When you think of a quality gaming console, Sony’s PlayStation comes to mind automatically. Seasoned gamers and hardcore gaming aficionados swear by their PS4 panels or platforms, including the state-of-the-art PS5. However, players eventually discover that the built-in storage capacity of their PS4, PS5 insufficient for archiving your favorite games, necessitating them to go for the external hard drive.
So which is the best external hard drive for PS4, PS5? To put it more precisely, which external hard drive brand should you choose based on your budget and gaming preferences? Selecting the best external hard drive for your PS4, PS5 has become more comfortable now with Sony’s software update for PS5.
You’ll find it convenient to download videogames from PS Store to your external HDD, thanks to Sony’s introduction of external hard drive support. In this article, we’ve reviewed the five best external HDDs for PS4, PS5 completed with a buying guide for your convenience.
Read more: Best Internal Hard Drive For PS4, PS5
Table of Contents
External HDD for PS4, PS5: Why would you need one in the first place?
Sony’s PS4, PS4 Pro and PS5 consoles are your best bets for an unprecedented and unique gaming experience. However, both PS5 and PS4 have one glaring downside that could come in the way of your useful gameplay-inadequate internal storage. The inbuilt storage of your PS4, PS5 may fall short when it comes to backing up your videogames, multimedia, and apps.
It’d be more practical to buy an external hard drive for your PS4, PS5 than wasting quality time clearing up space in the built-in storage. You get to reap numerous benefits when you purchase an external HDD for your PS4, PS5 such as:
- External HDDs offer you store up to 8TB
- Boosts up the capacity of your game console
- Easy to connect and simple to use
- You can retain your existing data files
- Facilitates secure transfer of games and add-ons from PS4, PS5’s internal storage to your external HDD
How to Choose the Best External Hard Drive for PS4, PS5 in 2021
Compatibleness
Regardless of whether you buy a Western Digital or Seagate hard drive, you’ve to ensure if it is companionable with PS4, PS5. PS4, PS5’s operating system has a USB3.0 interface that is compatible with the USB interface of the best external hard drives for PS4, PS5. When you’re connecting the external HDD to your gaming desktop for the first time, make sure you reformat the latter.
After you’ve reformatted your Windows or Mac PC, you can rest assured that the hard drive will coordinate perfectly with PS4, PS5.
Brand
It does not need to be emphasized that you should buy a branded external HDD to stay on the safe side. Always choose an external hard disk drive from a reputed manufacturer like Seagate, Western Digital, Toshiba, and Samsung if you want to make the most of your PS4, PS5.
Year Manufactured
Make sure you check the ‘year of manufacture’ printed on the backside of the external HDD. The more recent the manufacturing year, the more effective it will be the hard drive, thanks to its better optimization.
The Drive Type
The preassembled HDD of your PS4, PS5 does not have adequate space for storing all your games, multimedia, music, and movie files. On the one hand, limited storage means you may run out of scope for archiving new videogames on your PS4, PS5. On the other hand, it might take a long time for games to load, making you feel frustrated.
Hence you need to use a conventional external HDD that offers up to 8TB of storage, which is more than enough for archiving all downloaded data.
Storage
The built-in storage of your PS4, PS5 will serve you well initially, especially if you’re new to gaming. But with time as you gain experience, you’ll be downloading high-level games that call for more storage space. Some contemporary games require about 80GB of storage, necessitating you to purchase an external HDD with a massive room.
Keep in mind that your PS4, PS5 will be compatible only with external HDDs that have storage ranging from 250GB to 8TB. As a rule of thumb, you should choose an external HDD that offers more storage than you may require.
Port Connection Companionability
Bear in mind that only those external hard drives with a USB3.0 or 3.1 interfaces will be compatible with your PS4, PS5.
RPM Rating
Checking the hard drive’s RPM rating is another aspect or attribute that should take into account. Go for a hard drive that has a rating of nothing less than 5400 RPM. Choosing a hard drive with a high rating guarantees an excellent spinning speed ensuring a faster game download or backup.
Portability
A portable external HDD always tends to be handier in comparison to an immotile hard drive. A handy external HDD is not only more convenient to carry around, but the USB cord helps charge your console and syncs files.
Top 5 Best External Hard Drives for PS4, PS5 in 2021 Reviews
Product | Best Feature | Best for What |
---|---|---|
1. HGST Touro 1TB HDD | - Up to 3GB free cloud storage - 7200RPM: the highest RPM rating amongst all popular external HDDs - Available in 1TB and 500GB storage capacity and a range of color | - Highest RPM rating amongst all reviewed external HDDs - Best External HDD for PS4 with Fastest Speed |
2. Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB Desktop HDD | - USB3.0 Interface - Maximum speed 160MBps - 5900 RPM | Most Heavy-Duty Desktop HDD |
3. WD 4TB My Passport External HDD | - Option to choose from seven distinct colors - Available in capacities of 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 4TB - USB3.0 interface | Best of the best HDD for PS4 |
4. WD 8TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive | - Stores up to whopping 8TB data - Compatible with USB2.0 and USB3.0 devices - Companionable with both Mac and Windows-based computers | Most capacious external HDD |
5. Seagate2TB Game Drive | - Does not require external power - Supremely portable - Designed exclusively for working with PS4 - 2TB and 4TB models available | Most Affordable External HDD |
1. HGST Touro S 1TB 7200 RPM, Platinum
The HGST Touro S 1TB external HDD is a very portable and trendy hard drive that comes encased in the aluminum sheathing. You can choose a 1TB or 500GB capacity HDD based on your needs and can select from silver, platinum, gold, ruby, and gray colors. Unlike the majority of traditional external HDDs that have an RPM ranging between 5200-5400 RPM, the HGST Touro boasts of a 7200RPM rating.
For you, this exceptionally high RPM rating implies that the Touro S will let you download, save, and transfer content at high speeds. The HGST Touro, which resembles an Apple ware, will heighten the décor of your surroundings.
Pros
- Two-tiered protection: preinstalled local backup software and 3GB cloud backup free of charge
- Fastest external HDD for PS4, PS5: 7200RPM speed downloads, transfers, and archives data 23% quicker compared to 5400RPM drives
- You can choose from 1TB or 500GB capacities
- You can access your content anytime, and from anywhere you like, thanks to cloud backup
- Perfectly compatible with Apple products
Cons
- 1TB or 500GB storage may not suffice if you’re an ardent gamer
- Some software features and free cloud backup may not be companionable with your game console
2. Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB HDD
If you want a heavy-duty HDD for immersing yourself in extended gaming sessions, then look no further than the Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB. Capable of storing near-unlimited multimedia, videogame, movie, and music files, this Seagate Desktop Drive is ideal for your home or office. To start using this 6TB HDD from Seagate, you simply need to hook it up with your Windows or Mac desktop for automatic compatibility.
Once you install the hard drive, transferring, sharing, and backing up content is insanely easy-you simply drag and drop. If you’re planning to stream straightaway from your PS4, PS5 console or wish to create a massive collection of videogames, this 6TB Seagate external HDD is your best bet. Media professionals will warm up to this desktop HDD as it comes with a two-month subscription for Adobe Creative Cloud Photography scheme.
Pros
- 6TB of storage allows you to store unlimited data
- Compatible for use with Windows PCs and desktops (you’ll need to reformat your Mac PC for companionability)
- Easy setup: Simply connect the hard drive to your PC for automatic attunement
- Comes with 18W power adaptor and 18-inch USB3.0 jack cable
- The manufacturer offers a 1-year warranty
- USB3.0 compatible
- 5900 RPM rating ensures maximum drive speed of up to 160MBps
Cons
- Somewhat dense and bulky, so not quite portable
- Needs external power for functioning
- Data downloading and transfer speed is slightly slow
3. WD 4TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive
The WD4TB My Passport is the best external HDD for your PS4, PS5 console and a good number of reasons. For a start, the Western Digital hard disc drive offers a whopping four terabytes of storage. So, you’ll be able to download and store all the videogames you need and still have surplus space.
The 4TB My Passport External HDD comes preassembled with Western Digital proprietary backup software that you can program to run automatically as per your convenience. The My Passport’s inbuilt 256-bit AES encrypted hardware safeguards your password, thereby ensuring that all your digital content remains protected. The ergonomic design of WD4TB My Passport makes the HDD extraordinarily compact and lightweight, enabling you to install and carry it with ease.
This external HDD is USB3.0 compatible as well as backward compatible with USB2.0 and calls for a smooth reformatting when installing for the first time.
Pros
- Available in a wide range of sizes and different colors
- Capable of backing up files to DropBox
- Automatic scheduling of downloading and creating backups of all your files
- 256-bit AES hardware encryption furnishes steady password protection
- Compact and stylish design: Easy to install, store, and carry, and aesthetically appealing
- Can do without external power supply
- PC user alternatives
- Both USB3.0 and USB2.0 compatible
Cons
- Does not offer the same speed as an SSD or SSHD
- The WD4TB needs to be positioned horizontally for optimal operation
- Meant exclusively for use as an external drive as it doesn’t have a SATA port
4. WD 8TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive
The WD Elements Desktop HDD comes equipped with 8TB storage, ensuring that you’ll be able to archive all your videogames, and much more. Even after storing every music, video, or photo file you’ve created, you’ll still have adequate space to archive additional data. Not only does this 8TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive store an incredible amount of data, but it does it quickly, thanks to its excellent RPM rating.
The WD 8TB Elements Desktop Hard Drive is fully compatible with both USB3.0 and USB2.0 devices. At the same time, this WD external HDD is companionable with both Windows and Mac desktops and PCs.
Pros
- Across-the-board connectivity with USB3.0 devices
- Backward compatible with USB2.0 devices
- High-speed data transfer and sharing
- Digital storage capacity: 8TB
- Compatible with both Android and Mac PCs
- High capability add-on storage
Cons
- Not quite durable and hardy
5. Seagate 2TB Game Drive for PS4 Systems
Seagate’s 2TB Game Drive is one of the select few external HDDs officially certified by Sony for use with PS4. So, you can bank on this external hard drive from Seagate with your eyes closed. 2TB of storage ensures that you’ll be able to download and archive more than 50 modern high-tech videogames.
This Seagate 2TB Game Drive has been innovatively designed, keeping in mind the needs of gamers who travel a lot. The external hard disk drive is housed in an aluminum chassis, which keeps the device fully protected while you go. Connecting this hard drive with your PS4 is a breeze as it was created, keeping PS4 Firmware 4.5 in mind.
This 2TB hard drive by Seagate has the same blue and black color of PS4, which accentuates the latter’s aesthetics.
Pros
- The certified product perfectly compatible for use with PS4 (PS4 companionable hard drive firmware) for trouble-free operation
- 2TB of storage more than adequate for archiving more than 50 modern-day videogames
- The stylish black and blue profile matches that of your game console
- Compact form factor means the device requires minimal placement space
- Does not require an external power supply
- Easy installation and plug & play USB3.0 interface
Cons
- Not a very hardy and robust hard disk drive; you’ll need to handle it very carefully
Conclusion
For this review on the ‘best external hard drives for PS4, PS5’, we selected two products, each from Seagate and Western Digital, and one from Touro. Our reviews point out that every product starting from Seagate’s 6TB Desktop HDD to Western Digital’s 4TB My Passport HDD works with PS4, PS5. So, if you’re looking for an external hard drive to store all your videogames and multimedia files, you can buy WD’s 8TB Desktop Elements Hard Drive.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a pocket-friendly HDD that can meet your working needs, then go for Seagate’s 2TB Game Drive.
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