If you are worried about storage for your PS4 Pro, you have probably already decided to investigate an SSD. Adding an SSD to your PS4 setup takes your internal and external storage capacity to the next level, and can add a tremendous boost to your console, and in turn, to your gaming experience. This is the best thing you can do to update your console in terms of overall gaming performance.
The benefits of replacing your PS4 Pro’s internal hard drive are endless. They drastically obliterate long boot times, make your console feel faster, and quicken the time it takes for your apps and games to load – from high-resolution gaming experiences to even video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
Not only do they raise the performance level of your console to the highest standard, they are extremely reliable, meaning that they can last for several years without your console generating an error. Even solely for that reason, installing the best SSD for PS4 Pro can change the experience with your console drastically.
Best Overall
- Encryption Supported
- Great R/W Speed
- Overall Great Performance
Best External SSD
- High USB Performance
- Extremely Durable
- Compact Design
Best SSD For PS4 Pro Comparison Table
The performance of PS4 Pro’s, once installed with the proper SSD, is unmatched, and because of that, there are multiple contenders for external hard drives.
So, how do you know which is the right one for you and your console? Keep in mind that this is not all about the price tag, and more along the lines of what you are using it for. Once you narrow that down, you can quickly determine the amount of storage your console requires, and compare different models to see what each offers with their design, protection, and size.
Below are the five top pics for SSD’s to improve your gaming experience with your PS4 Pro:
1. Samsung 860 QVO SSD – Best Overall
If you are looking in terms of price and performance, then the Samsung 860 QVO SSD is a top pick. Keep in mind that this is not the highest performing SSD created, but for the price, it does a seamless job of keeping things running smoothly inside any PS4 Pro.
Remember – any game console cannot benefit fully from high speed SDD’s because of the limitations in their CPU. Any SSD that has a transfer rate of 300 MB/s can maximize the overall performance of the console. The most important factors when choosing an SSD for the console are price, reliability, and durability.
Our Pick
Samsung 860 QVO
The 860 QVO is a powerhouse. It features Samsung’s newest V4 QLC V-NAND, and is also paired with the SATA interface, and a well established MJX controller. When you put all these together, the components deliver an impressive 550/520 MB/s; a sequential read/write sequence and up to 97,000/89,000 read/write IOPS.
Now, the 860 QVO was created to maintain Samsung’s 3-bit performance with a much lower price tag and less energy output. But, performance with this SSD is just one factor of the price. It uses a low-quality QLC flash chip that brings that low price, and high capacity.
Samsung is always sure of their products. This SSD boasts a 3-Year warranty. With the price for 1TB of storage, this SSD is a steal. This is an inexpensive, fast, durable, and spacious option.
Pros
- Encryption Supported
- Great R/W Speed
- Overall Great Performance
Cons
- None
2. SanDisk Extreme Portable – Best External SSD For PS4 Pro
This SSD is the best-protected and keeps your drive safe. It is resistant to dust, water, and shock, making it ideal for the outdoorsy types like hikers, photographers, or adventurers. It may cost a bit more, but at least you have that peace of mind when you are out in the open wilderness or on your next adventure. This device is for those of us who are much more accident prone than others, or just want extra reassurance that our drives are safe.
Best External SSD
SanDisk Extreme Portable
Even with it being extra durable (with water and dust resistance to the IP-55 standard), it also has shock durability for peace of mind in case it drops. It also performs incredibly: its read speeds go as far to rival the Samsung T5’s, as well as its size, which can fit in your pocket.
This makes it easy to carry on whatever adventure you go on next. Even though this model is all about its protection and durability, you can upgrade to the Extreme Pro version – however, the price for this version does rise quite considerably.
This SSD also performs exceptionally. When it is connected, you can expect data transfer speeds of up to 550MB/s (it tops out at 600MB/s). This drive also comes with a USB Type C-to-C cable, and a USB C-to-A adapter. This is significant because it does not matter what kind of USB port is on your console or PC: this is universal and will connect to anything. It is also compatible to Windows 7 or later and macOS El Capitan or later!
Pros
- Works with USB Type-A or Type-C
- Ip55 Support
- Trim design
- Includes a keychain loop and carabiner
- High USB Performance
- Extremely durable
- Compact Design
Cons
- No seal over the USB port
3. WD My Passport SSD
This SSD is arguably the best in WD’s family of portable drives. It is versatile, fast, and features encryption as an option as well. It is also cross-compatible with both MacOS and Windows 7 and higher. The price for this SSD is not going to break your bank, either.
Even with these prices, the WD My Passport SSD gives the SSD’s listed above a good run for their money – but not only in price, but in storage and compatibility as well.
WD My Passport SSD
Even though this drive is compatible with PS4 Pro’s, it is also compatible with PC’s as well, right out of the box. This device offers write speeds of up too 300 MB/s, and read speeds of 390 MB/s, right out of its USB connection.
Also, remember that with this specific drive, you can reformat it as many times as you would like between your PS4 Pro and your PC. This is especially handy if you do not want to spend money on another SSD that can do the same thing as this one. But, unfortunately, it cannot be both at the same time, and that is worth noting. However, this is crucial because not only does the reformatting add a special touch, it does offer flexibility, and adds a unique feature that stands out in this drive.
Another unique touch in this best SSD for PS4 Pro is the automatic backup system through the USB. This offers password protection as well as hardware encryption, which makes your security unmatched.
This SSD is also built for durability. It has been tested and has survived 6.5-foot drops and is equipped with shock resistance of up to 1,500 g-force. For a little drive that resembles a domino, that is quite impressive. Although this SSD has a limited storage space of only 1TB max, it is a contender for anyone who needs a fast, compact, and security-ridden portable drive.
Pros
- Good value
- Amicable read/write speeds
- Can be used in PC’s
- Offers password protection
- Can reformat from PC to PS4 Pro as much as needed
Cons
- Feels cheaply made
4. Seagate FireCuda 2.5 2TB SSHD
Seagate is a solid-state hybrid drive that differs from many others. This particular SSD is equipped with NAND Flash SSD storage that is used as a cache by the drive. It’s supported by that 8GB of NAND flash storage, but it is quite diminutive compared to the other desktop variants of SSD’s.
However, while this portion is not available directly to the consumer, Seagate has that covered. The drive uses Adaptive Memory Technology – this figures out which files are most accessed, so they are stored adaptively for quicker access.
Seagate FireCuda 2.5
This drive is small and sleek – following a 7mm thickness. Because of its size, it makes it ideal for most HTPC’s, consoles, and notebooks that have a 2.5 inch drive slot. However, it is worth noting that this drive does not come with an adapter for 9.5mm drive slots.
The Seagate FireCuda does perform best when it is used to load games (up to 80 games that are 25GB each) frequently. Your most frequently loaded title (say you play hours of Call of Duty), will be cached in the NAND portion of the SDD, which allows increased reading performance over improved loading times.
The main takeaway from this SDD is its price, which is significant value if you consider its storage capacity. PS4 games in general take up a lot of space, but if you are only tied to needing more storage, this would be an excellent choice. This SDD also has read and write speeds that rival the standard HDD, which means you get an SDD performance at a much cheaper price for the storage you want/need.
Pros
- 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB options
- Flash-accelerated technology
- Adaptive Memory Technology
Cons
- Expensive
5. Samsung T5 Portable SSD
The Samsung T5 Portable SSD has the latest in Samsung NAND flash memory technology, transfer speeds up to 540 MB/s, a portable design (about the size of a small smart phone), shock resistance (can handle drops up too 2m) , and secure encryption. All these features undoubtedly make it the best portable SSD on the market. This SSD prioritizes its quality in its overall performance and reliability ratio – this is proven by its ability to read and write speeds at up to 540 MB/s.
Samsung T5
This SSD is also comes with a very portable design. Its compact, sleek, and durable (its durability strengthened by its case). This makes it easy to carry or conceal, especially if you are on the go, or switching it between consoles. At the size of a small smart phone, you can carry this SSD around anywhere.
The only drawback to this SSD is the price. It is expensive for a T5, but it has multiple drive sizes (250GB to 2TB) to justify that price range. It also comes with an ASMedia MSATA-to-USB bridge controller instead of one belonging to Samsung. It is also compatible with Android devices. It’s up to you to see if the price differential is worth it to you.
This SSD is great for those looking to carry large amounts of data. It has a high-quality transfer rate, and a three-year warranty, so peace of mind is included with the price. It also shows that Samsung is confident in its product. If speed and data carrying is your top priority, this would be the SSD for you.
Pros
- Versatile – can use this SSD on a PC too
- Reliable
- Sleek
- Compact Design
- Read/Write Speeds up to 540 MB/s
- Incredibly fast
Cons
- Expensive
How To Choose The Right SSD Drive For Your PS4 Pro
If you’ve ever used a PS4 console, then you know that most of the user’s main concerns revolve around how quickly memory is eaten by your downloaded games, screen capture gallery, and even Blu-ray installation and apps. But there is an easy solution to this: increasing your storage by plugging an external hard drive into your console. However, how do you know which hard drive is right for you? Remember to keep in mind that not all hard drives or SSD’s are compatible with PS4 Pro’s, so it’s vital to do your research before purchasing one.
Here are a few key features to consider before you purchase the best SSD for PS4 Pro:
Type Of Drive
When it comes to choosing an external hard drive, it always comes back to two to choose from: hard drives (HDDs – these contain a disc that stores data and spins in order to read data. The faster that disc spins, the harder your drive works, and this potentially slows down your system) or solid-state drives (SSDs – these contain new technology that have no moving parts. Because of this, less power is used, and they do not produce heat, making them run faster than HDD’s. These drives last longer and tend to be much more reliable. They also weigh less).
Cost wise, SSD’s are considerably more expensive than their HDD counterparts. They tend to have fewer malfunctions, and have longer warranty’s than HDD’s, which make the cost of replacement or fixing them later insignificant.
Design
Both SSD’s and HDD’s come in different sizes, shapes, and styles. If you are worried about physical space, the models you should be scouting should include a stand and should be able to be stored vertically. Some models are blocky and take up more space, whereas others are much sleeker and a lot more stylized to fit your PS4 Pro.
Another factor to consider are LED indicators. If you do not like LED lights (some consider them disruptive to overall gameplay), steer away from some of the fancier models. Always look for hard drives that have designs allowing airflow to cool it – remember: heat is the main factor in the life of a hard drive.
Compatibility
In your search for an external hard drive, remember that not all hard drives are compatible with PS4 Pro’s. To make sure your drive is compatible, keep the following factors in mind. Your hard drive should always connect to your PS4 Pro via USB, and you can only have one external hard drive connected at a time. If you go for a smaller hard drive versus a larger one, be sure it has at least 250GB of storage on it.
The PS4 Pro is not compatible with any hard drive that has GB less than that. Also, be sure not to get a hard drive that is larger than 8TB, because it cannot handle a hard drive any bigger than that, either. Lastly, be sure that the hard drive you purchase is already formatted so it is compatible with your PS4 PRO operating system or a computer so you can format it yourself.
Speed
Another consideration while buying an external hard drive for your PS4 Pro would be the speed you need. All hard drives (whether that be external or internal) use a spinning disk system for them to access the data they need to function. The PS4 Pro hard drive spins at 5,400 RPM – some people consider this to be slow. If you crave a crisp performance and faster loading times, you’ll be looking for an external hard drive with drive speeds of up to 7,200 rpm – just keep in mind that these run hotter than your regular PS4 Pro at its lower rpm.
Closing Thoughts
So, what really is your best choice: SSD or HDD? The advantages the SSD have are endless. The SSD is faster, has quicker boot times, and has lower replacement history. The only downfall to this drive is its price tag. The only main difference between the SSD and HDD is how they both do on a PC setup, but for a PS4 Pro, any change between the two is barely noticeable. The only difference you are likely to see through upgrading to SSD would be making your system a tad faster, and your booting time.
Depending on what you need, require, or goals are for your system, there are many choices to fit your needs. If you do not require anything more than your current 500GB HDD, then do not spend the extra money on a faster SSD for hardly any change. However, if you crave a crisp, clear gameplay and faster boot times, there is no harm in investing in an SDD for your PS4 Pro that will last you a long time.
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