Looking for the best PS5 external hard drives right now? Then you’re in the right place. A recent PS5 firmware update means that external storage has become even more helpful on Sony’s latest console: before the update, external drives could only store PS4 games, but now PS5 titles can live on external drives too.
It’s a welcome new feature: with more PS5 games arriving, huge PS4 game libraries playable on the console, and no sign of Sony’s official upgrade SSDs, a high-quality external drive could become your best PS5 accessory.
The update makes the PS5’s storage situation pleasingly clear. The best external hard drives can now store PS5 games, but you’ll have to transfer them back to the console to play them.
It’s helpful because you can easily mix and match the PS5 games you’re playing without relying on a sluggish internet connection. If you’ve got an extensive library of PS4 games, your PS5 can run them directly from the external drive, which means that you can save your PS5’s SSD for the latest titles.
- Best PS4 external hard drives
- PS5 storage: everything you need to know
- Xbox Series X storage: everything you need to know
External storage has never been this useful on the PS5, and there are loads of external drives that you could use. That choice can be daunting, but we’ve rounded up the top options and divided them into three essential categories. All you’ve got to do now is figure out what kind of drive you need – and then get your favorite games downloading.
Best PS5 external hard drives at a glance
- Crucial X8
- Samsung T7
- WD Black P50
- LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
- Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD
- Seagate Game Drive
- Toshiba Canvio Basics
- WD Black P10
- WD My Passport
- WD Elements Desktop
- WD Black D10
- G-Technology ArmorATD
Our countdown kicks off with external SSDs, which are undoubtedly the most eye-catching choice for external storage.
They’re the fastest external drives by far, which means they outpace conventional hard disks and make the most of the PS5’s USB bandwidth – in terms of loading and transfer times, they’re your best options.
Plenty of external SSDs offer more speed than the PS5 can handle, too, which makes them functional on PCs and laptops with Thunderbolt, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and Gen 2×2 ports. Loads of SSDs are also tiny and have ruggedized features, so they’re perfect if you need a drive for frequent transport.
External SSDs have downsides, too: they’re more expensive than hard disks, and their capacities tend to be smaller unless you’re willing to spend vast amounts of money. Here are the best PS5 external SSDs around:
