I’ve been using Sandisk® drives since trading school projects on flash drives was cool. They’ve been solid through the years, so when I saw they were releasing an officially licensed PlayStation® 5 SSD, I was immediately curious if it would solve that all-too-familiar storage nightmare we PS5® owners face.
If you’ve owned aPS5for more than a few months, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Between game updates that somehow need another 30GB, massive open-world games, and PS Plus’s monthly offerings, that internal SSD fills uppretty darn fast. Before you know it, you’re spending more time managing storage than actually playing games. The new Sandisk Extreme® Portable SSD for PlayStation 5 Console and PC looks like it might finally offer a practical solution to this little headache.
Designed For PlayStation 5
The PS5 is quite specific when it comes to requirements for external storage, and that makes it incompatible with a lot of options out there. It’s like ordering sushi at a gas station;technicallypossible but not ideal. Which is why I’m pleased to inform you that Sandisk’s new drive comes “designed, tested, and approved for PlayStation consoles,” meaning they’ve optimized it specifically for how the PS5 handles external storage.
Our headline feature? Speed. This drive delivers read speeds up to 1000MB/s* through its USB 3.2 Gen2 connection. To give you some perspective, traditional external hard drives typically max out around 120-140MB/s. What’s important to understand ishowthe PS5 uses external storage. Unlike the PS4, the PS5 can’t play PS5 games directly from external drives. They need to be on the internal SSD. External drives serve as an archive where you can store PS5 games you’re not currently playing, then transfer them back when needed. With speeds this fast, that process becomes much less painful.
Next-Level Features For Every Setup
This SSD isn’t just great for console users—it’s also a powerful companion for PC and laptop gamers. For PlayStation PC games only, you can store your game library on this high-speed SSD and easily play directly off the drive when connected to your PC. That means less time prepping and loading games for your PC and more time in the action creating epic highlights. Speaking of which, you can also quickly move video clips and other gameplay capture data from your PS5 to other devices, making it easy to edit, share, and relive your highlights with friends and competitors you’ve outduelled.
Storage That Matches Modern Game Sizes
Game installation sizes have exploded in recent years. Back in the PS3 era, a 20GB game was considered astronomically massive. Now we’re regularly seeing games that are chunkier than a raccoon that spent the night in a fast-food chain dumpster. Some titles push well beyond 100GB, with updates bloating them to 150GB territory.
The PS5’s usable internal storage (667GB) fills up with just approximately up to 5-6 big games, and the next thing you know, you’re decluttering your game library at 2AM. ‘Does this game level up my happiness?’ Yes. They all do. I’mdoomed.
Thankfully, Sandisk gets it. Which is why they offer both 1TB and 2TB versions** of this drive. The 1TB** model effectively doubles your PS5’s storage capacity, while the 2TB** version triples it. For context, here’s roughly what each can hold:
1TB** model ($129.99 MSRP):
2TB** model ($219.99 MSRP):
What’s especially useful is that PS4 games can rundirectlyfrom the external drive on your PS5. This means you’re able to keep your entire PS4 backward-compatible library on the external SSD, saving that precious internal storage of yours for PS5 games that require it. Another plus point here is that the loading times for your PS4 catalog are going to be a massive bump up. Perks of using storage that’s specifically engineered to be best buds with your console.
Design And Form Factor
Size-wise, we’re working with a nice, compact build that’s just under 4 inches long and weighs only 69 grams. It’s not going to clutter your setup or add noticeable weight to your gaming bag. The drive connects via USB-C™, which is becoming an increasingly important standard in gaming.
I don’t throw around the word ‘futuristic’ while describing hard drives or SSDs all that often, but this one warrants it. There’s something quite visually appealing about the simple, minimalistic white layout with the PS logo on here. There’s a carabiner attachment point that might seem minor, but makes perfect sense for gamers who travel with their libraries. On the protection front we’re working with a solid IP65 water and dust-resistance rated† device, which means it’s sealed tight against dust and can handle being splashed from any angle. So if your soda takes a tumble mid-match, the drive should live to tell the tale.
It also boasts up to 3-meter drop protection†, which is great news for clumsy folks like me who’ve lost more than one gadget to gravity and… bad luck. It’s built to take a beating without acting precious about it, and that’sexactlywhat a good-ole gaming drive needs. To top it off, Sandisk backs it with the standard 5-year limited warranty††, which means they expect it to last through most of this console generation. That’s reassuring when you’re storing hundreds of hours of gaming on a single device.
A Freebie That’s Actually Useful
I’ve seen plenty of gaming hardware come with digital extras that nobody asked for. So it’s really cool to see Sandisk including something genuinely useful, a 1-month Discord Nitro subscription.†††
If you’re not familiar with Discord, it’s basically where gaming communication happens now. Nitro upgrades your experience with HD streaming, server boosts, and a lot of other perks that enhance how you connect with your gaming communities. For anyone who games with their friends, this is a much appreciated touch.
In case you were wondering, the drive also works quite well with Windows® 10+, macOS 13+, and other USB-C devices. It’s just that it’s optimized to do its best work on a PS5.
Bottom Line
For PS5 owners drowning in the storage management game, this drive offers a lifeline. It’s fast, sturdy, officially approved, and finally gives us a way to expand our game library without spiraling into that late-night existential crisis over which 100GB game to delete. If this drive sounds like your kind of upgrade, head on over to theofficial siteor check it out onAmazon. May your load times be short and your game list eternal.
Disclosures
- Up to 1000MB/s read speed; Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device, interface, usage conditions and other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.
** 1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Actual user storage less.
*** Approximations; results may vary based on based on host device, file attributes and other factors. For AAA games: Based on average game size of 100GB each.1.For mid-sized games: Based on average game size of 60GB each. For indie/smaller title games: Based on average game size of 20GB each.
† Based on internal testing. IPEC 60529 IP 65: Tested to withstand water flow (30 kPa) at 3 min.; limited dust contact does not interfere with operation. Must be clean and dry before use.
