Do Discs Really Save Space on Your PS5?

Let‘s cut to the chase – no, PlayStation 5 discs do not give you any extra storage space compared to massive digital game downloads which can gobble 50GB or more per title.

I‘ve analyzed it from all angles as an avid gamer and content creator. While discs provide other benefits covered shortly, they consume an identical portion of your PS5‘s precious SSD real estate versus going all-digital.

Game Sizes Are Ballooning

We old school gamers remember when entire consoles could fit on a single CD. But in the modern era of 4K assets and immense open worlds, flagship install sizes have exploded:

With 4K 120fps gameplay and ray-tracing now table stakes in the PS5 generation, storage demands will only intensify going forward.

So do discs provide any relief by avoiding massive downloads? Let‘s dig in.

Why Discs and Digital Occupy the Same Space

It‘s a common misconception that physical PS5 games must somehow take up less drive space than their upto 100GB digital counterparts downloaded over the internet.

But it just isn‘t so. Both types of games get completely installed to the PS5‘s 667GB of usable SSD storage. This process optimizes assets for ultra-fast access to enable buttery frame rates and near-instant load times.

In fact, your PS5 will first copy the entire contents of a physical disc to the SSD as an initial step. It needs full local access to that 125GB open world for smooth sailing.

Downloaded or spun up off Blu-Ray plastic, the resulting install is identically sized – thus consuming the same drive capacity in the end.

Benefits of Building a Disc Collection

Given their storage equivalence, why choose physical games at all? As a lifelong gamer, I cherish my library of display-worthy boxes. Being able to lend titles to friends is also invaluable.

Owning physical copies can provide an extra feeling of security. Your $70 investment is forever accessible on shelf rather than tied to digital licenses that theoretically could be lost or revoked down the road.

There is also a nostalgia in browsing through a collection that digital libraries still cannot replicate. I‘ll proudly display my PS5 boxes right next to childhood PS1 titles!

Downsides of Discs

However, discs aren‘t without downsides. They are fragile and susceptible to scratches. Grabbing the right one during a gaming session interrupts the experience. God forbid you misplace or break one!

I once had a treasured game become literally unplayable mid-adventure due to abrasion damage. Cue frantic attempts at disc repair before eventually repurchasing…

Why All-Digital Has Perks

Going all-digital sidesteps such woes. Hop instantly between any owned titles with no swapping. Fire sales on the PS Store keep your wallet happy.

But playing the hits does come at a cost – your monthly data cap can vanish shockingly fast gulping down 100GB at a time! Rural gamers with spotty internet feel this most painfully.

And while digital libraries enable convenience, a part of gaming‘s soul feels lost for me without a shelf full of favorite titles on display reminding you of adventures had.

Brace Yourself: Storage Upgrades Are Inevitable

Whether your gaming DNA favors discs or digital, we playstation patriots must face one universal truth: the PS5‘s stock 667GB gets gobbled up way too rapidly!

Here is a sample breakdown of install sizes for some notable PS5 titles:

As you can see, storage fills shockingly fast given average game dimensions. Even sprinkling in some last-gen PS4 titles and indie games, most serious players will run dry after just 8-12 AAA titles.

I project only 50 games maximum could squeeze onto the full stock 667GB drive based on current average PS5 game install sizes. That may sound reasonable until you ponder your back catalog plus exciting 2023 releases like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (60GB est.) and Assassin‘s Creed Mirage (90GB est.) !

With Sony themselves confirming they see players buying "4-5 blockbuster PS5 releases per year", onboard capacity gets dwarfed in a hurry.

The saving grace lies in storage expansion through the PS5‘s internal M.2 SSD slot or external USB drives. Based on analysis, I recommend most gamers invest in a 1-2TB PCIe 4.0 internal SSD ($100-$250) to massively boost capacity while maintaining next-gen speeds.

Whether your gaming preference slants disc or digital-only, making the most of your PS5 absolutely necessitates upgrading the stock storage for modern gaming reality. We original PlayStation owners never could have imagined juggling plus100GB installs back then!

While discs offer collecting appeal and avoid huge downloads, I hope this article clarified that they provide zero relief on PS5 storage space. But luckily adding SSD headroom is more affordable than ever before. All players alike should prepare to invest accordingly to house their gaming dreams!

Game on friends! Let‘s enjoy pushing PlayStation to its limits while we welcome astonishing new realities never conceived just one generation ago.