Rockstar has not announced how large Grand Theft Auto VI will be to download, so there’s no official GTA 6 file size to shop against yet. What isconfirmed is what the PS5 requires from an internal SSD if you do need more room: a specific type of drive, at a specific speed, with a heatsink attached. This guide covers the best PS5 SSD for GTA VI at every budget, Sony’s exact requirements, and what to do about GTA 6 PS5 storage while the real number is still unknown.
This guide focuses specifically on upgrading a PS5’s internal SSD. If you’re on Xbox Series X|S, or you’re not sure you need to spend anything yet, our general GTA VI storage guide is the better starting point.
Has Rockstar confirmed GTA VI’s file size?
No. Rockstar has not published a download size, install size, or storage requirement for GTA VI on any platform, PS5 included. We checked Rockstar’s official Newswire and the GTA VI hub directly; there’s no figure listed anywhere in official materials as of this guide’s last verification date.
Until then, plan around your available PS5 storage rather than a guess. If you’re already tight on space, or you’d rather not think about it again once GTA VI launches, the drives below meet Sony’s requirements for PS5 storage expansion today.
PS5 SSD requirements: what actually works
Sony documents the PS5’s internal expansion requirements precisely, so there’s no guessing here. The M.2 slot under the PS5’s side panel takes a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M, Socket 3), in one of five supported physical sizes: M.2 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, or 22110. Capacity can range from 250 GB up to 8 TB. The drive needs effective heat dissipation, meaning a heatsink or heat transfer sheet, and Sony recommends a sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s or faster for the best experience.
Every drive recommended below is a Gen4 NVMe SSD sold with a heatsink already attached, so you’re not stuck sourcing one separately or guessing whether a bare drive will actually perform once it’s under the PS5’s side panel.
Best overall: WD_BLACK SN850X
The WD_BLACK SN850Xis our default recommendation for a PS5 SSD for GTA 6. It’s a Gen4 NVMe drive rated for sequential reads up to 7,300 MB/s, well past Sony’s 5,500 MB/s recommendation, and it ships in a version with the heatsink already installed, so it’s ready to go straight into the PS5’s expansion slot.
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Best premium pick: Samsung 990 Pro and Seagate FireCuda 530
Want a second opinion beyond WD_BLACK, or the SN850X is out of stock? The Samsung 990 Pro and Seagate FireCuda 530are the two drives we’d buy instead. Both are Gen4 NVMe SSDs with heatsink versions built for PS5, and both post sequential read speeds well above Sony’s minimum, so the choice between all three usually comes down to price and stock on the day you buy, not a meaningful difference for GTA VI or anything else the PS5 runs.
Best value: Corsair MP600 Elite and Crucial T500
Don’t need the absolute fastest drive on the market? The Corsair MP600 Elite and Crucial T500both meet Sony’s full PS5 spec, heatsink included, for less than the SN850X or 990 Pro typically cost. Neither asks you to give up anything the PS5 actually uses, since every drive on this page already clears Sony’s 5,500 MB/s recommendation with room to spare.
1 TB or 2 TB: which capacity should you buy?
With GTA VI’s install size unconfirmed, capacity is a real decision, not just a budget question. A 1 TB expansion drive is enough if you actively manage your library, uninstalling games between sessions with them. A 2 TBdrive is the safer default if you’d rather stop thinking about storage once GTA VI launches: it roughly doubles your headroom for a price difference that usually runs $30 to $60 over the 1 TB version of the same drive.
Internal SSD vs. external hard drive
It’s tempting to solve a storage problem with a cheap external USB drive instead, but that won’t work for GTA VI or any other PS5 game. The PS5 can only run PS5 titles from its internal SSD or from an internal M.2 NVMe drive installed in the expansion slot. An external USB drive, hard disk or SSD alike, can store PS5 game data as a backup and can run PS4 games directly, but a PS5 game has to be copied back to internal storage before you can launch it.
Does PS5 Pro need extra storage for GTA VI?
PS5 Pro ships with 2 TBof internal storage, double the standard PS5’s 1 TB and well ahead of the original launch console’s 825 GB. That gives PS5 Pro owners more room to work with before GTA VI’s size is even announced. It isn’t automatic immunity, though: a large open-world install alongside an existing library of current-gen games can still add up, so PS5 Pro owners who keep a lot installed at once may still want the M.2 expansion slot in reserve once Rockstar confirms what GTA VI actually needs. Still deciding on a console? See our PS5 Pro vs. Xbox Series X|S comparison.
How to install an SSD in your PS5
Installing a PS5 M.2 SSD uses the console’s official expansion slot, so it doesn’t void your warranty when done correctly. In brief: power the PS5 off completely and unplug it, remove the side panel, and remove the screw covering the M.2 slot. Insert the drive at an angle, press it down flat, and secure it with the screw and standoff sized for your drive’s length. Replace the panel, power the console back on, and the PS5 will prompt you to format the new drive before it appears as usable storage. Sony’s official installation guide, linked in Sources below, has the exact steps and clearance guidance for every PS5 model.
Still deciding whether you need to spend anything at all? Our GTA VI storage guide covers both PS5 and Xbox and starts with checking your free space first. Getting fully ready for launch? Our launch-day guide covers preload, account security, and spoiler protection alongside storage.