The best PS4 SSDs can massively improve your console's performance. With the majority of launch PS4s now resembling the sound of jet engines when you boot them up, upgrading to a superior form of storage could leave yours feeling like a half step toward a PS5. Since the PS4 is a whopping ten years old this year (I feel old), a performance boost will be more than welcome.
Even at this stage, a lot of folks don't realise how easy it is to fully upgrade your PS4's internal HDD to a SATA SSD. The process may take a few hours depending on data back-up, restore times, and your comfort level with DIY tasks, but it's easily done if you have the right tools. While you may not get the massive speed boosts from the likes of the best SSD for gaming, or even the best PS5 SSDs, an internal SATA SSD could make your PS4 or PS4 Pro ~30% faster.
Of course, not everyone wants to go to that effort. One of the best external hard drives will absolutely do the trick, especially since there are now great SSD options available at affordable prices too. If you'd rather go for sheer capacity and you aren't worried about performance, you could always go for one of the best PS4 external hard drives, as HDD will undoubtedly be cheaper.
For now, here's a rundown of the best PS4 SSDs you can buy in 2023.
The best PS4 SSD 2023
Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Internal PS4 SSD highlights
With SSD prices continuing to tumble due to, well, time, and a vibrant PC market, quality drives like the Samsung EVO 860 are more affordable than ever. When it comes to SSDs, the EVO series has long been the gold standard, and the 860 EVO offers serious performance, teamed with modern design and parts.
SSD speeds are 3 to 4 times quicker than those of HDDs, and while there are a number of other factors at play when it comes to console gaming, you will notice a boost in performance with a pure, internal SSD. What's more, this is actually a cheaper option than buying an external SSD drive for your PS4. While the EVO is mid-range in terms of price, it's one of the best SATA drives for performance. What's more, you'll often find the EVO series on sale via sites like Amazon, so you'll rarely pay full price for it.
Another hybrid drive, the Seagate 1TB Gaming SSHD main selling point is the improvements granted by its dual SSD and HDD heritage - shorter load times, faster installs, etc- but without the price hike. The caveat, of course, is that since this SSHD does also rely on a physical disk spinning at 5400RPM, the improvements may not be as dramatic as with a traditional SSD.
However, this isn’t much of a compromise given you save money on your new drive and do get an increase in performance that will definitely be noticeable. Regardless, this drive will increase your storage capacity and in many cases increase performance, which are great benefits to walk away with for less than $100/£100.
This is such a good SATA-type SSD, that I'm even considering it for my PS3 to breathe new life and durability into that console!
Anyway, there's never been a better time to go for an SATA drive for your PS4 r PS4 Pro as they are superior to hard drives, and the value they offer is incredible - you can pick them up so cheap now that they are one of the best PS4 SSDs on value alone.
The Crucial MX500 is one of the best going, too. Especially since it costs considerably less than other SATA SSD models at just $80-90 or £60-70 for 1TB. And for that investment, you're getting a reliable drive, with fewer moving g parts than an HDD, and one that will last a while. The speeds are decent for an SSD and definitely great for a PS4: about 550MB/s read speed, and 460MB/s write speed.
We're sort of cheating (but not really) with this option. The Seagate Firecuda offers SSD-like performance but is technically a hybrid drive. This keeps the price down in the first instance, but also gets you a solid performer that brings good elements of both drive type to the party. It's a 2.5" drive, so it'll fit neatly into your console (doubling the storage of your PS4 Pro, and potentially quadrupling the size of a regular 500GB model), and Seagate is a big, well-established name in PC storage, so this model is always going to be reliable and efficient.
What's more, the Firecuda offers better read and write speeds than a standard HDD, which means you get near-SSD performance at a cheaper price. That's common sense, right there.
External PS4 SSD highlights
It's a tough call at the top of our best PS4 SSD list but the P50 probably just about takes it. The P50 has it all: a quality, cool design, a robust build, and exquisite speeds.
On the outside, it's a palm-sized rectangular drive that has a very cool-looking military style with molded metal and the traditional sleek WD_Black aesthetic and marking. Its USB-C port can be used on your devices as either a USB-A or USB-C connection and in our testing, we got the same speeds through either port so it shouldn't matter which you have free or available, or if you change the device it's used with during its lifetime. There's a small but clear LED indicator on one of the short ends which is always a help, but one small downside is that it does get a little warm when in use so it'll pay to keep that in mind when positioning it.
When it comes to speeds, what you're told you're getting and what happens is pretty much bang on. Its incredible performance for an external SSD and the stated speeds of 'up to 2000MB/s' was on the money in our testing. Real-world performance-wise, the P50 gives you everything a high-quality external SSD should do: games were loaded incredibly quickly, files were retrieved in the snap of a finger, and the performance levels were incredibly consistent. Of course, it might almost be too fast for the standard USB ports on the PS4, but it certainly maximises the use out of them and their own speeds - and it'll also be a perfect PS5 SSD for when you need to move everything over to the new generation.
It's a surefire SSD that will rapidly improve your gaming experience by far reducing the time looking at loading screens and increasing the time when you're actually playing. A true winner.
The Samsung T5 was recently our top PS4 SSD because it prioritizes quality in performance and reliability. This is highlighted by its read and write speeds: up to 540mb/s. The Samsung is also very compact, durable and sleek looking. Its durability (combined with a case) making it ideal for carrying around if you're on the go between where you game - plus it's much smaller than you think, at about the same size as a small smartphone.
The T5 offers incredible performance for a PS4 SSD, but it does hold its price quite well so it will always cause a little concern. However, having one of the best PS4 SSDs is about prioritizing speed and performance so and you'll get that in bag fulls with the T5 so it's very worthy of its placing in this list. If it ever goes down in price during sales, though, and after the WD_Black P50, its as close to a no-brainer as it gets for a PS4 companion accessory.
If you're looking at getting the best-protected SSD to keep that drive extra safe - and why wouldn't you as it costs a little bit more - then the SanDisk Extreme Portable is the one for you. This will be able to withstand any sorts of accidents and is the perfect contender for those of us who are accident-prone, or who prefer to make extra sure about the protection our devices have. As well as being properly rugged, it's water and dust-resistant (to the IP-55 standard) and has a shock-resistant core for extra durability.
It performs excellently too: its read speeds can challenge the Samsung T5's. And it is really compact, with a fit-it-in-your-pocket size. The safety and durability comes at a premium though and adds a bit more onto the price of the drive but it's definitely worth it when all things are considered. The protection and durability on this PS4 SSD are excellent. And if you want some extra reassurance you could even go for the Extreme Pro (opens in new tab) variant - but be prepared to see the cost rise significantly.
As you may have found, if you rummage around the PS4 SSD market a bit more thoroughly, you'll find 'hidden' gems, away from the usual suspects. The drives from the likes of OWC and Silicon Power are absolutely indicative of that. And the Bolt B75 Pro is no different: it's a cracking little drive and will offer a great value alternative from a smaller, but equally reliable name. In short, the Bolt B75 Pro is dependable, robust, competitively priced, and quality.
This is an Incredibly light, but incredibly robust unit, which means it's easily transportable yet you can have great confidence in it if you're prone to mishaps, or just want that extra protection. Its military-grade shockproof, aluminum case will look after the important stuff inside easily and the casing definitely exudes the rugged quality that was intended. The unit as a whole doesn't feel solid but that comes from its lightness - some folks may prefer a more hefty unit.
The SSD's performance is very solid, but nothing too spectacular. As a result, if you're after something that offers good value, want to upgrade from an existing HDD to SSD to ensure you get that better and faster performance without number chasing too much, and you want something robust then this is a great contender.
Note: Stock seems a bit flaky in recent days and weeks so this one might be worth keeping an eye on for restocks if it's piqued your interest.
This is a great portable PS4 SSD that will fit in the palm of your hand - literally. And even if you have tiny hands like me. It's petite, featherweight design oozes portability but almost goes too far as it's so light you'll barely feel it in your pocket! The USB 3.2 connection is fast and neat, there's a hole in the corner of the chassis for key chains or hooks to keep it safely connected, and as well as for PS4, this is ideal for any device that'll take it. If you're looking for a compact PS4 SSD then this is it.
Silicon Power claims that the speeds can reach impressive levels of up to 540mb/s read and up to 500mb/s write which would be very excellent - our tests (through CrystalDiskMark on the PC - for full disclosure) didn't quite reach those levels, however: we got levels of 468mb/s read and 322mb/s write. However, this is still solid enough for a little PS4 SSD that will happily sit next to or near your console silently providing you with a quality service. An excellent PS4 SSD.
If you want your SSD to retain some of its quality and compatibility with PC then the WD My Passport SSD is right up your street. However, it still is a strong performer as a PS4 SSD, and will offer write speeds of about 300Mbps, and read speeds of 390Mbps via the USB connection. For reference, the HDD equivalent of the My Passport, while offering larger capacity, can only give read and write speeds of 120-130 Mbps. It's worth noting that if you want an SSD for your PS4 that you can reformat and then use for PC for a time, and then reformat and go back to being a PS4 SSD, then this is a great contender for that. It can't, unfortunately, be both at the same time.
However, the my Passport SSD's PC-pedigree does offer some flexibility and adds some versatility to this drive. For example, it's compatible with All The USBs, including being USB-C ready, and it has an automatic backup system and a handy password protection and hardware encryption security double whammy. Generally, however this is a quality SSD for your PS4 from a trusted maker of drives that we have no trouble recommending.
Crucial is another well-known and trusted storage maker, and their most recent additions - the X6 and X8 primarily - Emake for solid PS4 SSD options - as well as cross-gen ones for when you're ready to move to PS5. (Please note: this is a USB-C drive but comes with an adapter.)
The speeds might not be as astronomically quick as some on this list, but at 540 MB/s or so, it's still perfectly adequate for PS4 - and PS5 for that matter - and the lower speeds also help the bang for buck ratio to be weighted firmly in your favour. Its speeds are just as much of an upgrade from an HDD in real-world testing as any other SSD feels, and will have your games loaded snappily and safely.
However, there are a couple of caveats: the USB-C cable is very short and left the SSD hanging a bit when using it vertically. But the drive is so small and lightweight, it never feels at risk of coming loose. Grabbing an extra terabyte or two of reliable and speedy storage for our PS4 at a reasonable price makes this very bearable though.
The OWC Envoy Pro EX SSD is a neat little SSD that has excellent form and function. With that, and it being an SSD, it does demand a high-ish price tag but the quality you get for your money is undeniable.
As a unit of tech, it's simply a great bit of kit: it's a sleek, stylish, silver wedge-shaped drive with one connection port and one LED that is pocket-sized and very robust. Despite being small, it has a good weight to it and really feels like it could survive the odd bump or drop. It's small enough to keep out of the way behind a console, but also stylish enough - for a hard drive - to be left open to see.
If you do want to turn it into a PC external drive then the software on board will get you going well. This is also how we revealed the speeds, using Crystal Disk Mark, of 411mb/s read speed, and 248mb/s write speed. Solid enough and certainly reliable for it to be among the best PS4 SSD solutions going.
OWC has made a few neat little hard drives in recent times, and Envoy Pro Elektron is no exception to this. It's a fast SSD that'll provide you with a reliable connection over USB-C or 'regular' USB ports and has a chic aesthetic and a small and robust build. That really is it in a nutshell but it's a great product.
The Elektron is surprisingly small - smaller than your palm. Which is incredible really - though it's almost bordering on 'so small I might lose it in my pocket' size! However, it's chic aesthetic means it can look slick next to or on top of any gaming machine, and looks can deceive: it's waterproof, dustproof, and crushproof. Tough.
Importantly, it's got those beautiful SSD speeds within. Testing in both USB ports on a PC the Elektron gave us readings of 469 MB/s read speed, and 462 MB/s write speed. These numbers are solid, but in practical terms they translate to the ability to speedily transfer games and saves between console generations, and as a great place to run games from itself. A neat little package.
Best PS4 SSD: FAQs
Is PS4 better with SSD?
SSD is, without a doubt, a superior form of storage to HDD. This is thanks to more intuitive architecture and machinery, which results in vastly better performance. In terms of the PS4, this will equate to much fast load times, and much of the time, more storage if you buy in larger capacities than what you've got in your PS4. For reference, SATA SSDs can have sequential read and write times like 550MB/s, whereas the fastest HDDs would be lucky if they reach 200MB/s.
Do PS4 games run better on SSD?
SSD is a faster form of storage than HDD, so load times of PS4 games will definitely be quicker running off an SSD. You have a few options here, you can find an external SSD with good transfer speeds (like USB-C external drives), which have become more affordable of late. Alternatively, you can upgrade the internal HDD of your PS4 to a SATA SSD which will give you a roughly 30% performance boost across the board. Of course, if you have a PS5, PS4 games will run quicker on the newer hardware thanks to the internal SSD.
Which SSD should I buy for my PS4?
The best PS4 SSD is either an external one, or a SATA SSD that can replace your internal HDD. Either will bring you massive quality of life updates to a console that's approaching 10 years on the market. In terms of internal options, we'd recommend the Samsung 860 EVO 1TB SSD, or, if you're watching your pennies, the Seagate 1TB Gaming SSHD ST1000LM014.
If you're after more ways of upgrading your PlayStation set up, take a look at the best PS5 accessories, or the best TVs for PS5 and Xbox.