PS5
PS5 will soon see the arrival of an SSD produced by a Sony subsidiary company, such Nextorage, but the device does not stand out for its advantageous price, on the contrary it is rather expensive.A little while ago there we have indicated which are the best M.2 SSDs to buy for PS5, and according to those criteria, the Nextorage product appears fundamentally out of the market, despite the fact that the company tries to focus in promotional terms on the fact that it is almost half owned by Sony .
The idea behind this marketing strategy is obviously to let pass the message, although not explicit, that the SSD in question comes from the same manufacturer as the PlayStation 5, which however does not correspond to the reality.
Currently only available in Japan starting at 36,444 yen (about 282 euros) for the 1 TB model, the NEM-PA boasts performance virtually identical to that of the PS5's internal SSD and a generous heatsink , which seems to draw on purpose to best occupy the special compartment of the console.
However, beyond the very limited availability for the moment, the device has the big limit of not being "PlayStation approved", therefore of not carrying the stamp that officially certifies SSDs as compatible with the new Sony platform.
In short, the prospect of the debut on the market of M.2 SSDs compatible with PS5 and made directly by Sony has not yet materialized, and at the beyond marketing, the Nextorage product, despite its advantages, does not correspond to this description.
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Sony subsidiary makes a PS5 SSD that’s even further out of your reach
© Image: NextorageSony subsidiary Nextorage has released an SSD that’s perfect for the PS5 (via Tom’s Hardware): it has a heatsink (which Sony says is a requirement), is fast enough to well surpass Sony’s recommendations, and comes in 1TB and 2TB varieties, which gives you plenty of storage for your games. The catch? It’s kinda expensive, isn’t available in the US, and doesn’t seem to have an official “PlayStation approved” stamp despite its maker’s affiliation with Sony.
Nextorage describes itself as a “Sony group company specializing in the memory storage solutions business,” and its NEM-PA SSD ticks all the boxes for PlayStation 5 compatibility. When news of the drive first broke, it seemed like the solution to the confusion that can currently come with expanding your PS5’s storage. Indeed, Nextorage’s drive looks to be a perfect fit. Gigazine actually tested one and says that not only is it just as fast as the console’s internal SSD (at least when it comes to game load times), the NEM-PA fits in the PS5’s slot like... well, like it was made for it.
But nothing in life is perfect or straightforward, so we have to address some caveats. One is that the SSD doesn’t appear to be for sale outside of Japan: we couldn’t find anything from Nextorage on Amazon US, Newegg, or B&H. Second, it also doesn’t look like a great deal based on its list price in Japan — the 1TB model is listed for 36,444 yen, which is roughly $330 USD. For comparison, one of our top PS5 SSD picks is the WD Black SN850, the 1TB version of which is listed on the same Japanese store for 29,540 yen, or roughly $270 USD.
This expensive SSD doesn’t seem to be available outside of Japan
It also doesn’t seem like the PlayStation team necessarily had a ton of involvement with this SSD, despite Nextorage being a Sony subsidiary. (Even that has a caveat, as Sony’s role appears to be closer to that of joint owner — Digitimes reports that Phison Electronics now owns a 49 percent stake in the company, a fact supported by Nextorage’s about page.) Nextorage posted a YouTube video that mentions the SSD being used in the PS5, but the description says:
Performance with PlayStation®5 is tested by Nextorage.
This is not a product developed under the license program of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Compatibility and performance are not guaranteed for all game titles.
That’s not to say Nextorage isn’t tying this SSD to the PS5, because it’s trying hard — the product page features a section about how to install the drive into a console, along with a section about how it can be used to hold PlayStation games. But for those of us hoping Sony will simplify the PS5’s storage situation, this isn’t it — at least not until Sony gives it a PlayStation stamp of approval and plans for a global release.
Since there doesn’t seem to be any reason to buy this drive over any others (unless it’s the only one in stock and you’re desperate), you may want to check out our PS5 SSD buyer’s guide.