The PS3 and PS4 come with primary drives that could easily be replaced even if the internal SSD died. However, a similar issue could be problematic in the case of PS5 that includes a fixed SSD. This could lead to some difficulties in the lifespan of the system.
One of the most distinguishing features of the Playstation 5 is its incredibly speedy SSD that is much faster than the Xbox Series X. The PS5’s speed also outstands the latest 2020 desktop PCs’ speeds.
After the release of the official teardown video of the Sony PS5, it is confirmed that the PS5 will come with 825 GB modules bonded and a separate M.2 2230/2242/2280 PCIe 4.0 slot for secondary expansion.
Interestingly, you cannot swap out the primary HDDs/SDD on your PS5. While this could simply be done in PS3 or PS4 consoles when the drives fail, you won’t find that alternative on the PS5. All SSDs’ endurance values are measured in MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) or TBW (Terabytes Written).
So, if all the other parts of the console operate without any issues, the internal 825 GB SSD will gradually erode and can be irreplaceable.
Luckily, the MTBF and TBW values of PS5’s drive are normally very high before it starts facing issues. The 1 TB Western Digital SN750 NVMe SSD has a TBW value of 600 TB.
This means you will have to keep deleting and writing files regularly on your PS5 SSD for up to 600 TB before NAND flash degradation renders the drive useless in case of a similar TPW value. Remember that, for most gamers, this value is a hard one to be reached.
In addition to this, if users get the option to install the OS on the above-mentioned secondary M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot, then it could protect the rest of the system. This will be able to help the users who could be trapped due to malfunctioning internal SSD modules.
To conclude, the Sony console will be released in just over a month globally, do make sure that you get a justified product for your pay. Hopefully, no overpaying happens, and you get content with the gadget!
