How to Upgrade Storage on the PS5 Pro and PS5
A game console is essentially just a sealed-box computer, and like any computer it's going to get hardware upgrades along the way. For living room game consoles like the PS5, that means a mid-generation console refresh with the PlayStation 5 Pro.
This new version makes some serious hardware improvements, especially when it comes to things like ray tracing, frame rate, and AI upscaling. We've looked at the new specs, but I'm also going to show you how to upgrade the internal storage in any PS5, because even a couple of terabytes of storage might not be enough for your game library.
First, let's break down what's new in the PS5 Pro. The real key here is an upgraded APU/GPU with more compute units, along with an extra 2GB of RAM and even WiFi 7. And, because this is basically a computer -- and an AMD-powered one at that -- the PS5 is getting its own upscaling tech, called PSSR, or Playstation Spectral Super Resolution. That's similar to AMD's FSR or NVIDIA's DLSS on PCs, in that it takes a game's lower-resolution output, then upscales it on the fly.
What does all that mean? It means games will be able to render faster, and add more high-end effects like Ray-Tracing, without killing the frame rate. For example, in a game like Spider-Man 2, you used to have to choose between a Performance Mode, with better frame rate but fewer visual effects, and Fidelity Mode, which had all the eye candy, but kept you to 30 frames per second.
Now you've got two new options, found only on the PS5 Pro. In Performance Pro mode, you're getting 60fps while keeping all the ray-traced features like reflections and water effects. The Fidelity Pro mode adds even more features like ray-traced ambient occlusion and key light shadows, but at a lower frame rate.
Games like Horizon Forbidden West work similarly, adding better volumetric lighting and more realistic effects for things like fire and smoke.
The basic idea is that you no longer have to choose between higher frame rates and better visuals, with the PS5 Pro, you can get both.
Adding a second storage drive
Fortunately, the PS5 Pro retains one of my favorite features from the OG PS5 -- it has an empty M.2 drive slot inside, which is easy to access and works with almost any M.2 SSD. You just need a drive and a heat sink -- which probably comes with your drive, but if not, you can pick one up for $10 or so.
Make sure you have the PS5, either Pro, Slim or orignal, completely powered off, then pop off the side panel -- which always gives me a bit of agita. The m.2 slot is under a metal cover, so remove the small screw and spacer, insert the drive and put the screw and spacer back. The whole process shouldn't take you more than five minutes.
On booting, the console will ask if you want to format your new drive. Naturally, the answer is "yes," and once you do that, you can go into the system settings and ask the console to automatically install new games to your new drive, or move current games there.
Want to check out the PS5 lineup in person? Head down to your local Micro Center -- they've got consoles in stock, and a huge collection of M.2 drives for expanding it.
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Micro Center Editor-in-Chief Dan Ackerman is a veteran tech reporter and has served as Editor-in-Chief of Gizmodo and Editorial Director at CNET. He's been testing and reviewing laptops and other consumer tech for almost 20 years and is the author of The Tetris Effect, a Cold War history of the world's most influential video game. Contact Dan at dackerman@microcenter.com.
