The cheapest way to expand PS5 storage per gigabyte in April 2026 is the Samsung 990 Pro 1TB NVMe SSD (Geek Squad Certified Refurbished) at $69.99, which works out to $0.07/GB. This Gen4 drive meets Sony’s read‑speed requirement but lacks a pre‑installed heatsink, so PS5 owners must add their own. No other PS5‑compatible NVMe drive in our live database currently undercuts this per‑gigabyte price.
PS5 Storage Expansion Requirements in 2026
Sony’s internal M.2 slot expansion lets you add up to 8TB of extra storage for PS5 games, but the console enforces strict technical rules. You need an M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 SSD with a sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. Host Memory Buffer (HMB) is not supported, which rules out many budget DRAM‑less designs. The drive must also include a heatsink—either pre‑installed from the factory or a third‑party unit that fits within the 11.25 mm height clearance. As of April 29, 2026, our live tracker shows the cheapest SSD on a pure $/GB basis is a refurbished Samsung 990 Pro 1TB →, but it arrives without a heatsink, so you’ll need to add one to make it PS5‑ready.
The Cheapest Drive Per Gigabyte: Samsung 990 Pro 1TB (Refurb)
Among all SSD listings we track right now, the lowest cost per gigabyte belongs to the Samsung 990 Pro 1TB (Geek Squad Certified Refurbished). Priced at $69.99 at Best Buy, that’s $0.0700/GB (69.99 ÷ 1000). The 990 Pro is a PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive rated for up to 7,450 MB/s reads, easily clearing Sony’s floor. By contrast, the next‑cheapest SSDs in our database cost noticeably more per GB:
- Crucial X9 4TB portable SSD: $376.13 → $0.0940/GB
- Crucial BX500 4TB SATA SSD: $379.99 → $0.0950/GB
- SanDisk 8TB Desk Drive external SSD: $739.99 → $0.0925/GB
Top Picks by $/GB
View all →| # | Product | Capacity | $/GB | Price | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seagate Exos 28TB Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5 in CMR SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 512MB Cache, 2.5M MTBF - ST28000NM000C (Renewed) | 28 TB | $0.020/GB | $549.00 | Amazon |
| 2 | Ediloca 4TB SSD Internal Solid State Drive 2.5" SATA III 6Gb/s, 550MB/s Read Speed 3D QLC NAND, 4TB SATA SSD PC/Laptop Upgrade, Shock-Resistant & Drop-Proof(ES106) | 4 TB | $0.090/GB | $359.99 | Amazon |
| 3 | SP Silicon Power 4TB SSD 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5'' 7mm (0.28'') Internal Solid State Drive (SP004TBSS3A55S25) | 4 TB | $0.095/GB | $379.97 | Amazon |
| 4 | Ediloca EP1000 External Hard Drive 2TB,Portable Ssd,External Solid State Drives Up to 1000MB/s Read, Storage Expansion, Compatible w/USB-C Smartphones, PC, Mac, Tablets, Sleek & Sturdy Design | 2 TB | $0.095/GB | $189.99 | Amazon |
| 5 | KingSpec MemoStone 512GB External SSD, USB 3.2 Gen2 Dual Type A/C Interface - Up to 540MB/s, Portable Solid State Drive Perfectly Compatible with Smartphones/Laptops/Tablets/Desktops | 512 GB | $0.100/GB | $50.99 | Amazon |
Seagate Exos 28TB Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5 in CMR SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 512MB Cache, 2.5M MTBF - ST28000NM000C (Renewed)
28 TB · Amazon
$0.020/GB
$549.00
Ediloca 4TB SSD Internal Solid State Drive 2.5" SATA III 6Gb/s, 550MB/s Read Speed 3D QLC NAND, 4TB SATA SSD PC/Laptop Upgrade, Shock-Resistant & Drop-Proof(ES106)
4 TB · Amazon
$0.090/GB
$359.99
SP Silicon Power 4TB SSD 3D NAND A55 SLC Cache Performance Boost SATA III 2.5'' 7mm (0.28'') Internal Solid State Drive (SP004TBSS3A55S25)
4 TB · Amazon
$0.095/GB
$379.97
Ediloca EP1000 External Hard Drive 2TB,Portable Ssd,External Solid State Drives Up to 1000MB/s Read, Storage Expansion, Compatible w/USB-C Smartphones, PC, Mac, Tablets, Sleek & Sturdy Design
2 TB · Amazon
$0.095/GB
$189.99
KingSpec MemoStone 512GB External SSD, USB 3.2 Gen2 Dual Type A/C Interface - Up to 540MB/s, Portable Solid State Drive Perfectly Compatible with Smartphones/Laptops/Tablets/Desktops
512 GB · Amazon
$0.100/GB
$50.99
The gap is stark: moving from the Samsung 990 Pro to those 4 TB alternatives raises your $/GB by roughly 34–36%. Because the 990 Pro is an internal NVMe drive, you can install it directly in the PS5—once you add a heatsink.
How 1TB Compares to 2TB: The Contrarian Data
Conventional wisdom says 2TB NVMe drives offer better per‑gigabyte value than 1TB models. Our live market data, however, flips that script. The Ediloca EP1000 2TB external SSD, the only 2TB SSD in our tracker, is listed at $189.99, which works out to $0.0950/GB (189.99 ÷ 2000). That’s 35.7% more expensive per gigabyte than the Samsung 990 Pro 1TB: ($0.0950 − $0.0700) ÷ $0.0700 = 0.3571. No internal 2TB NVMe drive we are currently tracking gets under $0.07/GB. So if your goal is to maximize game storage for the least dollars, the 1TB 990 Pro is the clear winner on $/GB right now.
A 2TB drive at the same $0.07/GB floor would need to be priced at $140 or less—and we have yet to see a PS5‑compatible NVMe drive hit that mark in our live feed.
Adding a Heatsink: Cost and Compatibility
The one friction point is the heatsink. Sony requires an active cooling solution on the M.2 drive, and the Samsung 990 Pro refurb does not include one. Aftermarket NVMe heatsinks are readily available and are a simple bolt‑on; they typically add only a few dollars to your build. Without a heatsink installed, the drive will thermal‑throttle and may not pass the PS5’s speed check. If you prefer a ready‑to‑go option, common PS5‑ready drives like the Western Digital SN850 or Kingston NV3 ship with a pre‑installed heatsink, but their live pricing data is not currently in our database. For the DIY‑minded buyer, pairing the 990 Pro with a low‑profile heatsink keeps your total cost well below any 2TB alternative we can verify today.
Where to Find the Best PS5 SSD Deal Right Now
The Samsung 990 Pro 1TB (refurbished) at Best Buy is the cheapest PS5‑compatible SSD per GB we can confirm as of April 29, 2026. The unit is a Geek Squad Certified Refurbished model that carries Best Buy’s refurbished warranty. Because our tracker only lists the lowest in‑stock prices, this $69.99 offer is a floor, not an average across all retailers. Shoppers who need a 2TB drive might wait for a price drop, but based on current data, the 1TB drive’s $0.07/GB floor remains unrivaled among SSDs we monitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest PS5 SSD overall in April 2026?
Based on our live database, the cheapest SSD per gigabyte is the Samsung 990 Pro 1TB (Geek Squad refurbished) at $69.99—that’s $0.0700/GB. However, it does not include a heatsink, so you must add one for PS5 use. No other NVMe drive we track undercuts that unit price.
Can I use a portable external USB drive to expand PS5 storage?
Yes, but only for PS4 games or cold storage of PS5 titles. The PS5 cannot play PS5 games directly from an external USB drive; you must move them back to the internal SSD or M.2 slot first. For active PS5 game storage, an internal NVMe upgrade is the only direct expansion path.
Do all NVMe SSDs work with the PS5, or are there special requirements?
No. Sony mandates a Gen4 x4 NVMe SSD with a minimum 5,500 MB/s sequential read speed, an in‑drive heatsink (or add‑on one that fits), and no reliance on Host Memory Buffer (HMB). Many DRAM‑less budget NVMe drives use HMB and are incompatible.
How much SSD space will GTA 6 take up on PS5?
Rockstar has not released an official size, but early downloads and pre‑load estimates suggest GTA 6 will exceed 100 GB. When a single title can consume more than an eighth of a 825 GB internal drive, the per‑gigabyte cost of expansion becomes critical.
Should I buy a 1TB or 2TB SSD for PS5 to get the best value?
Our current tracking shows the 1TB Samsung 990 Pro refurb at $0.07/GB undercuts every 2TB SSD we monitor. The cheapest 2TB external SSD we list is $189.99 ($0.0950/GB), which is 35.7% more expensive per gigabyte. Unless you absolutely need the extra capacity and cannot add a heatsink, the 1TB gets you more bytes per dollar today.