The current generation of games is infamous for the large file size that takes up a major chunk of your console storage all for themselves. So, having the best PS5 external hard drive has become mandatory. Be it a need for a place to store all your downloaded games or space to store all your cool gameplay moments, these external hard drives give you plenty of space to save them all. Remember, games are not meant to be played directly from external HDDs or SSDs, they are merely for storage. Despite them offering high read/write speed, they do not offer any noticeable gameplay benefits.
If you’re tired of asking for the best PS5 external hard drive on Reddit or other platforms and are still struggling to pick a good one, it’s completely understandable. Given that there are so many of them out there, it is bound to be overwhelming. So, in the article, we’ve made a list of the 7 best PS5 external hard drives that will help you back up your games and make space on your console for all the games that you want to play.
How Many Games Will a 1TB External Drive Hold on PS5?
If we look at an average of 30-40GB for a game’s file size, you can store up to 20-50 games on a 1TB hard drive. Since the file size is unique to all games, you’ll have to consider that if you want to back up multiple games on the hard drive.
Will My Games Load Faster With an External SSD on PS5?
When you use an external hard drive, there isn’t any noticeable difference in game load times, be it for the better or worse. The major reason you use an external is just to backup your game and media files. So, if you need better transfer speeds, it is recommended to use an SSD over HDD. Since SSDs have better read/write speeds, the transfer of files from the drive to the console is significantly faster.
Best PS5 External Hard Drives in 2024
External hard drives are a mandatory part of any gaming console setup which will help you to transfer games back and forth pretty fast. Here are our favorite PS5 external hard drives that are going to do just that.
BEST OVERALL
Seagate Game Drive 5TB
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Blue LED
Lightweight
Plug and play
Officially-licensed
Hassle-free connectivity
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) connectivity
But…
Can play only PS4 games directly from HDD
Seagate has been the top choice for gamers for decades now and the Seagate game drive continues to be so for console users. With this PS5 external hard drive of 5TB capacity, you can have your entire game library downloaded and carry it anywhere with you.
Featuring a simple yet elegant box design, the hard drive is an officially licensed product and is made specifically for the console. It is built with firmware that works effortlessly with PS4 and PS5 without having to require any additional hardware, making it easy to use. And with its white color, it will match your console perfectly.
BEST WITH CONTROLLER CHARGING
Avolusion D200 3TB External Gaming HDD with Controller Charging Station
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Affordable
Plug and play
Sturdy materials
Pre-formatted HDD
Silent fan-less design
Backward Compatible
But…
Can’t download games directly to it
It always feels good when you get more features in one product and this 2-in-1 Avolusion D200 is all about that. It is one of the most unique-looking HDDs because it not only functions as an external HDD but also as a dock to charge your PS5 DualSense controllers. With its USB 3.0 connectivity, it is extremely simple and convenient to use.
The durable chassis is made from superior-quality materials to ensure durability and can endure rough usage. It has a 3TB built-in storage, which comes in handy when you need a lot of games or media to be backed up. For the price you’re going to pay here, this is worth it.
BEST EXTERNAL SSD
Samsung T7 Portable SSD 4TB
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Compact design
USB 3.2 Gen 2 support
PCIe NVMe technology
High data transfer speeds
Multiple storage capacity variants
But…
Expensive
With impressive speeds of up to 1,050MB/s, the Samsung T7 Portable SSD is one of the best external storage drives for the PS5 console. The NVMe technology helps the hard drive to push its performance to achieve high speeds making it more reliable and a better option than many.
The Samsung T7 even allows you to record up to 4K 60fps resolution videos directly onto the drives, saving you the hassle of manually transferring them from your PS5. It offers twice the performance that its predecessor, Samsung T5, did. So, if you can spend a couple hundred dollars, then this is one of the best PS5 external hard drives with 4TB capacity.
BEST DURABLE
WD_BLACK D10 Game Drive 8TB
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Rubber feet
7.5W power usage
USB Type-A support
Massive 8TB storage
3-year limited warranty
USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface
But…
Expensive
With WD’s irrefutable reputation for high-quality hard drives, you know you’re looking at a great product. This WD_BLACK D10 Game Drive has high-speed data transfers that let you transfer games at super high speeds. To keep up with the high activity, it has an active cooling system to keep the hard drive protected by reducing the risk of failure caused by overheating. It can achieve speeds of up to 250Mbps while transferring files — that’s super fast! With the amount of storage it offers, you can store 200 games with an average file size of 36 GB.
BEST 8TB DRIVE FOR PS5
HDDGear Pro 8TB
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Affordable
USB 3.0 interface
Premium HDD case
Pre-formatted hard drive
Can play PS4 games directly
But…
Noisy
If you require a large-capacity hard drive, then this HDDGear Pro is an excellent choice! It has an 8TB storage capacity with high transfer speeds which is exactly what you need. With its easy plug-and-play design, you can effortlessly add some much-needed additional storage to your gaming setup.
Internally, it has an efficient heat dissipation design that allows the hard drive to function without any issues for a long time. The external design has some similarities to that of a PS4 slim console, giving you a sense of familiarity if you’ve owned the console.
BEST 4TB DRIVE FOR PS5
Toshiba Canvio Gaming Portable External Hard Drive 4TB
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Plug-and-play
USB 3.0 interface support
Sleek and minimalistic design
Multiple storage options are available
2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty
Compatible with PS4/PS5 and other consoles
But…
Decent transfer speeds
The Toshiba Canvio features a very simplistic design with all the functionalities that you’d expect from an external hard drive — offers instant additional storage and is lightweight and portable. This has a 4TB storage capacity which can store up to 100 games based on the file size, this way you won’t have to download the games every time you come back after a long break.
Even with this 4TB variant, it falls under an affordable price category, giving you all the more reason to buy it. It also features an “Always On” mode, giving you a responsive user experience. So, if your PS5 needs more space to install Call of Duty Black Ops 6, then you can use this budget-friendly external hard drive to back up some of your other files or games.
BEST AFFORDABLE SSD
Buffalo External SSD 2TB
PHOTO CREDIT: AMAZON
Why We Love
Compact
3-year warranty
Shock-resistant
USB 3.2 connectivity
Multi-platform compatible
U.S MIL-STD grade impact certificated
But…
Flimsy connector
The Buffalo External SSD is a reliable SSD that offers better data transfer speeds than any HDD, which helps transfer large amounts of data so much faster. It uses a USB 3.2 connectivity option that enables the drive to achieve its maximum speed consistently.
This small 2.5-inch PS5 external SSD has a capacity of 2TB, giving you enough storage space to store games and gameplay clips. The body has a rugged design and is made from sturdy materials which protects the SSD from external damage.
Why Can’t You Play PS5 Games From an External Hard Drive?
Currently, you can not play any PS5 games directly from the external hard drives because the external drives cannot achieve the read/write speed that is required to run PS5 games optimally. One of the features that PS5 boasts is the short in-game load times, which requires high data transfer rates and external drives are nowhere near that requirement. So, they can only be used as a backup device for your games and other media files. If you want to play your backed-up games, you have to transfer them onto your console, which is much faster than downloading them again. But there are some hard drives that allow you to play PS4 games directly from the external drives. So, if you’re purchasing an external drive for your PS4, then it’s a great option to have.
How We Chose the Best PS5 External Hard Drives
These PS5 external hard drives were chosen by our team of experts based on their performance. They did extensive research to look for a wide range of hard drives and put them through various tests like compatibility, data transfer speed, and durability tests. They also consulted other industry professionals to understand their take on these drives. After testing and researching a lot of products, the team finalized these seven drives. So, when you choose to buy any of these, you can rest assured that you’ll be buying a well-tested and reliable PS5 external hard drive.
FAQ
Which hard drive is best for PS5?
Seagate Game Drive is our choice for the best external hard drive for the PS5.
Does any external HDD work with PS5?
You can use any external hard drive as long as they have a USB 5Gbps SuperSpeed and storage ranging between 250 GB and 8TB.
Should I buy an external SSD or HDD for PS5?
It is recommended that you buy an SSD rather than an HDD.
Which storage is better for PS5?
A hard drive with an 8TB capacity like the WD_BLACK D10 Game Drive is the best way to ensure you have enough storage at all times.
How many games can 2TB hold on PS5?
At an average file size of 36 GB, the PS5 external hard drive 2TB variant can store up to 200 movies and games.
Is Seagate HDD good for PS5?
Since it is officially licensed for the PS5, the Seagate HDD is an excellent storage option for the PS5.
Does 8TB work on PS5?
Yes, 8TB hard drives are compatible with PS5 consoles.
Is 1TB enough for PS5?
It depends on how many games you’re planning to back up. If you have more than 50 games to store, pick a hard drive with more than 1TB.
Is extended storage worth it for PS5?
Absolutely! The out-of-the-box internal storage on the PS5 may not be enough if you’re planning to install multiple games, so with an external hard drive, you can back up all your games.
Is it better to upgrade PS5 storage, internal or external?
If you need a hard drive to just back up games, then an external hard drive is the way to go. But if you want to install multiple games on your PS5, then an internal hard drive is the best option.
What speed external SSD do I need for PS5?
PlayStation recommends using a hard drive that has a speed of 5,500MB/s or faster.
Does SSD make PS5 faster?
An external SSD will not show any significant speed difference. It acts only as a backup device and you can not play games directly from it.
What format is best for a PS5 hard drive?
It is recommended that you use an exFAT format on your external hard drives.
