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The Best External Hard Drives for PS5 in 2022

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The Best External Hard Drives for PS5 in 2022

Gaming is something that is part of millions of people’s lives. The PS5 is among the latest gaming consoles on the market. The new PS5 is faster than its predecessors, and it features a futuristic design that fits any gamer’s aesthetic. The PS5 has a custom 825 GB SSD that serves as its internal storage, and while this sounds large, there are still people who need more storage. Many turn to external hard drives for the extra space, but you need to do a bit of research to find out how to use an external hard drive with the PS5 properly. External hard drives can house all your PS5 games you aren’t playing at that moment, and then you can quickly transfer them back to the console once you’re ready to play with them again. Going for a hard drive instead of an internal upgrade will save you a lot of time and money. Here are some of the best external hard drives for the PS5 in 2022. We’re sure you’ll find one that fits your budget!

01 WD Black P50

The WD Black P50 should be among the top picks for PS5 gamers because of its excellent overall performance. This portable SSD is sold in 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB options. You can bid farewell to lengthy load times because this external SSD promises incredible speeds of up to 2000 Mb/S when using it with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 compatible device. Many will also like the exterior design of the P50 because it looks trendy and premium. Its compact size increases its portability, and it features a shock-resistant build. This SSD will work smoothly with your high-end gaming consoles and computers since it has a Superspeed USB 20 Gb/s interface. The P50 is pretty pricey compared to its competitors, but with the performance and quality you get, it will be worth every penny.

Pros

  • Durable and portable design
  • Large storage options
  • Fast speeds fit for gaming

Cons

  • Expensive

Specification

  • Price $139.99
  • Read Speed 2000 Mbps
  • Hard Disk Size 500 GB
  • Hard Disk Interface USB 3.2
WD Black P50

02 Samsung T7

Samsung has made some impressive external SSDs for gaming over the years, and their T7 is undoubtedly one of the top choices you should be looking at. The 1 TB model should be more than enough, but you also have the option to get a 500 GB or 2 TB variant. This external SSD is available in blue, gray, and red. It writes up to 1,000 MB/s and reads up to 1,050 MB/s, so it’s indeed faster than an external hard disk drive. Samsung says that devices that support USB 3.2 Gen 2 will benefit the most from the T7. It’s an attractive choice to many because it has a compact and portable design that you can easily bring around with you, and it has a shock-resistant exterior that can survive drops of up to 6 ft. SSDs can heat up when you use them for an extended period, but the T7 is equipped with Dynamic Thermal Guard Technology to combat overheating. Customers will receive USB Type C-to-A and USB Type C-to-C cables along with the drive so that you can connect them to gaming consoles, Windows PCs, Apple computers, and Android devices. Users can experience the best performance possible from the T7 if they update their drives to the latest firmware using the free Portable SSD Software 1.0 included in the package.

Pros

  • Portable design
  • Incredible data transfer speeds

Cons

  • Not the strongest or fastest

Specification

  • Price $114.99
  • Read Speed 1050 Mbps
  • Hard Disk Size 1 TB
  • Hard Disk Interface USB 3.2
Samsung T7

03 Crucial X8

Unlike other external drives that make use of SATA SSDs, the Crucial X8 makes use of an NVMe SSD, so you can expect more impressive speeds from it. Its read speed reaches about 1050 MB/s, faster than traditional HDDs. The 1 TB variant of the drive sells at an affordable and reasonable price given its specs, but you can also opt for the 2 TB model that costs about $93 more than the 1 TB version. The X8 will work with your gaming consoles, Android devices, and Apple devices as long as it has USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 or USB-A ports. The drive has a portable design measuring about 2.08 inches x 4.33 inches. It has a durable, anodized aluminum unibody core that is drop-proof up to 7.5 feet. It’s also vibration, shock, and extreme-temperature proof. It doesn’t take rocket science to start using the X8 with computers because you don’t need to do any reformatting. All you need to do is plug it in and begin storing your large files. If you plan to use it with a PS5, a quick search on Google or Youtube will teach you how to use it correctly for your games. Upon purchase, you get a free USB-C to USB-C (10 Gb/s) cable and USB-C to USB-A (5 Gb/s) adapter with the X8.

Pros

  • Portable design
  • Drop, vibration, shock, and extreme-temperature proof
  • Fantastic speeds

Cons

  • Needs encryption support

Specification

  • Price $104.99
  • Read Speed 1050 MBps
  • Hard Disk Size 1 TB
  • Hard Disk Interface USB 3.2
Crucial X8

04 Samsung T5

If you can’t find a store with the Samsung T7 in stock, you can always go for the Samsung T5. The SSD has V-NAND technology that promises read speeds up to 540 MB/s and write speeds up to 520 MB/s. It’s powerful and fast enough to transfer large games, HD photos, and 4K videos. One of the T5’s best selling points is its compact design that you can easily slip into your pockets or bags. It features a shock-resistant metal design, so it’s still safe even if it accidentally falls out of your pocket. The SSD has AES 256-bit hardware encryption and optional password protection, so you can rest assured that your data is protected 24/7. The T5 will work with most of your devices since it comes with USB Type-C to A and Type-C to C cables. The SSD is available in blue, black, red, and rose gold.

Pros

  • Premium metal finish
  • Lightweight and portable
  • AES 256-bit hardware encryption and optional password protection

Cons

  • Not the fastest in its price range

Specification

  • Price $99.99
  • Read Speed 540 MBps
  • Hard Disk Size 1 TB
  • Hard Disk Interface USB 3.0
Samsung T5

05 Seagate Firecuda

The Seagate Firecuda Gaming SSD is an excellent choice for an external SSD for the PS5 if you mind paying more than $200. It features superb FireCuda NVMe SSD performance and USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology that delivers a maximum speed of 2000 MB/s. You can store many games on the 1 TB model, but 500 GB and 2 TB variants are also available. The Firecuda is undoubtedly fit for a gamer because it has RGB LEF lights that you can customize and synchronize with your games. This SSD has a portable and lightweight design, and you are guaranteed durability thanks to its aluminum enclosure. You can also expect top-notch heat dissipation. Customers will get a free USB-C cable and Quick Install Guide along with the SSD. The Seagate Firecuda Gaming SSD comes with a limited product protection plan and rescue services, so you’re covered if ever you encounter issues after buying it.

Pros

  • Portable design with RGB lighting
  • Impressive speeds

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Competitors have an even more compact design

Specification

  • Price $219.99
  • Read Speed 2000 MBps
  • Hard Disk Size 1 TB
  • Hard Disk Interface USB 3.2
Seagate Firecuda

06 SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

For those on a tight budget, the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (240 GB) would be the ideal choice for you. It has a compact design that easily fits your pocket, but it doesn’t sacrifice anything performance-wise. There is a solid metal ring on one of the corners of the drive, so you can easily clip it to your bag for easy carrying. It has a shock-resistant, solid-state core, so it can survive some minor accidental drops. This portable SSD comes in 240 GB, 480 GB, 500 GB, and 1 Tb variants. You would only get to store a couple of games in their 240 GB version, but those who plan to store many games can purchase the 1 TB model. The drive features a USB 3.0 interface, and it has transfer speeds of up to 440 MB/s.

Pros

  • Portable design that fits in your pocket
  • Decent speed for its price
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Free cable is short
  • Limited storage
  • 1 TB variant is pricey

Specification

  • Price $61.50
  • Read Speed 415 MBps
  • Hard Disk Size 240 GB
  • Hard Disk Interface USB 3.0
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

Brett Clarke

Mar 23, 2022

82 Articles Published

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