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If you’ve been collecting and playing PS4 games for a while now, you may start to notice your storage space decrease. You may even be forced to remove games from your system to free up some space. This is a common occurrence as some games require up to a massive 100GB of storage space. The solution to your storage problem is to upgrade your internal PS4 hard drive or invest in an external PS4 hard drive.
Each option has its pros and cons but regardless of the option you choose, you can easily increase the storage space of your PS4 which will allow you to play more games.
This article will cover the 4 best PS4 hard drives you should consider, including the best overall, best budget, and best SSD option.
We’ll also explain all of the terminology as we go so don’t worry about all of the strange terms and not being able to understand what they mean just yet.
Best Overall PS4 Hard Drive
#1 Seagate BarraCuda 2Tb 2.5 Hard Drive
The best overall option for a PS4 Hard Drive is the Seagate BarraCuda internal hard drive.
I personally own this hard drive and doubled my storage space from 1Tb to 2Tb which was excellent for my growing collection of games.
As this is an internal hard drive, you will need to replace your existing PS4 hard drive. This might seem daunting if you have no experience in taking your console apart. However, if you jump down to the PS4 Hard Drive FAQs section, I’ve linked a very helpful video that easily walks you through the process.
Seagate is a well-known brand in the storage media space, with a lot of highly reputable products.
Plus, with a 3-year limited warranty, you will have peace of mind should anything happen.
Best Budget PS4 Hard Drive
#2 Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive
The best budget option for a PS4 hard drive in my opinion is the Seagate portable 2Tb external hard drive.
As this is an external hard drive that is compatible with a PlayStation 4 console, all you need to do it plug it in, set it up, and you’re ready to go.
The 2Tb model can add a lot more space to your existing storage capacity so you can play even more games without worrying about running out of space.
This drive is USB 3.0 (cable included) which allows for much faster data transfers than the older USB 2.0 system.
Best SSD PS4 Hard Drive
#3 SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD 500GB
The best SSD PS4 Hard Drive that I have found is the Samsung T7 Portable SSD.
This is an external hard drive which means it is easy to set up with your existing PS4 system and there’s no need to swap out any drives.
What’s more, because this is an SSD hard drive, you will benefit from very fast loading and file transfer times when compared to a standard HDD.
SSDs are becoming more popular and more cost-effective to buy as the cost of production continues to become cheaper.
The PlayStation 5 even has an internal SSD as standard, so that’s an indication of the future of gaming storage media.
PS4 Hard Drive FAQs
Now that we’ve looked at the best options for PS4 hard drives, let’s examine some common FAQs associated with PS4 hard drives including when to use them, which is better, and how to replace an internal drive.
When To Use A PS4 Hard Drive
You will most likely invest in a new hard drive when your existing PS4 hard drive has become full.
When you run out of space on your system, you’ll no longer be able to install and play new games or download updates for games.
This is when you should consider investing in an internal or external PS4 hard drive (or potentially both).
What Is Better, An Internal Or External PS4 Hard Drive?
There are pros and cons to both types of PS4 hard drive. I’ve summarized these in the section below:
Internal Hard Drives
Pros
- Not noticeable once installed, no cables or wires to worry about
- Much better performance than the stock internal drive
Cons
- Max supported storage size is 2Tb (external is 8Tb)
- Requires disassembly to install and use
- The process can take some time
- You’ll need to back everything up and reinstall your system from scratch
External Hard Drives
Pros
- Easy to set up and use, just plug and play
- No need to re-install any software or games
- No hardware modifications needed
Cons
- Max supported storage size is 8Tb (internal is 2Tb)
- Will be noticeable and you’ll need to be careful of the connection cables over time
- Takes up extra space in your gaming setup
How Do I Replace A PS4 Internal Hard Drive?
The first question I had when considering replacing my PS4s internal drive was how the heck do I do it. Thankfully, there are a lot of online tutorials that walk you through the process.
The best video I found is linked below for you to watch:
Conclusion
You’ve reached the end of this article. I hope you’ve been able to make your decision on the best PS4 hard drive to get for your PS4.
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