What Are the Best External Hard Drive for PS4? Top 8 Choice in 2023
The problem of limited storage has plagued users across the tech world. It worsens in the gaming field as the sizes of games continue to increase while storage remains the same. A game like Red Dead Redemption 2 takes 100GB of storage space, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2020) takes 190GB of storage space. It is expected that the upcoming games will require even more storage.
You are forced to look outwards, even the PS4 Pro has 1TB internal storage. Using an external hard drive is currently the best option. Read the article to find out the best external hard drive for PS4 and get more storage on PS4.
What Needs to Be Consider for the Best External Hard Drive for PS4
Before going through the top contenders for the best external hard drive for PS4, we need first to establish criteria to judge the external hard drives. In this article, the 4 metrics on which the best external hard drive for PS4 will be decided are explained below:
1. Capacity: It is probably the most important point as the hard drive's main purpose is to elevate the low storage space issue. A drive with more capacity variance is preferred as it allows easy scalability.
2. Speed: How fast your game is loaded depends upon the speed of the hard drive where it is stored. The difference is especially noticeable for highly immersive and graphic-rich games. A high speed will also minimize the lags and glitches in the game. You can use a professional tool to test hard drive speed and compare them.
3. Interface Type: The drives have USB 3.0, 3.2 Gen 2, and Type-C interfaces. Since PS4 or PS4 Pro only supports USB 3.0, you will need to use an adopter for drives with a faster interface. Every USB type is different, such as USB 2.0 vs. 3.0.
4. Portable or Desktop: Depending on your game library size, the best-suited external hard drive can be desktop based or portable. The Maximum storage space for a desktop-based external hard drive for PS4 is at least 8TB, while for portable, it is at most 5TB.
Top 8 Best External Hard Drive for PS4
Although the internet is full of external hard drive options for PS4, most are not that great. To help you choose the best external hard drive for PS4, we have rounded them down to the top 8 after rigorous testing.
- Seagate Game Drive for PS4
- Toshiba Canvio Basics
- Western Digital 4TB My Passport Portable
- WD Black P10 Game Drive
- Samsung Portable SSD T5
- Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD
- Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive
- SanDisk Extreme Portable
And you can also choose the suitable one to upgrade PS4 hard drive. Below is the short overview, specifications, Pro and cons of these PS4 external hard drives:
1. Seagate Game Drive for PS4
The only officially licensed external hard drive by Sony the Play Station 4 makers is a great choice. Since it is specifically built for PS4, you won't face any compatibility issues. This hard drive is also available in different PS4 game themes like The Last of US Part II. Its design is similar to the PS4 design, making it a nice addition to your gaming setup.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: HDD
- Capacity: 2TB
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Spindle Speed: 5400RPM
- Dimensions (LWH): 76mm x 114mm x 12mm
- Weight: 149g
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Purchase Link: https://www.seagate.com/in/en/products/gaming-drives/playstation-gaming/game-drive-playstation/
2. Toshiba Canvio Basics
Available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB variants, Toshiba Canvio Basics is the best affordable external hard drive for PS4. With a decent speed, it is a great option if you are short on money. However, its low prices don't mean there is any compromise on quality. This hard drive has a simple setup process, and its slick matte black design compliments the PS4 nicely.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: HDD
- Capacity: 1TB to 4TB
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Spindle Speed: 5400RPM
- Dimensions (LWH): 109.0mm x 78.0mm x 14.0mm (1TB, 2TB), 109.0mm x 78.0mm x 19.5mm (4TB)
- Weight: 149g (1TB, 2TB), 218g (4TB)
| Pros | Cons |
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Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HDTB420XK3AA-Canvio-Portable-External/dp/B079D3D8NR?ref_=ast_sto_dp
3. Western Digital 4TB My Passport Portable
Probably the best-looking external hard drive in the lot, at least among non-official drives, WD's My Passport Portable is an excellent choice. It is available in different color schemes, enabling you to select your desired color. This drive has decent transfer speed though it does fall on the heavier side of external drives. Available in up to 5TB capacity, the most recommended variant is the 4TB variant.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: HDD
- Capacity: 1TB to 5TB
- Interface: USB 3.1 Gen1/3.0/2.0
- Spindle Speed: 5400RPM
- Dimensions (LWH): 107.2mm x 75mm x 19.15mm (4TB, 5TB),107.2mm x 75mm x 11.15mm (1TB, 2TB)
- Weight: 210g (4TB, 5TB), 120g (1TB, 2TB)
| Pros | Cons |
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Purchase Link: https://www.westerndigital.com/products/outlet/portable-drives/wd-my-passport-gaming-storage-usb-3-0-hdd#WDBZGE0040BBK-NESN
4. WD Black P10 Game Drive
WD Black P10 Game Drive is another great budget external hard drive available for PS4 users. This high-performance hard drive is available in up to 5TB capacity to resolve storage issues. If you want more storage, its desktop drives version offers a staggering capacity of up to 12TB. It is among the fastest HDDs, with an average read and write speed of over 130MB/sec.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: HDD
- Capacity: 2TB, 4TB, 5TB
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 1
- Spindle Speed: 5400RPM
- Dimensions (LWH): 118mm x 88mm x 20.8mm (4TB, 5TB), 118mm x 88mm x 12.8mm (2TB)
- Weight: 230g (4TB, 5TB), 140g (2TB)
| Pros | Cons |
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Several users have reported that this drive gets overheated even during normal use. |
Purchase Link: https://www.westerndigital.com/products/portable-drives/wd-black-p10-game-drive-usb-3-2-hdd#WDBA2W0020BBK-WESN
5. Samsung Portable SSD T5
With an interface of USB 3.2 Gen 2, the Samsung Portable SSD T5 is the best external drive to choose if you ever intend to move to PS5. With a staggering 554MB per second read speed and 519MB per second write speed, it is also the best SSD choice for PS4. You are unlikely to find a better solution at this price if you hate long game loading times.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: SSD
- Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2
- Spindle Speed: N/A
- Dimensions (LWH): 74mm x 57.3mm x 10.5mm
- Weight: 51g
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Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-T5-Portable-SSD-MU-PA1T0B/dp/B073H4GPLQ?th=1
6. Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD
It is the fastest external storage drive on the list and can be considered an overkill for PS4. However, if you consider moving to the PS5 soon, this external storage drive is the best investment. Its latest USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface can hypothetically achieve 20GB per second transfer speed. However, its high price can put it out of reach for most users.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: SSD
- Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
- Spindle Speed: N/A
- Dimensions (LWH): 10.0mm × 52.5mm × 104.4mm
- Weight: 100g
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Purchase Link: https://www.seagate.com/in/en/products/gaming-drives/pc-gaming/firecuda-gaming-ssd/
7. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive
The Seagate Backup Plus desktop drive is the best choice among all the desktop drives. With an available capacity of up to 8TB, it is a perfect choice if you own a huge library of games. It is also a high-performing drive that is as fast as an external HDD can get. This drive supports USB-C cable, making it easier to connect to your computer.
Specifications
- Type: Desktop
- Storage Type: HDD
- Capacity: 2TB. 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Spindle Speed: 5400RPM
- Dimensions (LWH): 179.4mm x 118.1mm x 41.50mm
- Weight: 860g
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Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Backup-Desktop-External-STDT4000100/dp/B00HFRWXQ0
8. SanDisk Extreme Portable
A great and robust external storage drive for PS4, SanDisk Extreme Portable is among the fastest SSDs available for PS4. With a minimum read speed of 442MB per second and a write speed of 497 per second, it is an excellent choice. There are also even faster variants, but they are likely too much for PS4. It also comes with a 5-year warranty from its makers.
Specifications
- Type: Portable
- Storage Type: SSD
- Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Spindle Speed: N/A
- Dimensions (LWH): 8.95mm x 52.42mm x 100.54mm
- Weight: 63g
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Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-2TB-Extreme-Portable-SDSSDE61-2T00-G25/dp/B08HN37XC1
Conclusion
After going through the top 8 external hard drives for PS4, it can be concluded that all have their plus and negative points. While the HHDs will provide you with more storage space at a low cost per gigabyte, the SSDs mean faster gameplay and sturdier drives. Depending upon your budget and requirements, any of the above-mentioned hard drives can be the best external hard drive for PS4.
After you choose the best external hard drive for PS4, you should also select the suitable PS4 external hard drive format and then, make it compatible with PS4.
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