Is 825 GB Enough for Your PS5? A Deep Dive into Storage Realities
Is 825 GB enough for PS5? The short answer is: it depends. For the casual gamer who plays a few titles and doesn’t mind regularly deleting and re-downloading games, it might suffice. However, for avid gamers, especially those who enjoy large, modern AAA titles, the usable 667.2 GB of storage space will likely feel restrictive very quickly. Let’s delve into the realities of PS5 storage, game sizes, and how to best manage or expand your console’s capacity.
Understanding the PS5 Storage Situation
The PlayStation 5 boasts a custom-built 825 GB SSD (Solid State Drive) designed for lightning-fast loading times and seamless gameplay. This SSD is a key component of the PS5’s architecture, optimized to deliver the performance Sony promised. However, the advertised 825 GB isn’t entirely accessible to the user.
The Usable Storage Reality
As with any storage device, a portion of the 825 GB is reserved for the console’s operating system and essential system files. This leaves you with approximately 667.2 GB of usable storage space. This is a significant reduction, and it’s crucial to understand this limitation before diving headfirst into downloading a library of games.
Game Sizes: A Growing Concern
Modern games are getting larger, with some AAA titles exceeding 100 GB or even 200 GB. Games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War famously ballooned to over 300 GB, consuming a significant chunk of your available storage. Even “smaller” titles can easily range from 40 GB to 80 GB, quickly filling up your PS5’s SSD. The average game size will average somewhere between 40–50GB. Unless it’s Call of Duty coming in around 200GB.
Managing Your PS5 Storage Effectively
Even with limited storage, there are strategies to maximize your PS5’s capacity:
- Prioritize Your Games: Decide which games you play most frequently and keep those installed. Games you haven’t touched in weeks or months might be good candidates for deletion.
- Utilize PS Plus Extra and Premium: If you subscribe to these tiers, remember that games are constantly rotating. You don’t necessarily need to keep everything downloaded indefinitely.
- Manage Game Data: Delete game saves you no longer need, especially for games you’ve completed.
- Transfer PS4 Games to External Storage: PS4 games can be played directly from an external USB drive, freeing up valuable space on your internal SSD for PS5 titles. You’ll see a new option right away on the USB Extended Storage screen: Always Install PS4 Games to USB Extended Storage. Enable this, and PS4 titles that haven’t received a PS5 upgrade will be installed on the external drive by default. They can also be run from there, freeing up room on the PS5’s internal storage.
- Consider Deleting Unnecessary Media: Screenshots, videos, and other media files can accumulate over time. Regularly review and delete anything you don’t need.
Expanding Your PS5 Storage
If 667.2 GB simply isn’t enough, fortunately, Sony offers options to expand your PS5’s storage.
M.2 SSD Expansion
The primary method for expanding PS5 storage is by installing a compatible M.2 SSD inside the console. This involves opening the PS5 and installing the SSD into a dedicated slot. This method allows you to increase the storage capacity of your PS5 console or PS5 Digital Edition console up to 4TB.
USB Extended Storage
While you can’t play PS5 games directly from an external USB drive, you can use it to store and transfer them. This is useful for archiving games you’re not currently playing but might want to access again in the future. The limit for PS5 internal storage is 4TB, which is plenty (trust us) but you can always go bigger with an external SSD. The USB extended storage requirements on PS5 consoles is: 250 GB minimum, 8 TB maximum capacity.
Choosing the Right Expansion Option
- M.2 SSD: Ideal for actively playing more PS5 games. Offers the same high-speed performance as the internal drive.
- USB Extended Storage: Best for archiving PS5 games and playing PS4 games. More cost-effective for larger storage capacities.
Optimizing Your Gaming Experience
Ultimately, the question of whether 825 GB is enough comes down to your individual gaming habits. If you’re a minimalist gamer who only plays a few select titles, you might be able to manage. But for those who crave a diverse gaming library and enjoy the convenience of having multiple games readily available, expanding your storage is a worthwhile investment. By understanding the storage limitations of the PS5, implementing effective management strategies, and exploring expansion options, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience without constantly worrying about running out of space.
To delve deeper into the intersection of gaming and learning, explore the resources at the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. The GamesLearningSociety.org explores how games can be used as powerful tools for education and skill development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How many PS5 games can I store on 825 GB?
Realistically, you can expect to store between 12 and 15 games on the PS5’s 667.2 GB of usable storage. This number can vary significantly depending on the size of each game.
2. Is the PS5 actually 1TB?
No, the PS5 is not 1TB. It comes with an 825GB SSD, of which approximately 667.2GB is available for storing games and other content.
3. Why does the PS5 only have 825GB of storage?
The 825GB SSD was chosen by Sony because it’s a perfect match for the 12-channel flash interface that allows the PS5 SSD to process data exceptionally quickly.
4. Can I play PS5 games from an external hard drive?
No, you cannot directly play PS5 games from an external hard drive. However, you can store PS5 games on an external USB drive and transfer them back to the internal SSD when you want to play them.
5. What happens when my PS5 storage is full?
When your PS5 storage is full, you’ll need to delete games or transfer them to an external drive to free up space for new installations.
6. How much does it cost to upgrade PS5 storage?
The cost of upgrading your PS5 storage varies depending on the type and capacity of the storage you choose. An M.2 SSD can range from $80 to $300 or more, while an external USB hard drive can cost between $50 and $200, depending on the storage capacity.
7. What is the biggest game on PS5 in terms of GB?
As of now, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is one of the largest games on the PS5, clocking in at over 312.6 GB.
8. Can I move PS5 games to extended storage?
Yes, you can move PS5 games to extended storage. A new PS5 system update now lets you transfer PS5 games as well as PS4 games to an applicable external USB or USB-C hard drive or portable SSD.
9. How do I buy more space on my PS5?
You can buy more space on your PS5 by installing a compatible M.2 SSD internally or by connecting an external USB hard drive.
10. How many TB can the PS5 hold?
You can increase the storage capacity of your PS5 console up to 4TB by installing a compatible M.2 solid state drive.
11. How do I free up space on my PS5 without deleting games?
If you don’t want to delete the existing games in your PS5 console storage, you can move them to USB extended storage
12. Is it worth upgrading my PS5 storage?
Yes, upgrading your PS5 storage is often worth it, especially if you enjoy playing multiple games and don’t want to constantly delete and re-download them.
13. How many SSDs can you have in PS5?
You can use 2 SSD storage to download, copy, and launch PS5 and PS4 games, as well as media apps.
14. How much is the average PS5 game?
PS5 game prices do vary greatly but most big blockbuster releases sit around the common $69.99 / £69.99 threshold at launch.
15. How much is a lot of GB for a game?
Data storage requirements for most current games is between 1Gb and 100 Gb.