Those hoping to expand the storage of their new PS5 console with a fast SSD right at the release of the PlayStation 5 will have to wait. This feature will not be active at launch, according to Sony.
Where does the information come from? In a conversation with The Verge, Sony confirmed some new information regarding the optional storage expansion of its next-gen console PS5.
So far, it is clear that the PS5 supports PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSDs. However, it is still unknown which specific ones will be compatible. And it seems this will remain the case for some time.
PS5 Storage Expansion “reserved for future update”
This is what Sony says about the feature: As the company confirmed to The Verge, the PlayStation 5 will not support storage expansion with fast M.2 NVMe SSDs at launch.
The slot for the storage expansion in the PS5 will apparently be disabled at launch, because as Sony states, this feature is reserved for a future update.
Already in March, PlayStation Hardware Architect Mark Cerny said that support for this will likely arrive shortly after the launch – in the embedded video he discusses this from about minute 20:09.
What does this mean for me as a player?
This means that your internal storage is currently limited to the built-in 825 GB hard drive – from which according to leaks, only 664 GB is available for games and apps.
While the PS5 will also support regular USB hard drives or SSDs, these are only suitable for PS4 games. PS5 games cannot be stored on USB-based expansions (via gamespot).
For PS5 games, it must be a fast M.2 NVMe SSD with at least 5.5 GB/s – like the already installed SSD. PS5 games are designed for this, according to Sony.
Don’t buy SSDs for the PS5 yet: Mark Cerny himself advises against it – at least until there is an official list from Sony with certified devices. And this list may still take a while.
It seems that compatibility tests may not have begun yet. According to its own claims, The Verge has spoken with almost every manufacturer of PCIe Gen4 SSDs – currently, there are only a handful of them. Not a single one could say for sure whether their SSDs would even work with the PS5. Two even mentioned that Sony’s compatibility testing program hasn’t started yet.
What is the problem? The games on the PlayStation 5 will likely be quite large.
- Spider Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Launch Edition requires about 105 GB of free storage.
- The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War even takes up to over 130 GB.
- And the entire PS Plus Collection, available at the launch of the PS5 for subscribers, already needs over 800 GB.
So for some, storage space could quickly become scarce.
