wd-unveils-the-first-ever-officially-licensed-playstation-5-ssd-but-are-we-having-deja-vu?
One of the very best options of the PlayStation 5 is the flexibility to improve the inner storage with an off-the-shelf stable state drive (SSD). There are sure measurement and pace necessities, however there are an entire lot of SSDs which are suitable with Sony’s newest technology game console. In case you wanted added peace of thoughts, nonetheless, Western Digital has teamed up with Sony to ship the primary formally licensed SSD for the PS5.
Where does the déjà vu come into play? WD is actually rebranding (or at the very least repackaging) and its current Black SN850 SSD for the PS5. So it isn’t really a completely new drive. Instead, WD mentioned it spent lots of of hours “rigorously testing some of the most graphic-rich titles” on the SN850 to make sure quick, clean, and visually immersive gameplay with none points.
“We’re excited for this new journey with Sony Interactive Entertainment and the opportunity to bring the officially licensed drive to PS5 gamers,” mentioned Susan Park, vp of Consumer Solutions Product Management, Western Digital. “Western Digital’s WD Black brand was created to bring high-performance products to gamers everywhere. Combined with this innovative partnership, we aim to deepen our current commitment to developing storage solutions that enhance the gaming experience for all gamers.”
The licensed model for the PS5 comes with an connected heatsink. There are two capacities up from grabs—1TB for $169.99 and 2TB for $279.99. When the non-licensed SN850 fashions launched final October, they debuted at $229.99 for 1TB and $449.99 for 2TB. So the launch pricing on the licensed fashions are fairly a bit much less, although SSD costs basically have fallen previously 12 months. Here’s how pricing shakes out present…
  • 2TB WD Black SN850 w/ heatsink: $207.99 at Best Buy (52% off)
  • 2TB WD Black SN850 w/o heatsink: $180.49 at Amazon (24% off)
  • 1TB WD Black SN850 w/ heatsink: $140.99 at Amazon (12% off)
  • 1TB WD Black SN850 w/o heatsink: $104.49 at Amazon (55% off)
Pricing is skewed with Prime Day reductions in play at once (and different retailers attempting to sustain with Amazon’s gross sales), however when you’re wanting so as to add a Black SN850 to your PS5, we do not see any motive to attend for the formally licensed SKUs. They’re the identical drives so far as we are able to inform. The solely caveat is availability—WD says its licensed SKUs will hit retailer cabinets in mid-August, by which era costs may fall even additional. That mentioned, we’re seeing the 1TB mannequin listed as in-stock at WD’s on-line retailer.