With the first update from the PS5 beta program released recently, support for M.2 SSDs comes among other things. But there are some requirements that must be met.

PS5: M.2 SSD updateOn a support page, Sony explains in detail how an M.2 SSD can be used in conjunction with a PS5 via the beta update. It not only explains the technical requirements for the SSD but also how to install and use the SSD. You definitely need an M.2 SSD with a PCI Express 4 interface - SATA is not supported. 250 GB to 4 TB is currently supported. The sequential read speed should be at least 5,500 MB / s. The module may only be 22 mm wide, with the form factor 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110 are supported. Correspondingly, the permitted lengths are 30 mm, 42 mm, 60 mm, 80 mm, and 110 mm.

Sony recommends using an M.2 SSD with "effective heat dissipation through a cooling structure, e.g. a heat sink". The overall structure (including an additional cooling structure) must not exceed 25 mm (0.984 in). If the M.2 SSD does not have a built-in heat sink, you can attach it yourself - on one or both sides. Important: There is no guarantee that every SSD with the stated requirements will harmonize with the PS5. Sony "cannot guarantee that all M.2 SSD devices that meet the described specifications will work with your console". In addition, Sony keeps a small back door open when it comes to the achievable performance. So "not all games world necessarily be playable with exactly the same performance, According to Sony, anyone who wants to install the SSD needs "a well-lit room with a table on which you can work", "a Phillips or Phillips # 1 screwdriver" and, optionally, "a small flashlight".

Seagate Firecuda 530After the PS5 beta update, it didn’t take long for the SSD manufacturers, especially Seagate, to stir the bells and whistles. At the end of June, the company announced its new Firecuda 530 NVMe SSD. This comes in sizes 4, 2, and 1 terabyte as well as 500 gigabytes. In addition, it should be able to achieve speeds of up to 7,300 megabytes per second reading and up to 6,900 megabytes per second writing. The service life of the mass storage device is given as around 1.8 million hours MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) and up to 5,100 TBW (Total Bytes Written).

The Firecuda 530 should be available from the end of July. Ahead of the upcoming release, Seagate has confirmed that the SSD is fully compatible with the PlayStation 5from Sony will be compatible. This makes the Firecuda 530 the "first" SSD that can use the expansion slot of the PS5. "We carried out some tests with Sony on the Playstation 5 and today we can confirm that the FireCuda 530 with heat sink meets all the requirements of the PS5. The PS5 design has a very narrow SSD card slot so that there is not much space available for the SSD With the FireCuda 530 - even with a heat sink on the top - the SSD also fits with the slim design. Of course, the model without heat sink is slimmer, which means that both fit into the PS5 ", says Jeff Park, Country Manager at Seagate Technology ANZ ( Australia and New Zealand)