SSDs are faster on PS5
What?
Gigabyte markets its AORUS NVMe Gen4 series of SSDs as PCIe 4.0 compatible SSDs that can deliver sequential read speeds of up to 5,000 MB/s, a value that sits below Sony’s recommended 5,500 MB/s performance criteria for PlayStation 5 SSDs. However, Gigabyte has tested their drive and found that their SSD can deliver 5,600 MB/s read speeds on PlayStation 5, surpassing the SSD’s limits on PC.
Using the PlayStation 5’s integrated SSD read speed test, which is conducted when a new PCIe 4.0 SSD is installed within the system, Gigabyte can achieve performance levels with their AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD that are faster than the drive’s official PC specifications. As such, Gigabyte can legitimately claim that this SSD meets Sony’s SSD requirements for PlayStation 5 storage expansion.
Is this SSD really faster on PlayStation 5?
The simple answer to this question is that we do not know. These higher sequential read speeds could be due to quirks within Sony’s PlayStation 5 SSD test or aspects of the AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD’s Phison PS5016-E16 SSD controller that play nicely with Sony’s PlayStation 5 storage stack.
Gigabyte has updated the webpage for their AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD to highlight that it is capable of 5,600 MB/s reads speeds on PlayStation 5. The drive is a PCIe 4.0 SSD, it has an integrated heatsink that meets Sony’s size requirements, and it delivers 5,600 MB/s read speeds on the console.
How does this apply to other PCIe 4.0 SSDs?
The YouTuber GT Canada has conducted similar testing on Corsair’s PCIe 4.0 compatible MP600 1TB Core SSD can deliver 5,600 MB/s read speeds on the PlayStation 5’s SSD performance test. While we would not recommend this QLC-based SSD for long-term use with Sony’s PlayStation console, testing like this highlights that PlayStation 5 consoles could be expanded using cheaper SSDs than previously expected.
While Sony’s integrated SSD performance tests say that PCIe 4.0 SSDs using Phison’s PS5016-E16 SSD controller is fast enough for the system, it is unknown how well these SSDs will perform when paired with future PlayStation 5 titles, many of which will make greater use of the SSD storage within Sony’s latest console. Will users of slower M.2 SSD have trouble running later generation PlayStation 5 games?
You can join the discussion on some PCIe 4.0 SSD offering faster speeds on PS5 than PC on the OC3D Forums.
(PC Specifications of Gigabyte’s AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSDs)