SSD size for PS4 Pro

[vong]

Just go myself a PS4 Pro and am looking at upgrading storage to an SSD. I'm thinking of getting something small like a 250gb evo since I won't be installing any games and it will only be used for game saves and whatnot.

[Crunchy Dragon]

That should work, although I would get a Crucial MX500 over the 850 Evo, personally.

[vong]

6 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

That should work, although I would get a Crucial MX500 over the 850 Evo, personally.

Alrighty, I'll grab one of those then since they're about $10 cheaper.

[chckovsky]

33 minutes ago, vong said:

250gb evo since I won't be installing any games

Is that possible? I thought PS 4 discs basically were like a physical form of DRM? Many PS4 games I have need 40+GB "updates" downloads upon first install.

[vong]

46 minutes ago, chckovsky said:

Is that possible? I thought PS 4 discs basically were like a physical form of DRM? Many PS4 games I have need 40+GB "updates" downloads upon first install.

No idea, I'm not really up to date with any of the console stuff, that's why I asked about storage size. I just assume the discs hold all the content and saves data to the console like previous consoles. I'd grab a 120gb ssd but apparently you can't go smaller than 160gb according to some reddit posts.

[SteveGrabowski0]

5 hours ago, vong said:

No idea, I'm not really up to date with any of the console stuff, that's why I asked about storage size. I just assume the discs hold all the content and saves data to the console like previous consoles. I'd grab a 120gb ssd but apparently you can't go smaller than 160gb according to some reddit posts.

All PS4 games have to be installed to the hard drive. You can't play them off the disc like you could on PS3.

[vong]

3 hours ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

All PS4 games have to be installed to the hard drive. You can't play them off the disc like you could on PS3.

Seriously? That's BS. Does the disc still need to be in the console to play?

[PineyCreek]

39 minutes ago, vong said:

Seriously? That's BS. Does the disc still need to be in the console to play?

Yes.  If you buy the game with the disc, it still installs to the console but the game is locked in that it requires the disc inserted to play.  Capacity still matters.  250G will run out really quick between the OS and a few games.  If you buy the game digitally, the same install occurs, but you can still login as a guest on another PS4, download the game from your account and play on that PS4 as a guest with your digital copy, no disc required.  Or just bring your disc to your friend's place if you chose that option.

 

I bought the PS4 Pro with the 1 TB option.  It holds quite a few games.  I wouldn't even bother replacing the drive with anything less than a 500G drive.

[Stefan Payne]

12 hours ago, vong said:

Just go myself a PS4 Pro and am looking at upgrading storage to an SSD. I'm thinking of getting something small like a 250gb evo since I won't be installing any games and it will only be used for game saves and whatnot.

1. Not really worth it for most games as you won't see a big difference.

2. I'd recommend an external USB 3.0 Case and put the SSD in there or an external SSD 

3. You loose like 50-100GiB because of the OS and you need also space for the Game to install it. That leaves, in a worst case scenario, two really big games (like Call of Duty 3 or Final Fantasy XV)

 

So you need at least a 500GiB HDD for internal usage, though 1TB is recommended and if possible 2.

 

But my Recommendation for PS4 is still an external SSD and let HDD be inside the PS4!

I upgraded my PS4 from its Internal 1TB Drive to a 500GIB Samsung 850 EVO back to the 1TB HDD and now I use a 2TB Seagate inside...

 

5 hours ago, SteveGrabowski0 said:

All PS4 games have to be installed to the hard drive. You can't play them off the disc like you could on PS3.

That is outdated.

It was true 5 Years ago, its not True now. There was a Firmwareupdate that allowed external Storage for Games. I think it was rather late and in either 2015 or 2016.

[porina]

I swapped the internal drive of my PS4 for a SSD. The PS4 came with a 5400rpm 1TB HD, and going to a 480GB Sandisk Ultra II I think it was, made a big difference for FFXV load times. Having said that, I'm not a big PS4 user, and even now I feel 480GB is a bit tight. Even if games can run off optical disk, when there are patches or updates, DLC, whatever, they all have to go on storage, and the GBs starts to add up.

[Stefan Payne]

1 minute ago, porina said:

I swapped the internal drive of my PS4 for a SSD. The PS4 came with a 5400rpm 1TB HD, and going to a 480GB Sandisk Ultra II I think it was, made a big difference for FFXV load times.

Yes, that is one of the games where it could make sense (and the Reason I'd recommend the External drive) because in Most Games, it doesn't make that much of a difference at all...

 

1 minute ago, porina said:

Having said that, I'm not a big PS4 user, and even now I feel 480GB is a bit tight. Even if games can run of optical disk, when there are patches or updates, DLC, whatever, they all have to go on storage, and the GBs starts to add up.

Games don't really run off the Optical disc.

At least the 5 games I have on Disc install everything onto the Harddrive and run off there.

[vong]

20 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

1. Not really worth it for most games as you won't see a big difference.

2. I'd recommend an external USB 3.0 Case and put the SSD in there or an external SSD 

3. You loose like 50-100GiB because of the OS and you need also space for the Game to install it. That leaves, in a worst case scenario, two really big games (like Call of Duty 3 or Final Fantasy XV)

 

So you need at least a 500GiB HDD for internal usage, though 1TB is recommended and if possible 2.

 

But my Recommendation for PS4 is still an external SSD and let HDD be inside the PS4!

I upgraded my PS4 from its Internal 1TB Drive to a 500GIB Samsung 850 EVO back to the 1TB HDD and now I use a 2TB Seagate inside...

I will only be playing one game at a time so that's why I chose the smaller storage.

[Stefan Payne]

1 hour ago, vong said:

I will only be playing one game at a time so that's why I chose the smaller storage.

You may be saying that right now but things change and you might change your way to use the PS4.

 

And an external USB3.0 Case cost around 10€ or so. Or you can get an external SSD.

There are even m.2 (S-ATA) to USB Adapters on the Market, for example:https://geizhals.de/raidsonic-icy-box-ib-183m2-60083-a1655110.html?hloc=de

Or something like this:

https://geizhals.de/silverstone-ms09-dunkelgrau-sst-ms09c-a1710028.html?hloc=de

 

Still, I'd recommend getting either an External SSD, a normal 2,5" SSD with external Case or an m.2 SSD with external Case.

 

If you really only want 2 Games, a 128GiB should be sufficient. You can copy the Game you want over and back if you're done.

 

The Reason is because the internal HDD on the PS4 uses USB 3.0 anyway, so it doesn't matter if you have a USB to S-ATA Converter inside the Console or external. Performance is about the same.

 

The Plus for the external thing is less hassle for you -> put it together, plug it in (for that the Back USB3.0 Port seems like the logical Choice), go to the Devices Menu (AFAIR); Choose use as Extende Storage and you're good.

 

 

With replacing the HDD you have to backup your stuff (if you want to), Download the new installation update wich is a bit hidden on the Page, put that on a USB Stick, plug that in. Look for a USB Micro Cable, plug that in.

Remove the Harddrive (PH-1 Philips Screw Driver needed).

 

Well, in the end it's your choice. I still recommend the external SSD (and that is what I'M going to do too)

[ono]

Depends on how patient you are at waiting for patch downloads when you want to reinstall a game. My experience is that is it very slow compared to say Steam or GOG. 

 

I'd suggest buying a USB enclosure for the existing 2.5" HDD. May as well use that storage as well. The benefit isn't huge in putting your SSD internal vs external, but it's not much effort to switch it out either. Put the existing HDD in the enclosure to archive games you're not currently playing. It'd be faster to move games between drives than wait for redownloads. Or just play off the USB drive if the loading in that game isn't terrible.

 

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-ps4-external-storage-tested_0