Earlier this month a PS5 system update gave owners the ability to upgrade the console’s internal storage by adding an additional SSD to the previously locked storage expansion slot. This has resulted in huge demand for PS5 compatible SSDs, with several models becoming extremely hard to find in stock.
So it’s a very welcome surprise that not only is this Western Digital SSD currently available it’s also on sale. Right now you can get the WD_Black 500GB SN850 NVMe SSD for $107 at Amazon. That’s a sizeable $42 off its usual price of $149, making it one of the best PS5 hard drive deals we’ve seen so far this year.
The WD_Black SN850 SSD hits all of Sony’s required benchmarks and has been confirmed as PS5 compatible by the manufacturer. We’ve also tested the drive in a PS5 ourselves and can report that it works extremely well. When running games off the SN850 SSD we actually experienced shorter loading times compared to playing them from the PS5’s stock hard drive.
Sony does advise that any additional SSD added to the storage expansion slot should have a heatsink attached in order to prevent the console from running dangerously hot. While the SN850 with a pre-installed heatsink is currently sold out, you can easily buy a separate one and attach it yourself. It’s an extremely simple process that will only take a few minutes. This Icepc heatsink costs $13 and is within the required dimensions to fit inside a PS5.
One of the best things about upgrading your PS5 internal storage is that adding a new SSD doesn’t replace the console’s stock drive. Instead, you get the extra storage space in addition to the 825GB that comes as standard with the PS5. This means you’ll have no trouble storing dozens of the best PS5 games.
Much like the console itself, PS5 compatible SSDs are becoming increasingly tricky to track down as more and more owners look to boost their internal storage. This deal is unlikely to stay in stock for long, so be sure to grab your SN850 SSD for a discounted price while you still can.