Are you a PS5 owner? Congratulations! You are ready to unlock the next gen of gaming. Once you’ve done that, you’re probably going to want to start downloading some games or expanding your storage. Well, we have just the thing for you. In this article, we’re going to tell you about the best external drives you can get to expand your PS5’s storage options!
1. Get Ready for Gaming with a PS5-Friendly External Drive
If you’ve just bought yourself a PlayStation 5, you want to make sure that you’re taking full advantage of its performance. To do this, you’ll need an external drive that can keep up with the console’s high speeds. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when shopping for a PS5-friendly external drive:
- Capacity: Look for a drive that has at least 1TB of storage capacity. This should be enough for most gamers, but some more serious players may need even more space for their game library.
- Speed: Always go for drives that have solid read and write speeds. SSD and NVMe drives are the best currently available, but if they are out of your price range, look for faster traditional hard drives.
- Compatibility: Make sure that your external drive comes with the right connections and is compatible with your PS5. USB 3.2 is the connection type to look out for with the PS5.
It is important to ensure that your external drive is not only PS5-friendly but also fast enough for you to enjoy your gaming experience to its fullest potential. Don’t settle for anything less than the best when it comes to picking an external drive for your new PlayStation 5.
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2. What to Look for When Shopping for the Best External Drive for Your PS5
Capacity
When looking for the best external drive for your PS5, it is important to consider the capacity of the drive. PS5 console supports up to 8 TB of external HDD or up to 4 TB of external SSD. Make sure to pick the right size for yourself, depending on how much data and games you need to store.
Features
A number of external drives come with additional features such as extended warranties, high-speed connections, shockproofing, and advanced cooling. If you need any of these features, make sure to double-check that the external drive you’re buying has them.
Compatibility and Speeds
Be sure to check the compatibility of the external drive with the PS5 console. It should be USB 3.1 or higher for optimum performance. Additionally, make sure that the drive supports high speeds like SATA III or NVME. This will help you to enjoy faster loading times with games and faster transfers of large files.
Pricing
It is important to consider the pricing when making the purchase. The external drives come in different varieties and prices. Make sure to choose one that fits your budget but is still reliable. There are plenty of good-quality external drives that are reasonably priced.
3. What’s the Difference Between Internal and External Drives for PS5?
When shopping for extra storage for your PS5, you’ll come across two different kinds of drives - internal and external. Both types have their own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to know the distinction between them.
Internal Drives
Internal drives are specifically designed for use with the PS5. They come in two types – an expansion card or a regular hard drive. Expansion cards are more expensive but provide much faster read and write speeds than their hard drive counterparts. Hard drives must be unscrewed and then mounted in the appropriate bay in the console.
External Drives
External drives are a little more complicated but still easy to set up. Once plugged into your system via the USB port, you’ll need to format the drive in an appropriate format. Also, external drives tend to be cheaper than internal drives, but they can be slower as well.
When it comes to deciding between internal and external drives for your PS5, it ultimately comes down to your needs. Internal drives are great for speed and reliability, but they’re also more expensive. On the other hand, external drives are cheaper but may be slower. Consider your gaming needs before making a final decision.
4. Assess Your Storage Needs: What Capacity Should You Go For?
When it comes to the capacity of your storage, it really depends on what your needs are. Here are four points to consider to help you decide:
- How much data do you need to store? Start by adding up the amount of data you need to store. Calculate the combined size of your files, documents, pictures, music, videos, and applications.
- What type of files are you planning to store? Some files are larger than others. If you’re planning to store mainly HD videos or large raw files, you’ll probably need a larger capacity.
- Will you store data in the long term? If you’re planning to store data in the long term, you should take into consideration the amount of storage space you’ll need to grow over time.
- Are you planning to store large media content, such as high-resolution photos or videos? High-resolution photos take up more space than basic image files. For large amounts of media content, you should get a larger capacity to ensure that you don’t run out of space.
Bottom line: When it comes to deciding what capacity you should get for your storage, it depends entirely on your own usage needs. Figure out the amount of data, the type of data, and your expected growth, and that should help you decide on what capacity to go for.
5. Our Picks for the Best External Drives for PS5
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Here are some fantastic external drive options to take your PS5 storage to the next level. With so many options available, it can be hard to narrow down the best. We’ve broken down some great choices for you:
- Seagate Expansion Portable Hard Drive: Seagate’s Expansion Portable Hard Drive is a great choice for PS5 gaming enthusiasts. It offers reliable and fast performance with a plug-and-play set-up simply using a USB 3.0 connection. You also get 2TB of storage – plenty of space for plenty of games.
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra: For a slimmer, modern look, you can’t go wrong with the Western Digital My Passport Ultra. This portable drive provides trusted, reliable performance with 2TB of storage space. Plus, the USB-C connection is super fast and easy to set up.
- Silicon Power Armor A60: Silicon Power’s Armor A60 External Hard Drive is an excellent option for both budding and experienced PS5 gamers. The A60 can stand up to drops, shocks, and vibrations with its heavy-duty shockproof exterior. Plus, you get 2TB of storage to load many games.
- Toshiba Canvio Basics: For those looking for a pocket-sized, reliable drive, Toshiba’s Canvio Basics is a great choice. Its sleek design offers 1TB of storage with an incredibly fast transfer rate of up to 5 Gbps. Plus, you get an easy setup with a USB 3.0 connection.
No matter the drive you decide to choose, you’ll find reliable performance and plenty of storage for your favorite PS5 games.
6. How to Set Up Your External Drive on Your PS5
Once you have set up your new PS5, it is useful to back up the data and save it online. Having an external hard drive allows you to extend the storage space available on the console, enabling you to save as many games and files as you need. Here is how you can set up your external drive on your PS5:
- Connect the hard drive – Start by using a USB cable to connect your hard drive to one of the USB ports on the PS5.
- Format the data – Once your hard drive is properly connected to your console, you will need to select ‘Format Storage Device’ in the ‘Settings’ section.
- Create the folder – Once the drive is formatted, you can create folders on the drive by clicking ‘Create Folder’ in the Settings section. You can make folders for specific types of content, including games, music, and videos.
- Copy files to the drive – After you have created the folders on the drive, you can copy or move any existing files from your PS5 to the folders that you have created on the drive. You can do this by selecting the file on the dashboard menu and then choosing ‘Copy to External’.
After you have followed these steps, you should be able to access the files on the external drive and save content to it for future use.
7. Tips to Help You Get More from Your External Drive
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If you want to get more out of your external drive, here are 7 tips to help you out:
- Keep it connected so all your data and settings remain up-to-date and backed up in the cloud.
- Defragment your drive seasonally for optimal performance.
- Repartition the drive so you can reclaim unused space and organize files more efficiently.
- Optimize data storage by maximizing the performance of your applications and defragmenting the hard drive.
- Create backups periodically, store them off-site, and use ransomware protection.
- Check for updates for the operating system and driver updates that can improve your drive’s performance.
- Clean up regularly by deleting temporary files, uninstalling unnecessary applications, and removing viruses.
Following these tips can help you maximize the performance and longevity of your external drive.
8. Time to Level-Up Your PS5 Gaming with an External Drive!
Tired of running out of space on your PS5 hard drive while downloading large game files? Don’t worry, you can easily upgrade your storage capacity with an external drive and increase your gaming enjoyment. Here are some reasons to consider getting yourself an external hard drive for your PlayStation 5.
- More Storage: An external drive provides much more storage space than an internal drive and can help you keep more games on hand rather than deleting ones to create space.
- Installation Convenience: You can install games directly to the external hard drive rather than your internal drive, giving you the ability to switch between games more quickly.
- Compatibility: An external drive can be used across various PlayStations, rather than an internal drive being exclusive to one console.
- Lightweight: External drives are typically lighter than an internal drive and portable, meaning you can take your gaming library with you for gaming on the go.
Regarding installation, it is important to note: Your PS 5 should recognize the external drive once you plug it in. However, a formatted HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) is required before you start using the external drive with your console. Lastly, choose an external drive with an appropriate power output. For the best performance, make sure it provides the right power output needed by your PS5 console.
Conclusion
All in all, there is a wide range of external drives on the market for your PS5, so it’s important to find one that suits your needs. Whether you’re looking for a snazzy-looking, compact version, an extra spacious option, or one with lots of extra features, your external drive should be a good fit with your console. Hope this guide gave you some ideas on what you might need and now you can be happy gaming!
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