The PlayStation 5 has seen a huge leap in performance from the previous generation. There are many factors involved in the graphical and performance improvement of this console. One of the most important components of the PS5 is the NVMe SSD. Unlike previous generations, which used mechanical disks, these drives allow almost instantaneous reads and writes, almost completely eliminating load times. Luckily, Sony included an extra port in our console so that we can expand the storage of it without losing performance. Now, we already have the first SSDs for PS5 that have the official seal of Sony.
The WD Black SN850 becomes the first official SSD for PS5
If you have a PlayStation 5 and you already have a good collection of games in digital format, it is possible that you have started to have storage problems . The main storage unit of the PS5 cannot be removed, but we can expand the capacity of the console in other ways. And, the best method is to do it by placing an NVMe SSD in the corresponding slot, which is under the case of the computer.
A long time ago, the Western Digital Black SN850 SSDs were positioned as the best alternative to expand the memory of the PS5. These drives are sold in 1TB and 2TB sizes and plug into the M.2 expansion slot. In terms of performance, they are capable of a sequential read of 7,000 MB/s and a write of the same type of 6,300 MB/s.
In addition to the specifications, which perfectly meet the requirements to use the PS5 expansion slot, this model comes with its own heatsink so that it does not collide with the lid of the console. Now that this disc has been on the market for several months, Sony has given the official license to Western Digital , which means that the brand approves the product so that we can place it on our consoles.
Can other discs be used?
That Sony has given its stamp to the WD model does not mean that we cannot use another model in our console. On the official Sony website we can see the specifications that a storage unit must have to be compatible with the PlayStation 5. They are the following:
- Interface : PCI-Express Gen4x4 compatible with M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M)
- Capacity – The PS5 supports drives ranging from 250 GB to 4 TB maximum.
- Format : disks with NVMe interface have associated numbers that serve to identify the size of the PCB. On consoles, this information is very important, because if we put a larger one, it will not fit into the allocated space. For the PS5 we can use discs of size 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110.
- Size : although it is clear with the format, you may add a heatsink to the SSD so that the heat does not affect its performance. For this reason, Sony also specifies the limits of the disk and heatsink assembly. They are the following:
- Width : up to 25 mm.
- Length : from 30 to 110 mm.
- Thickness : up to 11.25mm (up to 8mm from above panel and up to 2.45mm from below panel).
- Sequential Read Speed : Sony recommends 5,500 MB/s or more. The write speed is not significant.
- Connector type : Connector 3 (key M).
With this data, you just have to check if the model you want to use meets all these requirements before connecting it to your PS5.
