Is 500 GB Really Enough For The PS4? (Find Out!)

The standard PS4 has 500GB of memory and it seems like a lot of memory, but game files are only getting bigger so is 500GB really enough for the PS4? I decided to research the internet and find out.

If you want to maximize your PS4 and play a lot of games 500 GB is not enough storage. Most PS4 games will be at least 45 GB of storage with Red Dead Redemption 2 being 99GB with the disc. To increase your storage you can upgrade your PS4s 500GB HDD to 1TB or use an external hard drive.

My PS4 is 500 GB and I am constantly deleting games that I don’t want to delete, trust me it isn’t fun. I will explain why 500GB is not enough and how many games you can get on a 500GB PS4.

Why 500 GB Is Not Enough For Your PS4

Games Will Continue To Get Bigger

Games just getting bigger and bigger, a big game from the PlayStation 3 area would be around 5GB like Bioshock 1 now a AAA game will be around 100GB! If you buy digital games it’s even worse! Red Dead Redemption 2 takes a massive 144GB if you download it without the disc nearly 1/3 of your 500GB!

If you want to know the positives and disadvantages of physical vs digital games check my post here.

I remember on my Xbox 360 and PS3 I never had to delete games to make room for new ones, this isn’t the same with my Xbox One and PS4 as you will find out if you buy a 500GB PS4.

Arguably 1TB isn’t even enough as most games will be around 45-100GB but it’s a heck of a lot better than a small 500GB! The PS4 and Xbox Series X games could possibly be 100-200 GB in size, so getting more storage will always be better, so you can play the next generation games on your PS4.

You Will Constantly Delete Games To Make Space!

My PS4 is the original 2014 launch version and in 2014 it was enough but now I always delete games and DLC needing to pick and choose what games I want to keep. Doesn’t sound good, does it?

This is fine if your like me and only play 1 main game until you finish it, but what if you enjoy using services like PlayStation Now and download free PS plus games?

If that sounds like you, I do not recommend buying a 500GB PS4 as buying a 1TB model will give you far more freedom to play the games you enjoy playing, and not choose which one of least favorite games to delete.

The best option is buying an external hard drive for your PS4, external hard drives are very affordable now and this Seagate hard drive from Amazon is 2TB giving you space for around 44 PS4 games. What’s not to like?

However, if you see yourself as only playing 4-5 games max then 500GB is fine, but I still recommend buying an external hard drive as it future proofs your console since you can still play the increasingly more memory heavy games as they come out.

500 GB Gives You Less Freedom As A Gamer

Imagine this, you see one game you want for FREE on PS Plus but you don’t have enough space for it? Oh MY, the horror! I’ve felt this pain before.

I had to delete save data and what if I wanted to play the game again? It was just too much of a hassle and getting that 1TB makes things easier. Get the best selling PS4 Pro 1TB  here for a great price on Amazon if you feel like it. Go ON double is always better!

There are just too many great games on the PS4 to miss out on, if you want my GAMERS guide to the best PS4 games please click here.

Having more space just gives you more freedom in how your game and use your PS4 and who doesn’t want more freedom in life? Especially IF you go digital getting more memory like an external hard drive or upgrading your SSD becomes more or less a necessity.

Should You Get A 500GB Or 1TB PS4?

If you purchase games on the PSN store then a 1B PS4 is your option, as games on the PSN store are around 30-100 GB. Physical games don’t take as much storage but 500GB is still not a lot of space as some games like Red Dead Redemption 2 are 99GB even without the disc!

Like earlier it depends on what sort of gamer you are, if your someone who downloads games online or is a PS Plus subscriber with 2 monthly free games it is super easy to fill 500GB, forcing you to delete games you don’t want to to make space for others.

But the 500GB is still a great option, the best deal right now is the UK Amazon for a great price with THREE AAA PlayStation games here! If your looking for the best 500GB PS4 deal look no further.

However, there IS enough option. Did you know you can change your PS4s external hard drive quite easily?

I know it seems like it will be super difficult but it isn’t that awkward certain laptop drives will work and all you have to do is pick up everything to an external HD (like the Seagate)then transfer everything to the new drive and download all the games again!

I know it seems daunting but I will explain exactly how to do it later down in the article if it seems all too much then buying the 1TB or the 500G with an external hard drive is the best option.

Can The PS4 500GB Internal Hard Drive Be Upgraded To 1TB?

You will be pleased to know that it isn’t all that difficult to upgrade your internal hard drive, you just need a screwdriver for the PS4, any of these from Amazon will work.

For the hard drive, it must be 2.5mm, an ideal one is the 2TB Samsung Seagate Spinpoint that you can get for a great price on Amazon here. You also need a USB drive with at least 1GB of space, the SanDisk 16GB USB from Amazon here is my personal favorite and the one I use.

Remember when upgrading your hard drive you will lose all your data, which is why you need to pick up all your games and save data on an external hard drive like the Seagate above.

The video above by YourSixStudios will give you a step by step guide on installing your new and improved SSD, you should check him out he has great videos.

This is where you need to download the PS4 update in the screenshot above, as you are new installing your PS4 to where it came out of the box, everything needs to be backed up before you do this otherwise you will lose your memory!

How To Upgrade Your PS4s Internal Hard Drive

  1. On your computer download, the latest PS4 systems update that you can find by googling “PS4 system update”
  2. Insert your USB into the computer and format (this will delete everything)
  3. Create a folder on your USB called ‘PS4’ and inside that folder create another one called ‘update’
  4. Place the PS4 system update you downloaded into your download folder and it must be named PS4UPDATE.PUP otherwise it will not work
  5. Remove the cover from your PS4, and screw the two screws from the hard drive, press the took of your PS4 hard drive and it should slide out easily
  6. Remove all four screws from the hard drive and replace with your new hard drive and screw it back. slide back the hard drive and put all the screws you removed and put the cover back on
  7. Put your USB into your PS4 and hold the power button for 7 seconds to boot your PS4 into safe mode, follow all the prompts and install the system software, this will take around 10 minutes so be patient!

Recommend Products

Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard(Amazon Link)

Sony PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB Console(Amazon Link)

PS4 500GB with 3 PS Hits Game Bundle (PS4)  (Amazon UKLink)

SanDisk Ultra 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive (Amazon Link)

Samsung Seagate 2TB Internal Harddrive(Amazon Link)