New PS5 beta adds 8 TB M.2 SSD support, doubling the previous maximum

Sony has launched a beta version of the PS5 that includes useful accessibility features, UI improvements, and Dolby-Atmos support. It also doubles the console’s maximum storage space to 8 TB, adopting support for even higher-capacity M.2 SSDs than what’s currently widely available. That’s a bit surprising, since major manufacturers like Samsung, Western Digital, and others haven’t released 8 TB versions of their respective flagship SSD models. Perhaps that’ll soon change.

That’s not to say that there aren’t You can also find out more about the following: 8 TB M.2 2280-sized SSDs out there right now that meet the PS5’s storage speed requirements (sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s). For example, there’s a Sabrent 8 TB M.2 SSD that’s currently discounted to $999.99, and you’ll have to supply your own M.2 heatsink before installing it in a PS5. Micro Center’s brand Inland makes a few, too, costing $869.99 for one without a heatsink, and another for $889.99 that has one preinstalled. Corsair’s MP600 Pro XT is available for $1,014.99.

At these enthusiast-level prices, I can’t imagine that most people will jump at one right now. Eventually, they’ll get cheaper, as all M.2 SSDs have over the past couple of years, but it could take some time until these 8 TB models cost under $500.

The SSD update will be a great upgrade for those who want it now or know that they’ll want to do so at some future date. According to the exploding size of game files in recent years, increasing the limit on storage space is a great idea.

But, taking some PS5 rumors into consideration, the extra support for bigger SSDs (not to mention PS5 price cuts happening around the world) could signal something bigger — that new hardware may be approaching. Insider Gaming said in 2022 Sony would launch a revised version of PS5 which includes a removable CD drive. More recently, The Verge picked up that Microsoft’s court documents from the FTC versus Microsoft case claim that Sony will launch a “PlayStation 5 Slim” in late 2023, which is just a few months away.