PS5 Architect's Preferred SSD Expansion Drive is from Western Digital

[banglabhai420]

It seems WD_BLACK SN850 is the Mark Cerny-approved SSD for PlayStation 5, as the console's Lead System Architect has noted it as his SSD expansion card of choice. Details about confirmed internal SSDs made the rounds last week, following news regarding PS5's next system software update beta, which allows testers to try out the console's M.2 SSD port.

The Seagate FireCuda 530 counted as the first announced PS5-ready SSD, with the data storage firm revealing prices for its various storage sizes. Since internal SSDs plugged into the system require a heatsink, Seagate specifically outlined what consumers could expect from models that offer built-in heatsinks. For 500GB of storage, for example, PS5 owners will need to put down $169, while the 1TB model boasts a $274.99 price tag. Such prices made Sony's overly complicated internal SSD solution that much more frustrating for some, especially considering the comparatively simple option available to owners of the Xbox Series X|S. But word from Mark Cerny could help PS5 users narrow down their options.

Shortly after the Seagate announcement, Western Digital revealed it, too, has an SSD expansion drive on the market that will be compatible with PS5 once the next major firmware update goes live. The WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD with Heatsink (500GB-2TB) serves as the drive in question and, interestingly, it's Mark Cerny-approved. PS5's Lead System Architect shared his preference of the Western Digital expansion drive in one of his rare Twitter posts, informing followers that though there are a "couple of awesome options for 7000MB/s," the WD_BLACK SN850 is what he decided to invest in.

This particular drive may prove the best bet for most, given the pricing options available compared to the competition. While the Western Digital 500GB drive (with heatsink) costs the same as Seagate's ($169), the former's 1TB expansion card boasts a $250 price tag compared to the $274.99 asking price of the latter. And PS5 owners can grab the compatible 2TB WD_BLACK SN850 for $550.

As of right now, however, PlayStation 5 users are still advised against plugging an internal SSD into their new console. While the beta phase just started, Sony has yet to confirm when exactly M.2 SSD support will be available across the board for all players.

[Silent Watcher]

Avoid unnecessary posts such as 'Thank you', 'Welcome', etc. Such posts will be deleted and user will be warned if it happens again. If caught spamming, the following actions are applicable -

• First time - Warning
• Second time - 5000 Points will be deducted
• Third time - Ban for 7 days
• Fourth time - Permanent Ban

If the post helped you, reward the user by reacting to the post like this -