What is the Best External Hard Drive for PS5? [Pros & Cons Analysis]

On this page, you can find the TOP 10 list of the Best External Hard Drives for PS5:

All our sincere efforts are for your convenience. Our sole purpose is to provide you with factual knowledge. However, we are not associated with these products. This is a research-based article. Prices can go up or down. First, let's understand why we need an external hard drive for PS5.

Why Does the PS5 Need an External Hard Drive?

The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is an excellent gaming console that delivers smooth gaming experiences. However, it's well-known that the PS5's internal storage is limited and can quickly fill up with games, apps, and various files or data. To address this issue, an external hard drive becomes essential. In this article, we will discuss the best external hard drives for the PS5, along with their pros and cons.

By the time you're done reading, you'll be able to pick the right and best external hard drive for your PS5, whether you're a casual gamer or a serious hardcore one.

Top 10 Best External Hard Drives for PS5 in 2023

With so many options on the market, finding the right one can be quite challenging. But worry not, we've picked the top 10 best external hard drives for PS5 to make your search easier:

• WD Black P50 Game Drive
• Toshiba 1TB Canvio Advance
• Samsung T7 Shield
• SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
• Crucial X6
• Seagate Game Drive
• LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
• Toshiba Canvio Basics
• WD My Passport
• WD Black D10

Don't miss our full list of 100.

1. WD Black P50 Game Drive

Our top pick is the WD Black P50. This PS5 SSD drive can handle speeds of up to 2000MB/s for faster game loading and downloads. While there are cheaper solutions out there, the WD Black P50 is certainly one of the more expensive external hard drives.

Please refer to the table below for more information:

2. Toshiba 1TB Canvio Advance Portable Hard Drive

Toshiba is one of the world's leading storage and hard drive manufacturers, including SSDs and HDDs. Compatible with the PS5, it's designed to optimize your gaming experience by freeing up space on your console so you can expand your game collection as your skills grow. If you run out of PS5 storage, you can extend your memory by purchasing a Toshiba external hard drive. The Toshiba 1TB Canvio Advance is an affordable option.

You can see more information in the table below:

Samsung T7 Shield

The Samsung T7 Shield is a powerful external solid-state drive in which your data is particularly secure. It's compatible with a range of devices. According to the manufacturer, it has a data transfer rate of up to 1,050 megabytes per second, which is up to 9.5 times faster than other external hard drives. In terms of capacity, you can choose between models with 1 or 2 terabytes.

This image is described in Chinese as: "Samsung SSD solid state drive."

Please refer to the table below for more information:

4. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is an excellent and superior external solid-state drive (SSD) that's perfect for use with the PS5. It's compatible with the console, offering high speeds and ample storage, while also being shockproof, waterproof, and dust-resistant.

For more information on Sandisk, see the table below:

5. The Essential X6

This portable solid-state drive boasts impressive speeds, with sequential write speeds of up to 540 megabytes per second. Designed to be compact, it's rugged and shock-, vibration-, and heat-resistant, so you won't lose your data. Its 2 terabyte capacity can store everything you want – it can survive a drop of up to two meters. Weighing in at just 39 grams, it's light enough to hold in your hand. Take this 2TB external hard drive wherever you go.

Here's a table you can use to learn more:

6. Seagate Game Drive

Seagate is an officially licensed partner of Sony, ensuring compatibility with the PS5. The Seagate Gaming Drive for PS5 offers up to 4TB of storage, allowing you to store up to 100 games. Setup is straightforward and takes less than three minutes. Plus, it comes with a USB 3.0 cable, eliminating any compatibility concerns and making it usable with both PS4 and PS5.

Please refer to the table below for a detailed list of features:

7. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is a high-performance portable solid-state drive designed for professional photographers, video editors, and creative professionals. It delivers unparalleled data transfer speeds, allowing for rapid backup and editing of large high-definition video and image files. Built with rugged drop, water, and dust resistance, it ensures the safety of your data even in harsh environments. Equipped with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C interfaces, it is compatible with various devices and supports fast charging and data transfer. The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is the ideal choice for users who require intense work in outdoor or mobile settings.

The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is the best choice for your PS5. It offers a fast transfer experience with read speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s. It features a universally compatible USB Type-C interface.

Please see the table below for more details:

8. Toshiba Canvio Basics

The Toshiba Canvio Basics is the cheapest option, and it works pretty well. It's one of the best-selling drives and is recommended by many, though its performance might be underwhelming. It fares better when it comes to storing games, though. You can find it in sizes ranging from 500GB to 4TB, which should be enough not just for your PS4 or PS5, but also for your PC game library.

You can find more information about Toshiba at the following link:

9. WD My Passport

The WD My Passport is one of the most common external hard drives around, and while it might take some setting up to get working on your PS5, it gets the job done nicely. It's available in capacities ranging from 1TB to 5TB and is very affordable.

This is an image of a WD Passport.

Learn more about WD My Passport here:

10. Western Digital WD Black D10

The WD Black D10 Game Drive offers massive storage capacity. If you want to hoard your mountain of old PS4 games and load them at PS4 speeds, this is an excellent choice. With its capacity of up to 8TB, it can store all your favorite games. Designed for desktop use, it comes with an additional USB port, perfect for charging controllers or expanding the USB connectivity of your PS5. It can house all your downloaded games, media, and more, making it an excellent option.

This is an image displaying the WD Black D10 external hard drive.

Here is a more detailed table displayed:

Conclusions

The best PS5 external hard drive largely depends on your preferences and needs. For instance, if you only game at home and have no need to bring your games elsewhere, portability of the external SSD won't be an issue for you. Storage capacity is something to consider, though. Given that game sizes are continually growing, you might need to upgrade over time if you opt for a smaller size.

If you plan to move your hard drive around, check that it's rugged: it should be resistant to shocks, water, and dust. Otherwise, one spill or drop could mean losing all your information.

Additionally, transfer speed is crucial too because if it's very slow, you won't enjoy it as much as you'd like, and it will cause you trouble. Also, when choosing any external hard drive for your PS5, you should check if the external SSD is compatible with your PS5 because it can be an excellent device, but if it doesn't work with your gaming console, you'll lose all that money and have to get a replacement.

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