Buying Guide
The Best Internal SSDs for PS5
From the 990 PRO 1TB to the 990 PRO 4TB: five SSDs ranked on rated read speed and rated write speed, with who should skip each one.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
The PS5's expansion slot takes a PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD, and Sony recommends a heatsink. Every pick has PCIe 4.0 or newer, ordered by read speed.
We sorted these picks by sequential read, sequential write and interface, working from the makers' own data; nothing here was tested in-house, and any figure a maker omits is noted as missing.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Fastest Rated Write Speed
Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TB
The fastest rated write speed here (14,500MB/s).
Best for: Buyers who put rated write speed first.
Our take Check price for Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TB (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
Crucial T710 2TB
Micron TLC NAND.
Best for: Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND.
Our take Check price for Crucial T710 2TB (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
Corsair MP700 Elite 2TB
DirectStorage support.
Best for: Buyers who want DirectStorage support.
Our take Check price for Corsair MP700 Elite 2TB (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
Samsung 990 PRO 1TB
The lowest price of the group at our last check.
Best for: Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build.
Our take Check price for Samsung 990 PRO 1TB (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
Samsung 990 PRO 4TB
The top of this price range, adding near-maximum PCIe 4.0 performance, by Samsung's description.
Best for: Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Our take Check price for Samsung 990 PRO 4TB (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it’s here | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The fastest rated write speed here (14,500MB/s). | Buyers who put rated write speed first. | Check price for Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TB (opens in a new tab) |
| Micron TLC NAND. | Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND. | Check price for Crucial T710 2TB (opens in a new tab) |
| DirectStorage support. | Buyers who want DirectStorage support. | Check price for Corsair MP700 Elite 2TB (opens in a new tab) |
| The lowest price of the group at our last check. | Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build. | Check price for Samsung 990 PRO 1TB (opens in a new tab) |
| The top of this price range, adding near-maximum PCIe 4.0 performance, by Samsung's description. | Spending more for the fullest feature set. | Check price for Samsung 990 PRO 4TB (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Fastest Rated Write Speed1 of 5
Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The MP700 PRO XT 2TB offers 14,900MB/s reads and 14,500MB/s writes, the fastest Corsair drive here.
Best for
- Buyers who put rated write speed first.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed.
Why we like it
On rated read speed it ties with the T710 2TB at 14,900MB/s. Nothing else here matches its 14,500MB/s rated write speed; the T710 2TB comes closest at 13,800MB/s. Like the T710 2TB and MP700 Elite 2TB, it has a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, while the 990 PRO 1TB uses a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface.
It also comes with the highest rated writes among the drives here and DirectStorage support. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. Use a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, usually the one closest to the CPU, and a board heatsink or the drive's own; in a PCIe 4.0 slot it runs at 4.0 speed. When we checked, only the 990 PRO 1TB cost less, and the T710 2TB cost more.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 14,900MB/s
- Sequential write: 14,500MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 5.0 x4
- Capacity: 2TB
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 read speeds up to 14,900MB/s
- The highest rated writes among the drives here
- DirectStorage support
- Fastest rated write speed of the picks (14,500MB/s)
Cons
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed
- Costs more than the 990 PRO 1TB at the time of writing
Also Consider2 of 5
Crucial T710 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The T710 2TB is a PCIe 5.0 drive rated for 14,900MB/s reads and 13,800MB/s writes with a five-year warranty.
Best for
- Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed.
Why we like it
On rated read speed it ties with the MP700 PRO XT 2TB at 14,900MB/s. Its 13,800MB/s rated write speed ranks second of 5 here, behind the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,500MB/s) and ahead of the 990 PRO 4TB (6,900MB/s). Like the MP700 PRO XT 2TB and MP700 Elite 2TB, it has a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, while the 990 PRO 1TB uses a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface.
It also comes with Micron TLC NAND. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. Use a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, usually the one closest to the CPU, and a board heatsink or the drive's own; in a PCIe 4.0 slot it runs at 4.0 speed. When we checked, only the MP700 PRO XT 2TB and cheaper picks cost less, and the MP700 Elite 2TB cost more.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 14,900MB/s
- Sequential write: 13,800MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 5.0 x4
- Warranty: 5-year
- Capacity: 2TB
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 read speeds up to 14,900MB/s
- 5-year warranty
- Micron TLC NAND
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed
- Costs more than the 990 PRO 1TB at the time of writing
Strong Alternative3 of 5
Corsair MP700 Elite 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The MP700 Elite 2TB is a PCIe 5.0 drive rated for 10,000MB/s reads and 8,500MB/s writes.
Best for
- Buyers who want DirectStorage support.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed.
Why we like it
On rated read speed it sits mid-pack at 10,000MB/s: the MP700 PRO XT 2TB offers 14,900MB/s, and the 990 PRO 4TB comes in at 7,450MB/s. Its 8,500MB/s rated write speed ranks third of 5 here, behind the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,500MB/s) and ahead of the 990 PRO 4TB (6,900MB/s). Like the MP700 PRO XT 2TB and T710 2TB, it has a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface, while the 990 PRO 1TB uses a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface.
It also offers DirectStorage support, high-density 3D TLC NAND and a lower price than the MP700 PRO 2TB. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. When we checked, only the T710 2TB and cheaper picks cost less, and the 990 PRO 4TB cost more.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 10,000MB/s
- Sequential write: 8,500MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 5.0 x4
- Capacity: 2TB
Pros
- DirectStorage support
- High-density 3D TLC NAND
- Lower price than the MP700 PRO 2TB
- Rated read speed of 10,000MB/s, ahead of the 990 PRO 1TB
Cons
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed
- Costs more than the 990 PRO 1TB at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here4 of 5
Samsung 990 PRO 1TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The 990 PRO 1TB offers 7,450MB/s reads and 6,900MB/s writes, the top rated speeds among the 1TB Gen4 drives here.
Best for
- Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when rated read speed of 7,450MB/s, behind the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,900MB/s is a problem.
Why we like it
Its random read and write are 40% and 55% faster than the 980 PRO, and Samsung's nickel-coated controller manages heat in slim laptops too. It shares a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface with the 990 PRO 4TB; the MP700 PRO XT 2TB goes with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface. It also comes with Samsung Magician software for firmware updates.
It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. It undercut the MP700 PRO XT 2TB and every other pick on price at the time of writing. The main gap: rated read speed of 7,450MB/s, behind the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,900MB/s). If that matters, the MP700 PRO XT 2TB offers 14,900MB/s.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 7,450MB/s
- Sequential write: 6,900MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4
- Capacity: 1TB
Pros
- The highest rated reads among the 1TB Gen4 drives here
- Samsung Magician software for firmware updates
- 1TB capacity, the only one here
- The lowest price of the group at our last check
Cons
- Rated read speed of 7,450MB/s, behind the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,900MB/s)
Premium Pick5 of 5
Samsung 990 PRO 4TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The 990 PRO 4TB keeps its 7,450MB/s reads and DRAM cache at double the capacity.
Best for
- Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Skip if
- Skip it if rated read speed matters most to you; the MP700 PRO XT 2TB offers 14,900MB/s.
Why we like it
It is the fast, safe choice for a large library. It matches the 990 PRO 1TB on rated read speed (7,450MB/s). On rated write speed it ties with the 990 PRO 1TB at 6,900MB/s.
It shares a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface with the 990 PRO 1TB; the MP700 Elite 2TB goes with a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface. You also get near-maximum PCIe 4.0 performance, by Samsung's description. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.
It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the MP700 Elite 2TB. If rated read speed is your priority, the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,900MB/s) is the stronger choice.
Key dimensions & specs
- Sequential read: 7,450MB/s
- Sequential write: 6,900MB/s
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4
- DRAM cache: Yes
- Capacity: 4TB
Pros
- Onboard DRAM cache
- Near-maximum PCIe 4.0 performance, by Samsung's description
- 4TB capacity, the only one here
- The top of this price range, adding near-maximum PCIe 4.0 performance, by Samsung's description
Cons
- Rated read speed trails the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,900MB/s)
- Costs more than the 990 PRO 1TB at the time of writing
How We Chose These Internal SSDs for PS5
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Design
- We checked interface, DRAM cache and heatsink options.
- Capacity
- We compared drives at the same capacity within each guide.
- Speed
- We compared rated sequential read and write speeds.
- Endurance
- We noted TBW ratings and warranty length where listed.
What to Look for in an Internal SSD for PS5
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Where these picks differ: rated write speed
Among these picks, rated write speed runs from 6,900MB/s on the 990 PRO 4TB to 14,500MB/s on the MP700 PRO XT 2TB. Pick the lowest figure that covers your use; the extra usually costs more than it returns.
PCIe 4.0 is enough for games
Game load times barely change between fast PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 drives. PCIe 5.0 helps large file copies and creative work.
DRAM cache helps heavy use
Drives with DRAM cache hold speed better under long writes. DRAM-less drives with HMB are fine for games.
Cool the drive
Fast drives throttle when hot. Use the motherboard's M.2 heatsink or a heatsink version of the drive.
Endurance is rarely a limit
TBW figures of 1,200 or more far exceed typical gaming writes. Heavy video work benefits from a higher rating.
How to Choose an Internal SSD for PS5
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who put rated write speed first | MP700 PRO XT 2TB | The fastest rated write speed here (14,500MB/s) |
| Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND | T710 2TB | Micron TLC NAND |
| Buyers who want DirectStorage support | MP700 Elite 2TB | DirectStorage support |
| Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere in the build | 990 PRO 1TB | The lowest price of the group at our last check |
| Spending more for the fullest feature set | 990 PRO 4TB | The top of this price range, adding near-maximum PCIe 4.0 performance, by Samsung's description |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
Figures as each maker states them.
| Drive | Sequential read | Sequential write | Interface | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MP700 PRO XT 2TB | 14,900MB/s | 14,500MB/s | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 2TB |
| T710 2TB | 14,900MB/s | 13,800MB/s | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 2TB |
| MP700 Elite 2TB | 10,000MB/s | 8,500MB/s | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 2TB |
| 990 PRO 1TB | 7,450MB/s | 6,900MB/s | PCIe 4.0 x4 | 1TB |
| 990 PRO 4TB | 7,450MB/s | 6,900MB/s | PCIe 4.0 x4 | 4TB |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
Prices change often; these tiers reflect Amazon prices when this guide was updated.
| Price tier | Drives |
|---|---|
| About $150 to $250 | 990 PRO 1TB |
| About $250 to $500 | MP700 PRO XT 2TB, T710 2TB, MP700 Elite 2TB |
| About $500 to $1000 | 990 PRO 4TB |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which pick leads on rated read speed?
The MP700 PRO XT 2TB leads at 14,900MB/s, ahead of the T710 2TB at 14,900MB/s; the 990 PRO 4TB sits at the other end with 7,450MB/s.
Which pick costs the least here?
The 990 PRO 1TB cost the least when we checked, and the 990 PRO 4TB sat at the top of the range. Prices move often, so check the current listing before buying.
Is a PCIe 5.0 SSD worth it for gaming?
Not for load times, which change little. It helps large file transfers and creative work.
Can I use these in a PS5?
PCIe 4.0 M.2 drives work in a PS5 with a heatsink that fits the bay. Check Sony's size limits.
How much storage do I need for games?
2TB suits most players; 4TB suits large libraries without uninstalling.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the MP700 PRO XT 2TB, chosen for the fastest rated write speed here (14,500MB/s). Look at the T710 2TB for Micron TLC NAND, the MP700 Elite 2TB for DirectStorage support and the 990 PRO 1TB for the lowest price of the group at our last check if those matter more to you.
Fit a low-profile heatsink if the drive ships without one.