Sony has finally announced the PS5 SSD beta update, and this will likely roll out for all users in the coming weeks.
The new console uses incredibly fast storage to minimise load times, and therefore you can’t buy just any M.2 NVMe SSD.
The PS5 requires that the NVMe drive PCIe 4.0 and with a 5,500MB/sec or faster sequential read speed. Sony also states that the drive requires a heatsink, I am not sure if or how this would be enforced, but it should prevent the drive from overheating during the extensive reading required when loading game scenes.
Related: The Best Sony PS5 Compatible NVMe SSDs
Many of the drives come with a built-in SSD, some of which will fit the PS5, others won’t. Other drives lack a heatsink altogether.
Due to the demand for PC components, stock is not always easy to get, and with the increased demand from PS5 users, I would expect getting drives with a built-in compatible heatsink will become increasingly hard.
No doubt official PS5 NVMe drives will launch, but I expect these will incur a premium fee.
The alternative option is just to fit your own heatsink, this could also save you a bit of money. However, the heatsink itself needs to fit the PS5, so you can’t just buy any old heatsink.
The main requirements you need to ensure are:
- 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 total size above the board must be less than 8mm (0.314in)
- The size below the board must be less than 2.45mm (0.096in)
- Drive beeds to be 22mm wide so M.2 type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110.
- The following M.2 SSD lengths are compatible with PS5 consoles: 30mm, 42mm, 60mm, 80mm, 110mm
Compatible NVMe SSD Drives With Built-in Heatsink
It may work out easier if you buy a drive with the heatsink pre-applied. A few have been confirmed to work.
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 7000s 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive... | £129.98 | Buy on Amazon | |
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WD_BLACK SN850 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 NVMe Gaming SSD with... | 7,085 Reviews | £113.06 | Buy on Amazon |
Compatible NVMe SSD Drives Requiring Heatink
Alternatively, these drives require a heatsink, these may work out a bit cheaper doing all the work yourself. The Corsair MP600 PRO I listed has a heatsink but it is too thick for the PS5.
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Samsung 980 PRO 1 TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 | £109.00 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Seagate FireCuda 530, 1 TB, Internal SSD, M.2 PCIe Gen4 ×4... | 1,328 Reviews | £142.37 | Buy on Amazon |
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WD_BLACK SN850 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 NVMe Gaming SSD up to... | £114.98 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Sabrent 1TB Rocket 4 PLUS NVMe 4.0 Gen4 PCIe M.2 Internal... | £148.99 | Buy on Amazon | |
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Corsair MP600 PRO 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe x4 Gen4 SSD (Up to... | £232.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Compatible PS5 Heatsinks
ELUTENG M.2 SSD
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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ELUTENG M.2 SSD NVME Heatsink 2 Pack Fits for PS5 Computer... | £10.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Well reviewed with a lot of users confirming this works with the PS5.
QIVYNSRY M.2 Heatsink
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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QIVYNSRY M.2 Heatsink NVME 2280 SSD Heat Sink Support Single... | £7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
I don’t know who comes up with some of these names on Amazon, but this model has been confirmed to fit by multiple users. It is also super cheap.
Advancing Gene NVMe M.2 Heatsink
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Advancing Gene NVMe M.2 SSD Heatsinks Cooler, Universal Type... | £13.49 | Buy on Amazon |
A dual-sided heatsink that fits the PS5 guidelines, it has good reviews and is designed to fit in laptops so it shouldn’t be an issue getting it in the PS5.
Akuoly M.2 SSD Heatsink
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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M.2 SSD Heatsink 4 Pack Aluminum Heatsink Cooler Cooling Fin... | £5.99 | Buy on Amazon |
This is a basic heatsink with it just sitting on the top of the drive, so it won’t cool any chips on the underside. It is very affordable and will easily fit.
be quiet! MC1 M.2 SSD cooler
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Be Quiet MC1 M.2 SSD cooler, heatsink, for single and double... | 1,129 Reviews | £9.98 | Buy on Amazon |
I am listing this be quiet! cooler first as it is the only reputable brand I can find producing a heatsink within the PS5 specification. With a double-sided M.2 module, the total height will be 11mm or 10mm if you only have chips on one side. User reviews are positive, and be quiet! know a thing or two about cooling.
You need to make sure that it is the standard MC1 cooler, not the Pro model (the Pro is 13mm/15mm thick)
Last update on 2022-07-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API