Sony’s current PS5 system software beta has unlocked the consoles SSD expansion bay for use, which means that the full functionality will be headed to all PS5 consoles soon. Multiple SSD manufacturers are starting to confirm which of their M.2 NVMe SSD drives will work with the PS5’s unique requirements, and Western Digital is the latest to join the club with its WD-BLACK line of gaming drives.
Specifically, Western Digital told VGC that the currently available WD_BLACK SN850, a drive that can come with a preinstalled heatsink attached, meets Sony’s listed requirements, though it’s still undergoing testing at this time. “Based on Sony’s published requirements, we can confirm our WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD with Heatsink (500GB-2TB) meets the stated requirements to expand console storage on the PlayStation 5 for those with access to the PlayStation 5 Beta software. Compatibility testing is in progress.”
WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD for PS5
Sizes and pricing for these drives can be found below. Note that the price listed is MSRP, and some retailers, like the linked Amazon pages, feature these drives at lower prices. Prices and availability will also vary depending on if you get it with or without the heatsink. Pricing may also be cheaper if you buy direct from Western Digital, where many of these drives appear to be discounted even further..
Sizes and Pricing
- 500GB – $169.99 (with Heatsink) – Buy Now
- 1TB – $249.99 (with Heatsink) – Buy Now
- 2TB – $549.99 (with Heatsink) – Buy Now
At PlayStation LifeStyle, we’ve had good experiences with Western Digital’s WD_BLACK line of portable hard drives, having reviewed the 5TB portable external game drive (and currently still using it to hold my PS4 library for use on my PS5).
Western Digital is the second to confirm its SSDs that will work with the PS5’s expansion bay. Yesterday, Seagate was quick to reveal that the upcoming FireCuda 530 line—in sizes from 500GB to 4TB—have been tested by Sony and are confirmed to work. It’s own list pricing seems to be in line with what Western Digital has its products marked at (though Western Digital does not offer the $1000+ 4TB option that Seagate does). Seagate’s PS5 compatible FireCuda SSDs are set to release in August.
Sony released an extensive support guide for PS5 system software beta testers looking to use this new feature and expand their internal SSD storage space. The system software beta includes a number of other notable features, like changes to the Trophy list display and customization of the Control Center. Sony hasn’t yet set a release date for this PS5 system software update.
[Via: VGC]
