A PS5 that says "not enough storage" is a console asking for a bigger wardrobe. Sony left a door for it in the side, and behind that door sits an M.2 slot.
The short answer
Which SSD fits a PS5? Sony's support page asks for an M.2 NVMe drive with a Key M connector that supports PCIe Gen4 x4, from 250 GB to 8 TB, in the sizes 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110. It must be cooled. Drive and cooler together may be at most 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm thick, with 8.0 mm of that above the board and 2.45 mm below it. Sony recommends a sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s or more and does not support SATA M.2 drives [1][2]. Our assessment: most mistakes happen at the heat sink, not at the speed, so the real test is whether drive plus cooler fit those three height numbers. We name no models. Sony itself says it cannot guarantee that every drive that meets the specification works in a console [2].
How it works
- Find your console group. Sony's instructions split into the CFI-1000 group (the original design) and the CFI-2000/7000 group [1][2]. The model number starts with CFI and is printed on the bottom of the console, so take off the stand or feet to read it [4]. Sony's set-up page names CFI-2000 as the slim model and CFI-7000 as the PS5 Pro [5]. The requirements are the same for both groups. Only the opening and fitting steps differ. The PS5 Pro safety guide repeats the same requirement table [3].
- Read the requirement table line by line. Sony's requirements are collected in the table below the steps [1][2][3].
- Decode the size code. In an M.2 name the first two digits give the width in millimetres and the remaining digits the length: 2280 is 22 mm by 80 mm, 22110 is 22 mm by 110 mm [8]. Sony's five form factors are therefore five lengths of the same 22 mm board. The width limit of 25 mm is the room you have for a heat sink that is wider than the board. Inside the console a spacer moves to the groove that matches your drive's length (see "Fitting it").
- Why Gen4, and what Gen5 does not add. M.2 drives talk to the console over PCI Express. Each generation doubles the data rate: 16 GT/s for Gen4, 32 GT/s for Gen5 [9]. PCI-SIG states that cards of different generations work together at the highest speed both sides support [6]. Sony specifies a Gen4 x4 connection [1]. Our reading: a Gen5 drive could at best run at Gen4 speed in that slot, so the extra money buys nothing. Sony does not list Gen5 drives and we found no Sony statement that rules them in or out, so the same warning applies: check the drive's own documentation. A German buying guide makes the same point [11]. For scale: PCI-SIG gives 252 Gb/s per direction after encoding for a Gen4 x16 link [7]. A x4 link is a quarter of that, 63 Gb/s or about 7.9 GB/s. That is our calculation, and it is the ceiling of the link, not what a drive delivers. Sony's 5,500 MB/s recommendation sits well below it. Sony also warns that not every game is guaranteed to run exactly like on the internal SSD, even when a drive reads faster than 5,500 MB/s [2]. The PS5 does not support Host Memory Buffer (HMB), and Sony notes that drives which use it may run slower than expected [2][3]. If a data sheet mentions HMB, take that note seriously.
- Cooling is part of the spec. Sony's page says not to use an M.2 SSD without a heat-dissipation mechanism such as a heat sink or heat transfer sheet [2]. The PS5 Pro safety guide adds that without heat-dissipation parts, or if they come off in use, the drive may overheat and continued use may cause operation failure [3]. There are three ways to meet it: a drive with a built-in heat sink; a bare drive plus a heat sink and transfer sheet you attach yourself, single-sided or double-sided; or a drive and cooler sold as a set. If the drive already has a built-in heat sink, Sony recommends against adding another, because that may reduce the effect of the built-in one [2]. Tom's Hardware, a buying guide and therefore a secondary source, says Sony does not supply a heat sink with the console [10]. Sony's page says the same in other words: your drive may come with the parts or you may have to buy them [2]. We give no temperature figures. Sony's pages name none, and we cannot verify third-party values.
- Measure the three height numbers. Sony caps the package at 11.25 mm, of which 8.0 mm may stand above the board and 2.45 mm below it [1][2]. Those two partial values add up to 10.45 mm. Our reading is that the remaining 0.8 mm is the board itself, but Sony does not say so. Look in the data sheet for the height of the drive with its cooler. If the sheet gives only one total, you cannot check the split, and Sony's own advice then is to choose another product or ask the seller or maker [2]. A bulky PC-gaming heat sink is the usual way to fail this test. Sony's CFI-1000 steps add a field test: if the slot cover does not close properly, the cooling structure likely exceeds the size requirements [2].
Sony's requirements at a glance
| Item | Sony's wording | Our reading |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCI-Express Gen4x4 supported M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M), socket 3 | A fast NVMe drive, not SATA. Sony says M.2 SATA is not supported. |
| Capacity | 250 GB to 8 TB | Anything in that range qualifies. |
| Form factor | 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110 | Five lengths, all 22 mm wide on the board (see step 3). |
| Size including cooling | width up to 25 mm; length 30/42/60/80/110 mm; thickness up to 11.25 mm (up to 8.0 mm above the board, up to 2.45 mm below) | The limit applies to the whole package, cooler included. |
| Sequential read | 5,500 MB/s or faster is recommended | A recommendation, not a hard gate. |
| Cooling | a cooling structure such as a heat sink plus heat transfer sheet is required | Not optional (step 5). |
| Sides | single-sided and double-sided drives are supported | Single-sided coolers are the easier fit, says Sony. |
| Host Memory Buffer | not supported | See step 4. |
Fitting it
Before you start, update the console to the latest system software [1][2]. You need a #1 Phillips screwdriver, a well-lit table, and optionally a small torch [2]. Touch a grounded metal object first to discharge static, because static can damage the drive or the console. Do not power on the console while the cover is off [2]. Sony's safety guide adds: do not touch the drive's contacts or the console's expansion connector, use a screwdriver that matches the screws, and if a screw or spacer falls into the console, do not switch it on and contact Sony support [3]. Here is Sony's sequence for the CFI-2000/7000 group [1][2]:
- Switch the console off and disconnect the power cord and cables. Sony's last step reconnects them, and Tom's Hardware spells out the disconnecting [10]. Then remove the triangle cover.
- Remove the screw from the expansion slot cover, then the cover.
- Remove the screw and spacer, and move the spacer to the position for your drive's length.
- Hold the drive by its edge, align it with the notch in the connector, tilt it diagonally upward and push it firmly all the way in. The drive may carry its heat sink and transfer sheet.
- Tilt the drive down and fasten it with the screw.
- Put the slot cover back and tighten its screw, then refit the triangle cover.
- Attach the feet, reconnect power and cables, switch on, and follow the formatting guide on screen.
For the CFI-1000 group, Sony describes a longer opening: switch off, unplug everything, let the console cool, lay it on a protective surface, remove the base, and position it with the logo down and the power button towards you. Lift the cover at its top left corner and slide it off. Remove the slot cover screw (A), then screw (B), and move the spacer (C) to the groove for your drive's length. Insert the drive diagonally and make sure its board rests flat on the spacer without the cooler getting in the way. Sony warns that a drive that is not fully seated can damage the connector and the console. Fasten it with the screw, check that the cooler does not block the screw, then refit the slot cover and the main cover, which clicks into place [2]. In both groups the first start shows the formatting guide. Formatting erases everything on the drive and you must format the whole drive, not a part of it. Do not switch the console off during formatting or while it saves data [2]. If you move a drive between two PS5 consoles, no formatting is needed, but you must be signed in to the same account on both [2]. Remove the drive before you send the console in for repair [2].
After the fit: games and trouble
To install new games on the drive, go to Settings > Storage > Installation Location. To move existing games, open the game library, press Options on the title, choose Move Games and Apps, tick the titles and select Move. Settings > Storage > M.2 SSD Storage shows the space and lets you move or delete data [2]. All data of one game must live in one place, and PS5 games can be played from the M.2 drive but not from a USB extended storage drive, which only stores them [2]. If a game misbehaves on the drive, Sony suggests pausing running downloads, waiting for a disc install to finish and, if the problem stays, moving the game back to the console's own storage [2].
Warranty
Sony's FAQ says that, in general, your manufacturer warranty should not be affected if you install a drive that meets the required specification and follow the installation instructions. Damage caused by not doing so is not covered. Sony points you to its full warranty terms [2]. This is Sony's statement, not legal advice, and we do not interpret it. If in doubt, ask Sony support before you open the console.
A worked check with two invented data sheets
This is an example for the method, not a test of products. Both data sheets are invented. We did not test any drive.
- Drive A: M.2 2280, NVMe, PCIe 4.0 x4, 7,000 MB/s read, sold with a heat sink. The sheet says the package is 24 mm wide, 9.1 mm above the board and 1.0 mm below. The capacity and the speed pass. The 9.1 mm exceeds Sony's 8.0 mm. Result: it does not qualify, however good the speed is.
- Drive B: bare M.2 2280, NVMe, PCIe 4.0 x4, 6,800 MB/s read, chips 1.0 mm above and 0.9 mm below the board. You add a single-sided heat sink that is 4.0 mm tall and 24 mm wide with a 0.5 mm transfer sheet. Above the board that is 5.5 mm, below it 0.9 mm. Both are inside 8.0 mm and 2.45 mm, and 24 mm is inside 25 mm. Result: it passes on paper, and you still compare the sheet of the exact heat sink and the exact drive.
Neither check says how hot the drive will run. Sony requires a cooler and publishes no temperature target, so we make no claim about that.
Checklist
- Find your model number on the bottom of the console and note whether it belongs to the CFI-1000 or the CFI-2000/7000 group.
- Update the console to the latest system software before you fit anything.
- Check that the drive is M.2 NVMe, Key M, PCIe Gen4 x4, 250 GB to 8 TB, and not SATA.
- Compare the sequential read speed with Sony's recommendation of 5,500 MB/s.
- Read the data sheet for HMB and weigh Sony's warning if it is mentioned.
- Measure drive plus cooler against 25 mm width, 8.0 mm above the board, 2.45 mm below and 11.25 mm in total.
- Skip a second heat sink if the drive already has one built in.
- Back up what is on the drive you fit, because formatting erases it.
- Discharge static, switch the console off, and keep screws and spacers away from the inside of the console.
- Close both covers properly before you switch on, and stop if the slot cover does not close.
- Set the installation location afterwards and move the games you want on the new drive.
Related pages: Understanding NVMe SSDs; M.2 form factor and key; Laptop upgrade: check RAM and SSD first; SSD health: read SMART on Windows and Linux; TRIM for SSDs.