Remove the large screw underneath, then slide the drive cage out the side of the PS4 using the black ribbon. Unscrew the four screws holding the drive in place and replace it with your SSD. WDBlack 2TB P50 Game Drive Portable External SSD, Compatible with PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac - WDBA3S0020BBK-WESN. Width: 2.44' Depth: 4.65' Height: 0.55' Package Content: WDBLACK P50 Game Drive SSD USB Type-C to Type-C cable USB Type-C to Type-A cable Quick Install Guide; Model #: WDBA3S0020BBK-WESN; Return Policy: View Return Policy $.

Summary :

Are you considering replacing PS4 hard drive with an SSD? If so, you should read this post, in which MiniTool explains whether it is worth upgrading to PS4 SSD and recommends 4 suitable SSDs to you. In addition, it also shows you how to replace PS4 hard drive without data loss and how to dispose the old PS4 hard drive.

Is It Worth Upgrading to PS4 SSD?

The PlayStation 4 is a home console from Sony Computer Entertainment. As we all know, it is usually shipped with a 500GB or 1TB mechanical hard drive disk. Some gamers are dissatisfied with its low capacity (comparing with the huge game library), while there are also some gamers are discontented with its slow speed. In a word, they want to upgrade the PS4 hard drive.

If you have a PS4 console and want to upgrade its hard drive, too, you may consider the following three choices: a larger HDD, a larger SSHD, or a faster SSD.

• HDD: It is the cheapest disk with the largest capacity. You can choose this one if you just want a larger hard disk to store your games.
• SSHD: No mater from which aspect you compare (price, speed, or capacity), it is a compromise between HDD and SSD. You can choose this one if you want a slightly larger capacity and a slightly smoother gaming experience while pay a slightly lower price.
• SSD: It is the most expensive, but it's also the fastest one. You should choose this one if you want the smoothest gaming experience.

If you are considering PS4 SSD upgrade seriously, you may wonder about the following four questions:

Question 1 and 2: Will an SSD really boost your PS4 performance and how much game loading speed can it increase?

Fortunately, many users have made game loading speed comparison test between PS4 with an SSD on it and PS4 with the original HDD on it. They find that an SSD can definitely shorten the game loading time and boost the performance of the PS4, but in different degrees.

When loading some games, an SSD can increase the loading speed by 50%. However, there are also some games whose loading time can only be shortened by a few seconds. It seems that the speed increase effect of SSD depends on the type of game you play. But apparently, the more maps the game needs to load, the more superior the SSD performs.

Question 3: Is it worthwhile to upgrade to PS4 SSD?

Some users may wonder whether it is worthwhile to install an SSD on PS4 console, because it just increases the speed by a few seconds while it is several times more expensive than mechanical hard drives.

For game lovers, it is certainly worth doing that. Imagine that it takes 1 minute for someone to enter the map each time, and you enter in 30 seconds without wasting time waiting. Not to mention downloading and installing the game.

Question 4: Is there any alternative to SSD?

As for alternatives, some people may recommend SSHD to you. But I think whether the SSHD is suitable for you depends on your actual demands.

If you just consider performance of PS4 console, SSHD is not suitable for you, because it just performs slightly better than an HHD but extremely worse than an SSD. If you are a gamer who has a huge number of games to play, it can't meet your demands.

If you want to save a little of money, I recommend you to install a small SSD on your PS4 console and then use an external hard drive to store more games.

This post introduces the new kind of hard drive, namely SSHD, and its differences with SSD and HDD. It also shows how to upgrade to SSHD with MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Recommendation: Best SSD for PS4

If you have decided to upgrade your PS4 to SSD, you may need some advice on best SSD for PS4. Then, in this part, I will explain PS4 SSD purchase principles and recommend four SSD series to you.

Purchase Principles

When you buy an SSD for PS4, PS4 Pro, or PS4 Slim, you should adhere to the following principles:

Interface: SATA III. Do not buy SATA II SSDs even though the PlayStation 4 comes with a SATA II, because SATA II SSDs need continuous maintenance handled by an exceptional software package, and degrade much quicker.

Size: 2.5 inches.

Thickness: 7mm to 9mm.

Other factors: Apart from the above factors, the most important factors when choosing an SSD for PS4 are reliability and price. The reason lies in the PS4's SATA II interface, which makes it unable to fully benefit from the high speed of SSDs. Typically, any SSD with 3Gbps (which can be easily reached) transfer rate can maximize the overall performance of PS4.

1. Samsung 860 QVO

Interface: SATA 6 Gbps (SATA III).

Size: 2.5-inch.

Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB.

Sequential Read/Write Speed: Up to 550/520 MB/s.

Random Read/Write Speed: Up to 97K/89K IOPS.

Warranty: Five (5) Year Limited Warranty.

Price: Starting at $109 in Amazon.

In terms of performance and price together, the top pick for PS4 console is Samsung 860 QVO SSD.

The 860 QVO SSD features Samsung’s newest V4 QLC V-NAND paired with the SATA interface and its well-established MJX controller, which makes the SSD maintain high speed and large capacity while lower the costs. Although the Samsung 860 QVO SSD doesn't have the highest performance, it will perfectly do its job inside PS4.

If you want to buy a Samsung SSD with a smaller capacity, you can choose Samsung 860 EVO SSD whose read and write speed is similar to the Samsung 860 QVO SSD's. The capacity of Samsung 860 EVO SSD ranges from 250GB to 4TB and it starts at $49.

2. Crucial MX500

Interface: SATA 6 Gbps (SATA III).

Size: 2.5-inch.

Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB.

Sequential Read/Write Speed: Up to 560/510 MB/s.

Random Read/Write Speed: Up to 95K/90K IOPS.

Warranty: Five (5) Year Limited Warranty.

Price: Starting at $44 in Amazon.

Crucial, a subsidiary of Micron, is a brand known for memory and storage for over a decade. Its MX500 SSD is one of the highest end SSDs in the SATA form factor and can compete at the higher end of consumer SSDs with brands like Samsung.

In addition, it is also one of the most affordable SSDs with high capacity available on the market at this moment, with a price of around 105 USD for 1TB capacity.

3. SanDisk Ultra or Western Digital Blue

Interface: SATA 6 Gbps (SATA III).

Size: 2.5-inch.

Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB.

Sequential Read/Write Speed: Up to 550/525 MB/s.

Random Read/Write Speed: Up to 95K/84K IOPS.

Warranty: Five (5) Year Limited Warranty.

Price: Starting at $49 in Amazon.

Interface: SATA 6 Gbps (SATA III).

Size: 2.5-inch.

Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB.

Sequential Read/Write Speed: Up to 560/530 MB/s.

Random Read/Write Speed: Up to 95K/84K IOPS.

Warranty: Five (5) Year Limited Warranty.

Price: Starting at $49 in Amazon.

These two series are internally identical, although they have different brand names on them. The reason is that Western Digital acquired SanDisk in 2015.

Therefore, the similarities run deep between these two SSDs: the same BiCS 3 64-layer 3D flash, the same Marvell 88SS1074 4-channel controller, the same flash array, the same firmware, and the same performance specifications. The only difference between the two is the manufacturer’s label.

If you want to purchase a new SATA SSD with a relatively large capacity and high speed for your PS4 console, you should take the WD Blue 3D NAND and Sandisk Ultra 3D SSD series into consideration.

This article explains how to measure disk performance and how to interpret the disk performance test result.

How to Upgrade to PS4 SSD

If you have decided to upgrade to PS4 SSD, you should read the following content to know how to back up game data and replace the PS4 hard drive.

Here is the tutorial on how to back up game data and replace the PS4 hard drive:

Step 1: Prepare a drive that is large enough to store all the content of the original PS4 hard drive. Then, connect the drive to your Windows PC.

Step 2: Format the partition on the drive to FAT 32 or exFAT file system so that it can be recognized by the PS4. In this step, you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard or Windows built-in tools to do that. Please refer to this post: How to Format External Hard Drive for PS4 Safely.

Step 3: Connect the formatted drive to your PS4 console and then back up your entire PS4 internal hard drive with all game, app, saved data, captures, and themes.

• Sync your Trophies by going to Trophies, pressing the OPTIONS button, and selecting Sync Trophies With PSN.
• From the PS4 Home screen, go to Settings > System > Back Up and Restore.
• Select Back Up PS4.
• Confirm which data you'd like to back up and then click the Next In this step, if you uncheck Applications, you'll need to download or reinstall them later.
• Click the Back Up button and then the PS4 will restart and complete the backup process.

Step 4: Disconnect the drive, turn off the PS4, and remove the hard drive cover. Then, replace the old hard drive with the new SSD.

Step 5: Install the PS4 system software on the new internal hard drive. To do that, you should download the system software to a USB drive, and then enter PS4 Safe Mode to initialize PS4 SSD. After that, plug the USB drive and update PS4 system.

Step 6: Restore data from the drive that contains the backed up data. To do that, you should connect the backup drive to the PS4 and navigate to Back Up and Restore again to choose Restore PS4 option. Then, select the backup file to restore.

PS4 can't read USB storage drive when plugging a USB flash drive to PlayStation 4? This post will provide you with solutions about 2 cases.

How to Dispose the Old PS4 Hard Drive

After upgrading the PS4 to SSD, how do you deal with the old PS4 hard drive? Some of you may want to use it as an external cold storage device to back up computer. The issue is that the PS4 uses a format not recognized by Windows.

If you connect the old PS4 internal drive to computer and open Disk Management, the PS4 drive will display weird partitions like the following picture:

If this problem is not solved, the drive won’t appear in Windows Explorer and you can't use it. To solve this problem, you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard. Please refer to the following steps:

Step 1: Free download MiniTool Partition Wizard. Launch it and go to its main interface. Then, right-click the PS4 drive and choose Delete All Partitions.

Step 2: Right-click the Unallocated space and choose Create. Then, follow the wizard to create a new partition.

Step 3: Click the Apply button to execute the above pending operations.

Now, the Windows can recognize the old PS4 hard drive and you can use it to store important data.

Do you often play PS4 game? Have you ever encountered some problems? This post will show you four frequently encountered problems and responding fixes.

Ps4 Compatible Ssd Drives

Bottom Line

After reading this post, do you have any doubt or problem in upgrading to PS4 SSD or disposing the old PS4 hard drive? Please leave a comment below or email us at [email protected]. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

PS4 SSD FAQ

Even after more than five years since its release, the PS4 is still going strong. With a powerful processing unit, a thriving online community, and a library of excellent games that continue to grow year by year, there’s still no sign of the PS4 hype train slowing down.

As your collection of games grow, you’re likely to run out of storage space on your PS4 eventually, especially if you buy your games digitally. Fortunately, it’s possible to augment your game console’s storage space with an external drive. When should you consider getting an external drive for your PS4? What are the best options available today?

Why use an external drive for your PS4?

You’ve probably poured several hundred to more than a thousand dollars on your PS4 console and your collection of games, so why should you spend some more to get an external drive? There are several good reasons, and you’re bound to realize one of these eventually.

Ps4 Ssd External Hard Drive

1. Store more games

Most of the premium PS4 games can occupy close to a hundred to several hundred GB of storage space. Even if your console has a built-in 1 TB hard disk, you will eventually find yourself running out of space to install new games. People without external drives end up having to uninstall some of their beloved games which can be heartbreaking, especially if it’s one of those games you’re looking forward to replaying in the far future. If you buy your games digitally, this means having to redownload the game from the PSN store all over again.

2. Transfer your games across consoles

If you’re upgrading from an original PS4 console to a PS4 Pro, using an external drive is the easiest and fastest way to transfer your games to your new console. You won’t be transferring just your games, of course, but also all your save files, screenshots, and downloaded apps.

An external drive even makes it possible to carry your games and your save files along with you when you visit your friend’s house and play on their console. Just plug in your drive and you can pick up right where you left off, even if you’re playing on a console that’s not your own.

3. Speeds up load times

You also have the option of using a solid state drive to store your games for the PS4, which can reduce load times to as little as a tenth of what they would have been if they were stored in a hard drive. This technology isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it’s only been in recent years when gaming consoles have started to take advantage of SSD technology. You don’t need to wait for the next generation of gaming consoles to enjoy it, though, as you can just hook up an SSD to your PS4.

The top 6 best external drives for your PS4

1. Best Value: Western Digital 4TB My Passport

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

Our top pick happens to be a line of external disk drives that don’t exactly have any standout features but happens to be so reliable and durable that it’s one of the most trusted and widely used brands worldwide. Western Digital’s My Passport is available in a wide range of colors and has been used over the years by students and professionals alike. It’s also available in a range of different capacities, but we’re featuring the 4TB variant here. After all, who doesn’t more space for games?

For an HDD with this capacity, the WD My Passport is exceptionally small and thin. Whether you intend to keep this external drive permanently plugged into your PS4 or you want to bring it along to your friend’s house for hours of coop gaming, the My Passport is remarkably reliable and portable. Its USB 3.0 port ensures that it’s compatible with a PS4 console, although it lacks any SATA port for internal use. Since it doesn’t require an external power source, you don’t have to endure the hassle of having extra wires in an already complicated gaming setup.

Settling for an old-fashioned HDD instead of an SSD doesn’t seem so bad when you consider the price of the WD My Passport. For around $100 to $150, you can have more storage space for your games that you could ever need. Of course, you need to be wary of the usual precautions of HDDs, such as avoiding dropping them or moving them around while they are running. You also don’t get any improvements in terms of loading times.

2. Top Pick: Samsung T5 1TB Portable SSD

Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5.0

If you’re already looking to expand your console’s storage with an external drive, why not improve its performance while you’re at it? This is the unique value of getting an SSD for your PS4. We highly recommend this 1TB portable SSD from Samsung, as it’s considered superior to SSDs from other brands. It’s incredibly light and thin, and the metallic finish looks great.

We’re massive fans of using an SSD for your PS4. The read-write speeds of an SSD is unparalleled, and your games stored in this SSD will have massively reduced loading times. It’s hard to appreciate the benefits of an SSD without experiencing it first-hand, but trust when we say that it’s a huge quality of life upgrade.

Aside from reduced loading times, the absence of an optical storage system means an SSD is much more durable. It should also last longer than the typical lifespan of an HDD. The biggest downside of the SSD is its price: for only 1TB of storage space of an SSD, you’ll have to spend more than half the cost of a standard PS4 console. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone, but we are eager for SSDs to become much more affordable in the coming years.

3. Best Budget: Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB Portable Hard Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

External Ssd For Ps4

Not everyone has the spare cash to blow on an external disk, especially considering that buying a PS4 console and a collection of games is expensive enough as it is. This 1TB external HDD from the Toshiba Canvio line can effectively double the storage capacity of a PS4 Pro for less than $60. That is just an amazing deal, no matter how you look at it.

Given the modest price of this Toshiba Canvio portable HDD, you’ll also have to manage your expectations for it. It does not come in other colors aside from standard black and isn’t quite as durable as the WD My Passport. Still, it’s reliable enough for everyday use as long as you take care of it in the same way that you take care of an old-fashioned HDD.

The Toshiba Canvio is best described as a no-frills portable HDD that is very simple to set up and use. It retains a light and compact design that is perfect for on-the-go gamers. The Toshiba Canvio Basics line comes with a 1-year limited warranty, which is another bonus deal considering how affordable it is.

4. Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB External Hard Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

If you’ve had your PS4 console since launch, then you’ve probably collected such a massive library of games. A library of that size deserves an external drive that is just as big. For massive storage needs, we recommend this huge 6TB external HDD from Seagate. Dubbed as an extended desktop storage, this external HDD is big enough so that you’ll never need to delete games or recorded videos from your console ever again.

An HDD of this size is also going to be very useful if you’re migrating your library of games from one console to another. With rumors of the PS5 having backwards compatibility, you might need the Seagate 6TB HDD sooner than you think.

The biggest downside of an HDD of this size is that it requires external power. It does come with its own 18W power adapter, but then there’s the matter of adding another cord into your PS4 setup that is probably already filled with power cables and charging cables for your controllers. It’s also pretty big, as you’d expect, so carrying it around won’t be as convenient.

5. Seagate 2TB Game Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5.0

The Game Drive from Seagate certainly looks the part: its blue and black color scheme was deliberately chosen to match with the blue light and black casing of the PS4. This particular model offers 2TB of storage space at a great price and in a compact and travel-ready form. Since it’s been designed for the PS4, there should not be any compatibility issues.

Aside from its PS4-geared design, what makes the Game Drive an interesting choice is that Seagate cut out much of the fat that typically comes with portable HDDs that are made for all-around use. Since the Game Drive was made to be used for games, it does not come pre-loaded with unnecessary apps and features. It can, of course, still be used as a standard HDD since the hardware is still the same.

Again, the Seagate Game Drive is prone to the usual vulnerabilities of HDDs. Take care not to drop it, and refrain from moving it around while the disk is spinning. It also doesn’t offer much boost to loading times, contrary to its claims.

Ps4 Ssd External Hard Drives

6. HGST Touro 1TB High-Performance Portable Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

Sticking to old-fashioned HDDs doesn’t have to mean putting up with the long load times of graphic-intensive PS4 games. The Touro High-Performance Drive from HGST, a Western Digital company, offers the fastest performance possible from a traditional disk drive. This hard drive operates at 7200 rpm, more than 20% faster than the usual 5400 rpm drives. This speed isn’t quite close to SSD speeds, but you should still notice a reduction in loading times and faster retrieval of game saves.

The good thing about the Touro using the same old technology of HDDs is that it’s far from being as expensive as an SSD. You’ll have to pay a slight premium, but the price of the HGST Touro isn’t that far off from the WD My Passport. For a small additional fee, you can get a slight improvement in performance. Sometimes, even just a small improvement is good enough.

Despite the seeming complexity of the Touro and its sleek, futuristic design, it’s still pretty easy to use. It’s a plug and play device that will allow you to install games and transfer files with minimal setup. Again, it’s still an HDD, so you’ll need to take care not to damage it with falls.

External Ssd For Ps4 Pro

Final thoughts

Many consider the current era as the golden age of gaming. This is truer with the PS4 than any other gaming console system. Excellent, award-winning games have been coming out for the PS4 for several years now, which makes it easy to understand why the 500GB and 1TB built into the consoles can easily get filled up.

We strongly recommend upgrading to an SSD alternative, but we understand that the high costs may not appeal to everyone. Fortunately, it’s still very easy to find budget options that can effectively double or triple your console’s storage capacity. More room for games is never a bad thing.