Sony’s enabling the PlayStation 5’s M.2 slot with a new beta update – Here’s what you need to know

  
Will any M.2 SSD work? 

No, PlayStation 5 users should install an M.2 SSD that’s fast enough to run PS5 games. That means that their M.2 SSD should be as fast (or faster) than the PlayStation 5’s internal storage. 

Sony recommends that PlayStation 5 users install PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs that can deliver sequential read speeds of 5.500 Mbps or more. Additionally, Sony recommends that users install M.2 SSDs that utilise a heatsink, either pre-installed or aftermarket. 

M.2 SATA SSDs are not supported by PlayStation 5. Furthermore, Sony has stated that they “cannot guarantee that all M.2 SSD devices meeting the described specifications will work with your console and assumes no responsibility for the selection, performance or use of third-party products.”

Additionally, Sony has also stated that “Not all games are necessarily playable with the exact same performance provided by the PS5 console’s internal Ultra-High Speed SSD, even where the M.2 SSD device’s sequential read speed is faster than 5500MB/s.” To make a long story short, Sony is not taking responsibility for your M.2 SSDs performance or the playability of PS5 gaming using M.2 storage. 

How fast should a PC5 compatible M.2 SSD be? 

As we have said above, your SSD should offer sequential read speeds that offer sequential read speeds of 5,500 Mbps or higher. The latest PCIe 4.0 SSDs for PC can deliver speeds of over 7,000 Mbps, which means that there are already SSDs on the market that meet Sony’s storage requirements. That said, Sony has not officially certified any SSDs as being PlayStation 5 compatible, at least not yet. 

  
Compatible SSDs

At this time, Seagate is the only SSD manufacturer to officially confirm that they have an M.2 NVMe SSD that support’s Sony’s PlayStation 5 console. This SSD is their FireCuda 530 SSD, which is available with storage capacities of between 500GB and 4TB. 

– Seagate FireCuda 530 SSD – 500GB to 4TB

We have contacted multiple M.2 SSD manufacturers to discuss PlayStation 5 SSD compatibility. Based on Sony’s specifications below, Sabrent’s Rocket 4 PLUS and Corsair’s MP600 PRO SSDs should support the console. We are awaiting official confirmation from both companies, but bost SSDs exceed Sony’s requirements below and use the same SSD controller as the above Seagate drive. MP600 Pro buyers may need to remove Corsair’s included SSD heatsink. 

– Sabrent Rocket 4 PLUS PCIe 4.0 SSD – 500GB to 4TB models 
– Corsair MP600 PRO PCIe 4.0 SSD – 1TB and 2TB models (a 4TB model is coming soon)
– Western Digital SN850 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD – 500GB to 2TB models available (with or without a heatsink)

Below are the full Internal M.2 SSD requirements for Sony’s PlayStation 5 console. 
 

   Interface:

PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD

Capacity:

250GB – 4TB

Cooling structure:

Using an M.2 SSD with your PS5 console requires effective heat dissipation with a cooling structure, such as a heatsink. You can attach one to your M.2 SSD yourself, either in a single-sided format, or double-sided format. There are also M.2 SSDs that have cooling structures (such as heatsinks) built in.

Sequential read speed:

5,500MB/s or faster is recommended

Module width:

22mm width (25mm width is not supported)

Form Factor:

M.2 type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110.

These numbers can be found on retail listings for M.2 SSD devices. The first two digits refer to the width, the remaining digits to the length.

Socket type: Socket 3 (Key M)

Total size including cooling structure:
In millimeters: smaller than 110mm (L) x 25mm (W) x 11.25mm (H).
In inches: smaller than 4.33in (L) x 0.984 in (W) x 0.442in (H).

Length

The following M.2 SSD lengths are compatible with PS5 consoles:
30mm, 42mm, 60mm, 80mm, 110mm (corresponding to the form factor type, per above).

Width

A 22mm-wide M.2 SSD module is required.
The total structure (including an added cooling structure) cannot exceed 25mm (0.984in).

Height

The total height of the M.2 SSD and its cooling structure (such as a heatsink) – whether built-in or separate – must be less than 11.25mm (0.442in).

The height must also be in the right place, in relation to the M.2 SSD’s circuit board:

– The size below the board must be less than 2.45mm (0.096in).
– The total size above the board must be less than 8mm (0.314in).

(Note: millimeter measurements are the technical standard and are more precise than inches. We recommend double-checking that the total dimensions of M.2 SSD and heatsink products you’re considering meet the millimeter requirements before purchasing)

 

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