SSD or hard drive? | | | Hard Drive Upgrade in PlayStation 4
As fans of the latest hardware, we respect what Sony avoids in its game consoles The use of proprietary storage technologies, and instead uses standard hard drives that change quickly and easily. In ancient times, the PS2 allowed the connection of 3.5-inch hard drives with PATA, once the standard for regular PCs. PS3 was compatible with 2.5-inch drives with sATA interface. Finally, the new PlayStation 4 has a 2.5-inch drive, which is also easy to replace, so this time Sony did not go contrary to tradition.
Which drive to choose
It is commercially available. hard disksin which a mechanical read head reads data from a magnetized disk. Such hard drives are favorable, but cause an audible hiss in use and are prone to shock and shock due to mechanics. Data is read directly from memory without a mechanical read head. Disadvantage: they are usually quite small in volume and expensive!
Thank you for your support! This allows you to install games on external hard wheels. For example, software already distributed to some users as a beta version supports, but is not limited to, external hard drives. Still internal drive should have been replaced by a larger model, if the space for partial giant gaming installations is no longer enough.
The standard console comes with a 500 GB hard drive (465 GB after formatting), of which about 57 GB is reserved for the needs of the operating system and other software. Now that downloading new games over the Internet and their local installation became a necessity, the remaining 408 GB can be filled up very quickly, especially as new games appear. Is this not a good reason to replace a regular drive with a higher capacity drive, even if we are still talking about a mechanical hard drive?
Already saved games can be easily moved to external media. Further news on topics in trend. Since removing games is probably not an option, only one thing helps: Connect an external hDD. You will learn more about this in this guide.
In the future, you can just connect external hard drive and save your games there. In the next section, we will explain more to you. Here is how you can get here. In addition, only the beta test for updating is currently running. software. We still have to be a little patient. Due to the fact that the memory is already full, we should accept our advice on replacing the disk in this text.
On the other hand, it would be great to try installing the SSD drive as well. You do not need to have a capacious drive in the console. The cost of the Samsung 840 EVO with a capacity of 500 GB starts at $ 325 or so, and if the solid-state drive allows you to really feel the difference in performance, then we have no doubt that many console gamers will want to try installing an SSD drive in PlayStation 4. At least just for having to see the difference with your own eyes.
In moments when we are almost full of games, it becomes more and more important to get more space for all games. Also, many indie games are interesting and often for little money. But they also bring a lot of data with them. But soon you will not have to worry that your memory is too much. Then you can download your games, as well as applications or add-ons, save and install them. Even the games that you have already saved, you can move to an external hard drive if you want.
Obviously, the external hard drive must be safely disconnected from the system every time. If the external hard drive is no longer properly partitioned, a repair process is needed. Thus, you cannot use multiple external hard drives with a console.
Well, the choice between storage subsystem capacity and performance is still relevant. Of course, there are few who want to double the cost of the console due to the decent volume SSD. Therefore, in reality, we are talking more about a choice between speed and capacity. We are going to contrast the two approaches by installing and testing several 2.5-inch drives, which will allow you to determine the right balance between these two characteristics.
Firmware update 50 contains some new features. So far, only the beta version of the firmware update is 50. We will let you know here, of course, as soon as the time has come. However, it is mainly used to create backups. Of course, now you can back up all your data, videos, downloads and patches.
Trophies, however, you must manually synchronize with the server if they are important to you and you do not want to lose them. Look at new hard drive to the following. Now you can insert your new hard drive into the chassis just like you have another. Remove the screws and do not pull them too hard. Put the housing back in place and tighten the detachable last screw again. Press the upper glossy surface again: finished!
- Solve this with a Phillips screwdriver.
- Now you can pull the case forward.
- There are 4 small screws on the case.
- To separate the hard drive from the case, you must also unscrew these screws.
PlayStation Hard Drive Replacement
As with the usual replacement of the hard drive, installing an empty drive in the platform means reinstalling the operating system. Before you start this processyou may need to do backup your saved games or make sure that they are tied to the PSN Plus profile. Your favorite games, of course, will have to be reinstalled, and you can do this using disks or PSN. Fortunately, Sony does not limit the number of downloads of a game from its network resources.
But if you know, as far as you know, this memory comes sooner or later to the limit. This, unfortunately, does not provide a solution for all those who already own a small option. Inner hard the disk can be expanded and replaced by a larger one. How it all works, we have put together a step-by-step guide for you. Dual memory and fast access time.
The screwdriver has only a handle. Because with a few handwritten keys you can set a new internal memory. Before launch: data protection and firmware. First you need to ask yourself whether to completely reboot the system or save existing data. Who would like to remove the interval of the game on which he played for several weeks? It is detected automatically as soon as it is connected. Then select the following menu items.
Make sure you have a USB flash drive to which you copy the operating system installation file. Sony allows you to download it from special page , then given file You need to copy it to the PS4 / Update / directory on the flash drive. In addition, pay attention to the version of the operating system that starts before the update, since Sony does not allow a return to the previous OS assembly.
Then the data can be individually selected and copied. Do not download the update. This is only useful for existing versions. But since we must establish new disc with the new operating system, we need the full version. The file has a size of about 900 MB. A new external hard drive must fulfill some requirements. It can not be higher than 9 cm, otherwise it will not fit in the case. It should be 2.5 hard drive.
If you find a suitable hard drive, this is a drive change. The device must be disconnected and must be disconnected from the power source. For ease of use, it is best to disconnect all cables. The glossy cover can simply be removed. To do this, pull the panel slightly. The hard drive is located in a small box that is secured with only one screw.
Sony offers two service packs: full version with a capacity of about 880 MB and a smaller service pack, occupying about 315 MB. For a full installation, you need a larger file.
Physically replacing a drive is not difficult. You will need a small Phillips screwdriver. Sony hides the hard drive under a glossy black protective cover that can be removed with minimal effort. As soon as you remove it, there is only one screw that holds the basket with the drive. Respect for the presence of the console controller symbols on the screw: a square, circle, triangle and rectangle.
In the box, the hard drive is secured with four screws. Remove them and put them in a safe place. Insert a new drive and fasten it with screws. It is important that they are safe and tight. Fasten the box with the screw and slide the lid. He clicks the sound of a light click.
When the console restarts and starts, it rises to safe mode. The controller is connected to one of the ports. You must hold the On button for a few seconds. After a while sound signal. High throughput systems are often not recognized.
Four screws hold the standard 2.5-inch hard drive in place, and they separate the drive from the basket with rubber washers. A 9.5 mm thickness limit prevents the installation of large 2 TB drives. However, there are tons of mechanical hard drives and superfast SSDs with a thickness of 9.5 mm or less.
Minimum Hard Drive Requirements
Are there any further solutions? However, this is not ideal. But we can assume that in the future there are several answers. This will greatly facilitate memory. In the meantime, it has not yet been sold on the market. There is also no information about a possible occurrence.
Formatting an external hard drive
Various warnings are displayed, indicating that all previously saved data is lost when the device is formatted.In other words, you cannot save other types of media, documents, images, or anything else unless you format the hard drive in its original format. When the formatting process is completed, a message is displayed confirming successful operation. In addition to the name of the device, a small green light appears, which indicates that the device is active as the main storage location.
After installing a new drive, it remains to connect a USB flash drive with installation file and turn on the console. You will need to hold the power button for seven seconds to access the safe mode menu, or the system will automatically boot in safe mode, providing access to the installation of the operating system from an external flash drive.
Games and applications on an external storage device
After formatting, the external hard drive is set as the default location if it is connected.
Remove external hard drive
For example, playing games on a friend’s console is not a problem. . Even the most energetic trophy hunters will have much in common with this ability. Here you can read what to consider here.Most commercially available hard drives are already formatted with the file system. However, the console uses its own file system, so you need to format the hard drive. If the data is already on the hard drive, it is deleted.
SSD or hard drive? | | | Testing four 2.5-inch drives
We selected several drives various typesto test them as system disk PlayStation 4: Kingston E50 SSD with a capacity of 240 GB, Seagate hybrid SSHD and dual WD Black2 drive. The test drives also included the old 1 TB WD Scorpio Blue hard drive, released in 2011, which will allow us to make a more detailed comparison of the results.
Moving content from external to internal memory
After formatting the disk, the console uses it as the default memory for booting. However, at any time you can transfer data from an external hard drive to the internal memory and back to different. The default download settings can also be changed at any time.
Games and applications for external memory
Even your games that you have already installed in the internal memory, you can easily move to an external hard drive. Then you can detach the hard drive. If you do not want to miss any news from the world of games, follow us. Presumably, movies are thrown on a virtual screen. Usually between such announcements and publication does not take too much time. If you have not installed it yet, follow the link: it opens the settings and proceeds to the system software updates.
Kingston SSD allows you to upgrade to a solid state drive without sacrificing capacity loss compared to a regular Sony hard drive. On the other hand, when using an SSD of the same size (500 GB), more than $ 300 will be added to the cost of the console.
The Seagate Hybrid Drive is an interesting trade-off, with 1TB of capacity and an 8GB MLC flash drive, and its price is around $ 100. We do not know how well the caching algorithms implemented in this drive will work when working in the environment of Sony OS, but it is clear that we need to slightly modify our standard test in order to measure their effectiveness.
How to do this, we will show you. Here you select the hard drive and select the format as extended memory. Checks the deletion of all files on the disk. Screenshots and videos continue to flow into the internal memory. By default, new games land on an external hard drive. But you can also change that.
After installing the disk as external memory, games are automatically installed on it. Then go to the memory area. Here you click the "Options" button and enter the location where the applications are installed in the menu. Here you choose again system memory.
Western digital Black2 is another representative of hybrid drives, but in this case the technology itself is implemented differently. When installing such a disk, the OS will “see” two drives: the first, with a capacity of 120 GB, refers to flash memory, the second is a regular hard disk with a capacity of 1 TB. The bottom line is that you can choose where you want to install operating system (SSD), applications (SSD) and user data (hard disk). Unfortunately, the PlayStation will never let you go this far, displaying an error message that an OS with a capacity of at least 160 GB will be required to install the OS. As a result, this drive simply cannot be used on the PlayStation in the way that Western Digital intended.
Of course, you can only gamble as long as the stove is connected. As soon as you plug it in again, the system will automatically detect it and you can continue to roll. We explain how you use them and what you should buy. The official update video gives you an overview of all the new features.
What is the requirement for a hard drive?
How to connect a hard drive
When formatting, all data that may be on the hard disk is deleted. This must be copied in advance if you want to use an already used hard drive. How to use a hard drive after connecting it. There you can set the internal memory by default.Finally, we have at our disposal Western Digital Scorpio Blue with a capacity of 1 TB. We did not expect much from him, but he was at hand and allowed us to provide affordable storage for the PlayStation at a price of less than $ 100. In any case, we would like to know whether a hard drive of a larger capacity, which is used instead of a regular one, can increase the console's performance, or, conversely, such an upgrade will adversely affect the results of our tests.
Can I remove the hard drive again?
By the way, previously saved content on the internal hard drive can be easily moved to an external hard drive if it wants to create space. There you can select the option "Move to extended memory". You can delete external memorylike on a computer, but you shouldn't just pull out the plug.
Otherwise, there is no guarantee that data will be lost. The hard drive is kept in a thin design and can be easily transported with you, for example. In the same compact row there are also up to 3 Terrabytes. These external hard drives are slightly larger than the models already presented, and should come with an external power source. The memory capacity is 3 to 8 terabytes. With an average size of 50 gigabytes, this is from 60 to 160 large blockbuster games that you can store on these hard drives.
Testing methodology
We used a fresh test configuration for each set of benchmarks. Instead of messing around with a stopwatch, measuring the duration of each run, we used a video camera to record the process. Then the resulting video was edited to "crop" the beginning and end. Everything else “inside” was directly related to the test run. Each test was run three times, and the results were averaged, providing the final indicators.
SSD or hard drive? | | | Measuring performance after upgrading a hard drive
The days when you just turned on the console and immersed yourself in the game are in the past. Now you need to turn on the power, wait for the OS to finish loading, and then proceed to navigate the system. It sounds as if it was a computer, right? Fortunately, it is this feature that turns the OS loading speed into an excellent starting point for comparing completely different drives.
Sony equips the PS4 with a rather slow hard drive. In the case of the transition to Kingston SSDs, the download speed increases by 23%, by 15% - when using Seagate SSHD. And even the far from new Western Digital Scorpio Blue with a capacity of 1 TB provides an increase in speed by 9% compared to a regular drive.
Despite the tangible difference in percentages, in reality we are talking about reducing the loading time by only 5 seconds, which is not so much.
In most cases, drive technology is absolutely irrelevant, since the installation speed of a game depends on the performance of the Blu-ray drive. If you hope to speed up the installation process by upgrading the drive, you will be disappointed.
Downloading a game from the PlayStation 4 user shell when using the Kingston E50 SSD is slightly faster than the stock Spinpoint M8 500 GB. The same can be said of the Seagate SSHD. But, in terms of absolute numbers, we are talking about an increase in speed, which is not significant for the user.
Hard western drive Digital, in fact, finished in last place, but again we repeat that we are talking about a negligible amount. In this case, doubling the volume of the drive will be much more noticeable.
Despite such an insignificant difference in speed, you still have to view a few screensavers before you can start the game. Sony, let us skip all the screensavers and we will be happy.
The biggest differences relate to the download speed of an existing game save, and it is with this type of download you, one way or another, you may encounter most often.
For this test, we used a save game in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag with several hours of game play (Tulum scene). The Kingston E50 SSD and Seagate Hybrid Drive deliver identical results, up 33% faster than the Samsung Spinpoint M8. We are not sure whether this speed increase justifies the lower capacity of the SSD, but Seagate will allow an increase in both speed and volume.
Unfortunately, the two years that have passed since the advent of Scorpio Blue play a role. This hard drive is slower. It turns out that not every upgrade is beneficial in terms of performance.
Over time, Seagate's hybrid technology "learns" to cache the data that the system most frequently accesses with 8 GB of fast MLC memory. To assess whether the caching technology affects the above results of the game save download speed, we launched an advanced test taking into account the features of this technology.
Downloading the same game file was carried out 10 times, after each launch we rebooted the console. As it turned out, the results vary greatly. Even in the worst-case scenario, the game saves load faster than when using the stock hard drive. Thus, we are not sure that the superiority of the hybrid drive is associated with the use of SSD caching.
To make sure that the Blu-ray media verification process does not contribute to the difference between test runs, we purchased a digital copy of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag from the Playstation Network online service and ran the test ten more times. The results were pretty similar.
The first three runs show a very small difference in favor of installing from disk, but in subsequent runs the difference is evened out.
SSD or hard drive? | | | Is it worth it in principle to change the hard drive?
Computer enthusiasts do not like to leave their systems as-is. It's hard to get us to buy something (even if we are talking about the console - obviously not an ideal object for fine optimization "iron") and not think about how to improve performance relative to the standard configuration. Fortunately, Sony really allows you to easily remove the hard drive used in the PlayStation 4 and replace it with any suitable drive of your choice.
Our test showed that a certain performance gain when switching to SSD in the case of PS4, indeed, takes place, but it is small. You can reduce the boot speed of the OS by a few seconds or increase the boot speed installed game, but ultimately you’ll throw away too much money or lose too much in the drive’s capacity to make sense. Of course, SSDs are getting cheaper. To get the capacity of 500 GB, like a regular hard drive, you need a few hundred dollars. This amount is enough to assemble an entry-level gaming PC!
We can also consider using a 1TB Seagate hybrid drive. It also allows you to get closer to the performance of SSDs, but at the same time doubles the capacity of a regular hard drive. In many cases, acceleration will be difficult to experience in practice. But, in any case, you can save more content on the SSHD without spending a lot of money on upgrades.
As for the WD Scorpio Blue with a capacity of 1 TB, which was found on a shelf in our laboratory, this hard drive turned out to be slightly slower than the regular Samsung Spinpoint M8 drive. The good news is that doubling the volume required sacrificing performance to a minimum. And if you have an extra hard drive from your laptop at your disposal, then it is quite possible to install it instead of a regular PlayStation 4 drive, increasing the volume disk space no investment at all.
By and large, when upgrading the PlayStation 4 drive you will not get a performance boost that would justify a significant investment. PS4 was conceived as a system with a standard drive, and it provides a balanced result, taking into account the total cost of the console. It is unlikely that anyone will buy a new car, and then spend half its cost on upgrading the exhaust system due to an increase of some 10 horsepower. The same can be said about the transition to SSD. Those benefits solid state drivesthat take place on desktop PCs should not be broadcast to game consoles.
Once again, we liked the Seagate hybrid drive because of its speed, capacity and price. If you feel the need to upgrade, this drive is what you need. But even now, available games are still not enough to completely fill the regular 500 GB disk. The cost of hard drives is only going down, and someday we will see 2 TB drives with a thickness of 9.5 mm. Perhaps this will happen when you really need extra space.
Here is another idea for gamers eager to spend their money. Get your PSN Plus subscription, play online and get discounts on new games. Or just buy some PS4 games and have a good time alone with the console. Does money still weigh your pockets? Then you can purchase PS Vita to use the Remote Play mode. However, this story is for another review ...
One of the interesting features of the PlayStation console series is the self-change function. standard hard disk to disk larger. And in today's article, we’ll just talk about how to replace the PS4 hard drive and how to put a large volume drive there, for example, 2 terabytes. So, change the HDD on the PlayStation 4!
Why is this needed?
Reasons for the most
a few things. Of the claimed 500 GB, after formatting and installing the operating system, only 408 GB are available to the PlayStation 4 user, which is extremely, very few with the current games size of 30-50 GB.So if you change your hard drive, you first get more free space and don’t have to make room for installing new games. Secondly, the speed of the console, loading games, levels and textures will increase. Thirdly, as a pleasant bonus, you will have at your disposal a 500 GB hard drive that can be freely used as an external one, or by putting it in a laptop.
If you consider yourself an avid gamer and like to play a variety of games, we recommend that you make this replacement. So, let's get started, but first choose a hard drive.
Which drive to choose
Sony PlayStation 4 Console
uses 2.5 ”hard drives, the so-called "Notebook format", on magnetic plates. You can buy a regular cheap HDD to replace it with a similar size 2.5 ”, but with a larger capacity. The new HDD must have at least 16 MB of cache, and the spindle speed must be 7,200 rpm.If you are a wealthy gamer, then you can take a closer look at the more productive and high-speed SSDs running on solid state memory. They are noticeably more expensive, but you should not expect a gain in productivity and speed, similar to games for PCs. Also, the disadvantage of such a disk will be a small amount - the same 500 GB or 750 GB. However, in the future, everything may change if Sony optimizes its operating system for SSD.
There are also
hybrid option: SSHD drives that combine standard magnetic plates and solid state memory. Their price is slightly higher than that of the HDD, and the volume is equal to them. On PCs, the advantage is that a small 8GB SSD-drive contains the most commonly used data. Since PS4 is not optimized for SSD at the hardware and software level, these types of disks will not have special advantages.We would recommend to economical gamers to pay attention to old models of external hard drives and look for models that will cost a little cheaper than their new internal counterparts. Since most manufacturers have different lines of business, it is likely that the "old" model external hard ceteris paribus, it will cost less than its internal counterpart, sold as "new".
Technical information
This article will be incomplete without testing, allowing you to compare among themselves different options and related technical information. Here are the models that have been tested:
- Hitachi-HGST standard 500 GB HDD, 5,400 rpm .;
- Seagate ST1000LM014 internal SSHD with 1 TB, 7,200 rpm, SATA 6 GB / s, 64 MB cache;
- Hitachi-HGST Travelstar 0S03563 internal HDD 1 TB, 7,200 rpm, SATA 6 GB / s, 32 MB cache;
- Crucial M500 internal SSD with a capacity of 240 GB;
- External Seagate STBX2000401 with a capacity of 2 TB, USB 3.0.
Hero of ours
today's article, 2 TB Seagate is slightly behind its competitor 1 TB Hitachi, due to its volume and design. In general, for doubling the volume of the hard drive, the fee is small - about 1-1.5 seconds, although games can load into the console memory for 2-5 seconds longer. By changing the stock HDD to a 2 TB modification, you will replace the positive dynamics in the load, it’s only a pity that it will be small.Of course, our modest testing will not reveal favorites or " the best choice", And in no case is an advertisement. If you decide to change the HDD on your PlayStation 4, we recommend that you look at more detailed and detailed testing in the Internet. The console is very popular and you can easily find dozens, if not hundreds of tests. Just make sure that they are all conducted specifically for the PlayStation 4, and not for the PC.
How to change your PlayStation 4 hard drive
Attention! You act at your own peril and risk, taking full responsibility for changes to the PS4. The author of the article and the portal site are not responsible for your actions performed as part of the advice of this article and any damage from them.
Overall procedure replace hard PlayStation 4 drive is very simple and standard, Sony engineers minimized all the risks of replacement. You will need a screwdriver and straight arms. You can watch this operation in the following video:
Before proceeding with any actions, it is necessary to prepare a flash drive with a size of at least 2 GB, formatting it in FAT 32, creating the “PS4” folder, the “update” subfolder (without quotes), and placing the PlayStation Network data at the PS4 / Update / address . This must be done.
Now we pass to replacement.
Put the PlayStation 4 in front of you, with the glossy side up, towards you, with the PS logo looking away from you. It is necessary to carefully “pull off” the glossy cover by pressing fingers on the edge where it connects to the second half of the front panel of the case. Thumbs should be rested on the lower part of the body.
Immediately before removal, you will hear a characteristic click, and when you put the cover back on, it will indicate that the roof is installed correctly.
Use a 2.5 mm Phillips screwdriver to remove the large bolt holding the bed with the hard drive. He will be alone, you will immediately see him and there is no second one. Having unscrewed, put the bolt in a safe place - we still need it.
Carefully pull out the hard drive by a special slot for the finger. Remember the location of the hard drive in bed. Now you need to unscrew the four black bolts located around the perimeter of the bed and put the new hard drive in the right position - have you forgotten which one? If you forgot, let’s remind you, the power and SATA ports are back, with the sticker facing up.
We install the disk back, twist the big bolt and put the cover back. We launch the console.
You will see the message “Failed to start the PS4 system”. You need to connect the DualShock 4 controller to it via a cable, and then install the first distribution kit from the USB flash drive that you had to prepare before starting to change the disk. Follow the prompts on the screen, click “Yes” everywhere. The main thing is that during this whole process the lights should not be turned off and there should be Internet access.
Thank you and good game!
