Buying Guide
The Best Internal SSDs for PS5
From the Predator GM9 1TB to the T710 2TB: five SSDs ranked on rated read speed and rated write speed, with who should skip each one.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
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 if a maker skips sequential write, the guide says so.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Fastest Rated Write Speed
Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TBThe fastest rated write speed here (14,500MB/s).
Best for: Buyers who put rated write speed first.
Check price for Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
Crucial T710 2TBThe highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with Micron TLC NAND.
Best for: Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND and can spend more than the T705 2TB costs.
Check price for Crucial T710 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
Acer Predator GM9 1TBThe cheapest way into this group, below the NM1090 Pro 1TB.
Best for: Keeping the cost under $250.
Check price for Acer Predator GM9 1TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
Crucial T705 2TBTLC NAND at 14,500MB/s.
Best for: Buyers who want TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s.
Check price for Crucial T705 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
Lexar NM1090 Pro 1TBA PCIe Gen 5 drive.
Best for: Buyers who want PCIe Gen 5 drive.
Check price for Lexar NM1090 Pro 1TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check 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 on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with Micron TLC NAND. | Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND and can spend more than the T705 2TB costs. | Check price for Crucial T710 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The cheapest way into this group, below the NM1090 Pro 1TB. | Keeping the cost under $250. | Check price for Acer Predator GM9 1TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s. | Buyers who want TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s. | Check price for Crucial T705 2TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A PCIe Gen 5 drive. | Buyers who want PCIe Gen 5 drive. | Check price for Lexar NM1090 Pro 1TB on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Fastest Rated Write Speed1 of 5
Corsair MP700 PRO XT 2TB
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. 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 NM1090 Pro 1TB and cheaper picks cost less, and the T705 2TB cost more.
Key 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 Predator GM9 1TB at the time of writing
Premium Pick2 of 5
Crucial T710 2TB
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 and can spend more than the T705 2TB costs.
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 3 here, behind the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,500MB/s) and ahead of the NM1090 Pro 1TB (10,000MB/s). 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. At our last price check it topped the group, with the T705 2TB the nearest cheaper option.
Key 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 Predator GM9 1TB at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here3 of 5
Acer Predator GM9 1TB
The Predator GM9 1TB stands out for NVMe 2.0 over PCIe 5.0.
Best for
- Keeping the cost under $250.
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
It also offers a 14,500MB/s rated read speed and is rated for 1TB. 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.
It makes the most sense for keeping the cost under $250, since it offers the cheapest way into this group, below the NM1090 Pro 1TB. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the NM1090 Pro 1TB was closest.
Key specs
- Sequential read
- 14,500MB/s
- Interface
- PCIe 5.0 x4
- Capacity
- 1TB
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 read speeds up to 14,500MB/s
- NVMe 2.0 over PCIe 5.0
- The cheapest way into this group, below the NM1090 Pro 1TB
Cons
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed
- No published rated write speed
The catch
If you want a confirmed rated write speed, look to the MP700 PRO XT 2TB instead: it offers 14,500MB/s, while this one gives no figure.
Also Consider4 of 5
Crucial T705 2TB
The T705 2TB stands out for TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s.
Best for
- Buyers who want TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed is a problem.
Why we like it
It also offers a 14,500MB/s rated read speed and is rated for 2TB. It matches the Predator GM9 1TB on rated read speed (14,500MB/s). 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. On price it sat fourth of 5, between the cheaper MP700 PRO XT 2TB and the pricier T710 2TB, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its rated write speed; if that figure matters, the MP700 PRO XT 2TB offers 14,500MB/s.
Key specs
- Sequential read
- 14,500MB/s
- Interface
- PCIe 5.0 x4
- Capacity
- 2TB
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 read speeds up to 14,500MB/s
- TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s
- PCIe 5.0 x4 interface
- 2TB capacity
Cons
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed
- No published rated write speed
- Costs more than the Predator GM9 1TB at the time of writing
Strong Alternative5 of 5
Lexar NM1090 Pro 1TB
What the NM1090 Pro 1TB brings to the table is a PCIe Gen 5 drive.
Best for
- Buyers who want PCIe Gen 5 drive.
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
It also offers a 14,000MB/s rated read speed and offers a 10,000MB/s rated write speed. Its 14,000MB/s rated read speed is the slowest in this group; the MP700 PRO XT 2TB leads at 14,900MB/s. 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. Its price falls between the Predator GM9 1TB and the MP700 PRO XT 2TB, based on our last check.
Key specs
- Sequential read
- 14,000MB/s
- Sequential write
- 10,000MB/s
- Interface
- PCIe 5.0 x4
- Capacity
- 1TB
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 read speeds up to 14,000MB/s
- PCIe Gen 5 drive
- 10,000MB/s rated write speed
- PCIe 5.0 x4 interface
Cons
- Needs a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot to reach its rated speed
- Rated read speed trails the MP700 PRO XT 2TB (14,900MB/s)
- Costs more than the Predator GM9 1TB at the time of writing
How We Chose These Internal SSDs for PS5
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- The figures behind the order
- We set side by side five drives on rated read speed, rated write speed, interface and capacity as the makers state them. Nothing was tested in-house; 3 of the 4 fields compared are stated for every pick, while rated write speed has gaps.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the MP700 PRO XT 2TB to the NM1090 Pro 1TB, state rated read speed, interface and capacity and share PCIe 5.0 x4 interface.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The Predator GM9 1TB and the T705 2TB give no rated write speed.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the Predator GM9 1TB ($150 to $250) to the T710 2TB ($250 to $500).
What to Look for in an Internal SSD for PS5
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Rated read speed
Across these 5 picks rated read speed spans 14,000MB/s (the NM1090 Pro 1TB) to 14,900MB/s (the MP700 PRO XT 2TB). If rated read speed is your first filter, the MP700 PRO XT 2TB sets the ceiling at 14,900MB/s.
How much rated write speed you need
Here rated write speed runs from 10,000MB/s on the NM1090 Pro 1TB to 14,500MB/s on the MP700 PRO XT 2TB, a 45% spread. Start with the MP700 PRO XT 2TB if rated write speed decides it. The Predator GM9 1TB and the T705 2TB give no rated write speed figure, so 3 of 5 picks are compared here.
The M.2 standoff position marked on a Gigabyte motherboard Features beyond the spec table
The Predator GM9 1TB: NVMe 2.0 over PCIe 5.0. The T705 2TB: TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s. The NM1090 Pro 1TB: a PCIe Gen 5 drive.
Budget
$150 to $250 buys the Predator GM9 1TB; $250 to $500 buys the NM1090 Pro 1TB, the MP700 PRO XT 2TB, the T705 2TB and the T710 2TB at our last check.
An M.2 SSD installed on a motherboard Match the pick to your priority
Buyers who put rated write speed first: the MP700 PRO XT 2TB. Buyers who want Micron TLC NAND and can spend more than the T705 2TB costs: the T710 2TB. Keeping the cost under $250: the Predator GM9 1TB.
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 and can spend more than the T705 2TB costs | T710 2TB | The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with Micron TLC NAND |
| Keeping the cost under $250 | Predator GM9 1TB | The cheapest way into this group, below the NM1090 Pro 1TB |
| Buyers who want TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s | T705 2TB | TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s |
| Buyers who want PCIe Gen 5 drive | NM1090 Pro 1TB | A PCIe Gen 5 drive |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The MP700 PRO XT 2TB leads on rated read speed at 14,900MB/s, ahead of the T710 2TB at 14,900MB/s. "Not listed" marks rated write speed where the Predator GM9 1TB and the T705 2TB leave the figure out.
| 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 |
| Predator GM9 1TB | 14,500MB/s | Not listed | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 1TB |
| T705 2TB | 14,500MB/s | Not listed | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 2TB |
| NM1090 Pro 1TB | 14,000MB/s | 10,000MB/s | PCIe 5.0 x4 | 1TB |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
At our last check the cheapest pick, the Predator GM9 1TB, sat in the $150 to $250 tier, 2 tiers in all up to the T710 2TB at $250 to $500; Amazon prices move, so recheck before buying.
| Price tier | Drives |
|---|---|
| About $150 to $250 | Predator GM9 1TB |
| About $250 to $500 | NM1090 Pro 1TB, MP700 PRO XT 2TB, T705 2TB, T710 2TB |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MP700 PRO XT 2TB ahead of the T710 2TB on rated write speed?
The MP700 PRO XT 2TB leads at 14,500MB/s, with the T710 2TB at 13,800MB/s. The NM1090 Pro 1TB is at the other end of this group with 10,000MB/s. No rated write speed figure is published for the Predator GM9 1TB and the T705 2TB, which leaves 3 of 5 picks ranked here.
Is the T710 2TB worth paying more than the Predator GM9 1TB?
What it brings is rated read speed (14,900MB/s against 14,500MB/s). The Predator GM9 1TB sat in the $150 to $250 tier and the T710 2TB in the $250 to $500 tier when we checked, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if rated read speed decides your purchase.
What makes the MP700 PRO XT 2TB the Fastest Rated Write Speed?
It carries the badge for the fastest rated write speed here (14,500MB/s). The T710 2TB is next on rated write speed at 13,800MB/s, so this pick's 14,500MB/s is 5% further out. The Predator GM9 1TB, the cheapest pick, sat in the $150 to $250 tier against $250 to $500 here, without out-ranking it on any listed spec. It is aimed at anyone who puts rated write speed first.
Do the MP700 PRO XT 2TB and the Predator GM9 1TB differ on capacity?
The MP700 PRO XT 2TB, the T710 2TB and the T705 2TB use 2TB; the Predator GM9 1TB and the NM1090 Pro 1TB use 1TB.
Beyond the specs, what sets the MP700 PRO XT 2TB and the T710 2TB apart?
The MP700 PRO XT 2TB: the highest rated writes among the drives here. The T710 2TB: Micron TLC NAND. The Predator GM9 1TB: NVMe 2.0 over PCIe 5.0.
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 the highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with Micron TLC NAND, the Predator GM9 1TB for the cheapest way into this group, below the NM1090 Pro 1TB and the T705 2TB for TLC NAND at 14,500MB/s if those matter more to you.
Fit a low-profile heatsink if the drive ships without one.
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About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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