Should you get a 1TB or 2TB SSD for PS5?

If you‘re looking to expand your PS5 storage, there‘s no one-size-fits-all recommendation. But for most gamers, the 1TB SSD hits a sweet spot between price, capacity, and performance.

PS5‘s Limited Default Storage

Out of the box, the PS5 comes with a 825GB SSD. But after the system software and reserves, only 667GB is usable. This might seem sufficient, but game sizes continue to balloon:

As you can see, just 5-10 games can nearly fill the PS5‘s entire drive. Game install sizes will only increase next-gen. So expanding capacity sooner than later is wise.

1TB SSD Storage Capacity

The 1TB SSD more than doubles the PS5‘s builtin storage, providing room for 15-25 games depending on size:

Real world testing confirms the 1TB SSD can hold releases like God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, Spiderman Miles Morales, and more with space left over. This meets most gamers needs.

But those with huge libraries may require even more capacity. That‘s where the 2TB option comes in…

2TB SSD Offers Ample Capacity

Doubling the storage again to 2TB allows installing a whopping 40-50 titles. For context, that‘s over 5x the usable space versus the PS5‘s default configuration:

So if you play a ton of games and don‘t want to delete and re-download, the 2TB is enticing. It essentially allows keeping your entire catalog installed simultaneously.

1TB SSDs Offer the Most Affordable Expansion

While the 2TB SSD‘s capacity is nice, it comes at a hefty price. Based on current market pricing:

So you‘re paying almost double for that extra 1TB of space alone. When it comes to value for money, the 1TB SSD simply can‘t be beaten. Especially as it has gone on sale for under $120 at multiple retailers.

All PS5 SSD Upgrades Offer Equal Gaming Performance

Importantly, both the 1TB and 2TB options meet Sony‘s performance requirements when connected via PCIe 4.0:

So you‘ll enjoy blazing fast load times regardless of capacity. As Sony engineer Yujin Morisawa noted: "Changing SSD capacity doesn‘t directly affect game performance". The only difference is how many games you can have installed simultaneously to take advantage of those quick loads.

1TB SSD Life Expectancy Matches a PS5‘s Lifecycle

Finally, while SSD durability decreases with heavy writes, most 1TB models boast endurance ratings of 600+ TBW – meaning 600+ terabytes written before wear issues arise.

Gaming usage averages just 30-50GB written per day. So a conservative lifespan estimate is:

600 TBW Endurance / 50 GB Daily Writes = 12,000 Days = 33 Years

Therefore you can expect a 1TB SSD to easily outlast a single PS5 console generation without degradation, matching Sony‘s 7-10 year lifecycles.

In summary – while the 2TB SSD sounds tempting for big game collectors, it carries a steep premium. For mainstream gamers, the 1TB SSD adds plenty of new capacity at a bargain price. And you aren‘t losing any graphics or gameplay performance versus pricier models.

So I wholeheartedly recommend the 1TB expansion drive as delivering the top bang for your buck. But weigh your personal gaming storage needs before deciding on a PS5 SSD upgrade.

Let me know in the comments below which option you chose for your PS5 in 2024 – 1TB, 2TB, or even 4TB!