Top-tier External Hard Drives for PS4 in 2025: Our Assessed Picks for HDD and SSD Storage Upgrades
In the ever-evolving world of gaming, expanding storage capacity is a common concern for many players. Here's a rundown of the top external hard drives for PS4, catering to budget-conscious gamers, based on factors such as capacity, speed, durability, and price.
For those seeking an affordable and reliable storage solution, the Toshiba Canvio Flex and Toshiba Canvio Gaming Portable hard drives stand out as excellent budget options. Both offer multiple storage capacities (1TB, 2TB, 4TB) and good compatibility with both PS4 and PS5 consoles. The Toshiba Canvio Flex provides approximately 80MBps transfer speed, suitable for gaming storage on a budget, while the 4TB Canvio Gaming model allows storing up to about 100 games and keeps costs low.
If you're looking for a more speedy option within a budget, the Buffalo External SSD offers faster transfer rates due to SSD technology and rugged design, but it will generally cost more than traditional hard drives. Another SSD to consider for cost and speed balance is the Crucial X6, which offers much faster transfers and reduced load times than traditional hard drives, although it might require a USB-C cable adapter for PS4.
Here's a summary of the top picks:
| Drive Model | Type | Capacity Options | Approx. Speed | Key Benefits | Budget Fit | |--------------------------------|-----------|----------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------| | Toshiba Canvio Flex | HDD | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | ~80MBps transfer | Affordable, compatible, portable | Best basic budget HDD | | Toshiba Canvio Gaming Portable | HDD | 4TB | Decent for HDD | Large capacity, PS4/PS5 compatible | Budget-friendly large capacity | | Buffalo External SSD | SSD | 2TB | Faster SSD speeds | Compact, shock-resistant | Budget SSD but pricier | | Crucial X6 | SSD | 1TB | Very fast SSD speeds | Good speed/cost ratio | Lower capacity budget SSD |
For purely budget-conscious PS4 gamers, the Toshiba Canvio Flex or Canvio Gaming 4TB HDD options provide the best combination of affordability, capacity, and performance for game storage expansion. If slightly faster load times and transfers are a priority and you can spend a bit more, the Buffalo 2TB SSD or Crucial X6 SSD are worthy options.
Do note that PS4 supports external hard drives via USB 3.0 and SSDs but will not see the full speed benefit of external SSDs due to USB interface and console limitations, so the cost-benefit of SSDs vs HDDs must be considered carefully for the PS4 platform.
This month, the list of the best PS4 external hard drives has not significantly changed. However, keep an eye out for future updates as new products hit the market. Happy gaming!
- Budget-conscious gamers seeking large capacity storage for their PS4 and PS5 consoles can consider the Toshiba Canvio Gaming Portable, offering up to 4TB storage.
- The Toshiba Canvio Flex, another budget-friendly option, provides approximately 80MBps transfer speed and multiple capacity options, suitable for storing numerous games.
- For those seeking a balance between affordability and speed, the Crucial X6 SSD is a worthwhile consideration, offering faster transfers and reduced load times than traditional hard drives.
- The Buffalo External SSD, known for its fast transfer rates and rugged design, offers a budget-friendly SSD option but is generally more expensive than traditional hard drives.
- In the ever-evolving gaming world, expanding storage capacity for Xbox Series X, Switch, and Xbox consoles is also a concern, and this rundown is Ger pinpointing viable solutions for PS4 users.
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