Usually, we review PC peripherals. However, consoles are just as vital in the gaming world and the question of picking the best external hard drive for your PS4 is essential. When looking at PC vs. console gaming, it’s evident that you can upgrade all of the parts of a desktop computer.
Keep in mind that you can also get an awesome PS4 SSD but they are a bit more expensive.
However, when it comes to PlayStation 4, your hard drive is the only upgradeable part; so, let’s make the best of it.
Best PS4 External HDDs
The PlayStation 4 is one of the most popular consoles on the market, and with more games being released every year, the more tempting it is to purchase a new one. Unfortunately, newer PS4 titles are hitting the 50 GB mark, and if you only have a 500 GB hard drive, you’ll only be able to store around 10 games at a time.
Need some extra storage for PS4 games and DLC? Then it’s time to look for an external hard drive. 🎮 🖥️
In most countries, the PS4 came out in 2013, so chances are you’ve accumulated a lot more than 10 games since the release date. If this is the case, you’ll definitely require an external hard drive.
Best Choice: Seagate Expansion Portable External Hard Drive
Pros & Cons
- Quiet
- Thin design
- Great value for money
- Up to 4 TB capacity
- Short cable
Specifications:
- Capacity: 2 TB
- Connectivity: 2.0/3.0 USB
- Max Speed: 120 MBs
- Size: 4.8 x 0.6 x 3.2 inches
- Weight: 0.4 lbs
Seagate Expansion Portable External Hard Drive Review
Now onto our best choice external hard drive for PS4, the Seagate Expansion portable. Seagate is known for creating some top quality portable drives, all while keeping the cost low. For this reason, this won’t be the only Seagate you’ll see on our PlayStation 4 hard drive list.
Compared to the other PS4 suitable drives we have reviewed, this Seagate is a very stylish and sleek option. The body of it almost looks like crocodilian armor, so you know this is the toughest external hard drive out there.
Unfortunately, unlike a crocodile, the cable isn’t very long. Though, this shouldn’t be a problem if you want to rest the Seagate expansion on top of your PS4, rather than hide it away.
The 4TB version of this Seagate is much more expensive than the 4TB WD My Passport drive, yet the transfer speeds are much higher, allowing for shorter load times. It’s a tad bit heavier than the previous two mentioned drives, weighing in at 0.4 lbs, but in this instance, it just adds to the build quality.
Premium Pick: WD My Passport Portable Gaming Storage
Pros & Cons
- Easy PS4 set up
- Blue highlight compliments PS4 console
- Sturdy build
- No faster than PS4 game load times
Specifications:
- Capacity: 4 TB
- Connectivity: 2.0/3.0 USB
- Max Speed: 5,400 rpm
- Size: 4.3 x 0.8 x 4.3 inches
- Weight: 0.35 lbs
WD My Passport Portable Gaming Storage for PlayStation 4 Review
The Western Digital My Passport portable hard drive was made for use on the PlayStation 4. It’s small enough to take on-the-go, and it even looks like a mini PS4 console, so it won’t stick out like a sore thumb once it’s plugged in.
We chose a very high capacity version of the WD My Passport (4TB), making this a perfect external drive for heavy PS4 users. Not only that, the capacity is excellent for the price. At just under $80 you get a drive with 4TBs of storage and 5,400 rpm. Now, this doesn’t mean that load time will increase, but it won’t decrease either, meaning games will load up as normal.
The simple set up ensures anyone can grab one of these external hard drives, format it as an extended storage device, and start playing within minutes. Easy as pie!
Our best quality external hard drive for PS4 is sturdy despite its price point, while the blue edges and bottom, along with the 3.0 USB cable, compliment the PS4 very well. Western Digital claims that this drive can store over 100 games, DLC and patches, and with 4 terabytes of storage, we don’t doubt that one bit.
Best Value: Toshiba HDTB410XK3AA Canvio Basics External Hard Drive
Pros & Cons
- Sleek design
- Plug and play
- Up to 4 TB capacity
- Difficult Mac set up
Specifications:
- Capacity: 1 TB
- Connectivity: 2.0/3.0 USB
- Max Speed: 5.0 Gbps transfer rate
- Size: 4.3 x 3.1 x 0.6 inches
- Weight: 0.33 lbs
Toshiba HDTB410XK3AA Canvio Basics External Hard Drive Review
The 1TB Toshiba Canvio Basics is a handy little hard drive for casual PS4 gamers. The Toshiba Canvio range, although not as fast as some other hard drives, is extremely affordable, fitting into almost every budget.
Despite the fact that this Canvio Basics HDD is a basic hard drive – as suggested by the title – for those of you on a tight budget, it does the job of safely storing PlayStation 4 games and DLC. It not only stores games well, but the build quality is solid, and as it’s pocket-sized, you can take it almost anywhere and game with ease.
You can pick up our budget option for just under $50, and if you’re more of a hardcore gamer and find that a 1TB capacity just isn’t enough, you can upgrade to 2TBs for an extra $10 (on sale), or 4TBs for an extra $50 (on sale).
When it comes to cons, the downsides only show when you attempt to use this great external hard drive on a Mac. Furthermore, it works a treat on a console, which is why it’s our favorite budget external hard drive for PS4.
Best Storage Space: Seagate Backup Plus Portable External Hard Drive
Pros & Cons
- Up to 8 TB on PS4
- Two-month complimentary Adobe membership
- 4 color options
- Build could be sturdier
Specifications:
- Capacity: 5 TB
- Connectivity: 2.0/3.0 USB
- Max Speed: 120 MB/s
- Size: 4.5 x 3.1 x 0.8 inches
- Weight: 0.55 lbs
Seagate Backup Plus Portable External Hard Drive Review
I told you that the Seagate Expansion wasn’t the only Seagate you’d see pop up on our list! We just can’t get enough of Seagate, and this Backup Plus version is superb for use on PS4. Also, we featured it on our list of the best external hard drives for Mac!
The Seagate Backup Plus portable hard drive is a bulky piece of kit, though it is classy. It’s available in four different colors, and if you want a drive that blends into your PS4, like the Western Digital drive, there’s a sleek blue option. Albeit, this means you’ll be paying $20 just for a color other than black.
We mentioned that this drive is bulky, well, it is, unless you opt for the 1 or 2 TB drives that offer a much thinner design. This does mean that you’ll be sacrificing storage space for a thinner model, yet if you aren’t a heavy PS4 gamer, 2TBs of storage is plenty.
Despite the size of the 5TB version, the build isn’t as sturdy as the Seagate Expansion, and it’s much more expensive. However, with a capacity of 5 terabytes, you’ll have space for over 100 games and DLC, so you’ll never get bored.
Best Design: Seagate Game Drive Portable External Hard Drive
Pros & Cons
- 50+ PS4 game capacity
- Compatible with any generation PS4
- Sturdy build
- Up to 4 TB option
- Pricey for a 2 TB drive
Specifications:
- Capacity: 2 TB
- Connectivity: 3.0 USB
- Max Speed: 5 GB/s
- Size: 4.5 x 3 x 0.5 inches
- Weight: 0.33 lbs
Seagate Game Drive Portable External Hard Drive Review
The last Seagate and external hard drive on our list are the Seagate Game Drive. This drive not only looks like a mini PS console – much like the Western Digital My Passport – but it was co-designed with PlayStation for official branding. Therefore, Seagate hasn’t just gone and shoved a PS logo on to the front, the Seagate Game was actually made for the PlayStation!
This official branding means this will work without fault when plugged into a PS4. Not only does it deliver high speeds of 5 GB/s, but it also has a 50+ game capacity, great for those who don’t spend as much time gaming.
Now, $90 is expensive for just 2TBs, and the cost could be something to do with the PlayStation branding, but if you want a hard drive that complements the PlayStation well, opt for the Seagate Game.
PS4 External Hard Drives: Buying Guide
Before you take a look at our favorite external hard drives for PS4, you must know what to look out for.
Capacity
Choosing the right hard drive storage size depends on whether or not you’re a heavy PS4 user. If you have a large collection of games, as well as a lot of DLC, it is advised that you aim for a 2-4TB drive, giving you enough space to store up to 60+ games depending on their capacity. If you’re more of a casual player and maybe don’t have so many games, opt for a 1-2TB hard drive so that you have just enough space for around 40+ games.
Internal Vs External Drive
You may be wondering, ‘if I can just upgrade my PS4 hard drive, why would I need an external hard drive?’
Well, the answer to that is it’s much more complicated to replace an internal hard drive than it is to just plug in an external hard drive and store games with ease. Plus, finding an internal HDD larger than 2TB that physically fits into the PS4 is a challenge itself.
SSD Vs HDD
There are two different types of drives you can purchase, a solid-state drive (SSD), and a hard disk drive (HDD). The main difference between the two is that unlike an HDD, an SSD doesn’t have any moving parts. The most important difference is that the best SSDs for gaming have a much faster access time, require much less CPU power, allow for faster backup rates, and are much more reliable than hard disk drives.
However, if you’ve found an HDD you like, don’t refrain from buying it, as if you crack open your PS4 you’ll see an internal hard drive disk. This means that if you purchase an external HDD, performance will not be decreased. Thanks, Sony!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to add an external hard drive to a PS4?
Adding an external hard drive to a PS4 isn’t as easy as just plugging it in. Here’s what you’ll need to do to start using your new hard drive:
- Plug the external drive into the front of your PS4.
- Go to PS4 Settings and select Storage.
- Go to Devices and select USB Storage Devices.
- Your external hard drive should show up here, click on it and select Format as Extended Storage.
- Click Next to install the hard drive, then select Yes to continue installing.
- Click Ok once the installation is complete.
If you’re unsure about the formatting part of it all, check out our guide on how to format an external hard drive.
How to move PS4 applications to an external hard drive?
- Now you can move your PlayStation 4 games to your external drive:
- Go to Settings and click on Storage.
- Select System Storage then Applications.
- Go to Options and select Move to Extended Storage.
- Click on all of the Applications you wish to move or press Select All.
- Click Move then select Ok.
Alternatively, check out the detailed guide on how to use an external hard drive before doing anything yourself.
Conclusion
We have just reviewed the top 5 external hard drives for PS4, but which one will you choose? Whatever you go for, ensure you have enough storage to store all of your PlayStation games and DLC.
Keep in mind that formatting and partitioning your external hard drive might be the solution if you already have one which doesn’t work with your PS4.