Which SSD fits a PS5 or a laptop? M.2 sizes, Gen4 and heatsinks
Sony's PS5 expansion rules and four laptop makers' slot specifications, with what each number on an M.2 drive means for fit.
Short answer
For a PS5, Sony asks for an M.2 NVMe SSD on PCIe Gen 4 x4 (M key), 250 GB to 8 TB, in any length from 2230 to 22110, with a heatsink or heat transfer sheet, and no more than 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm thick with that cooling fitted. Sony recommends a sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s or faster. For a laptop, the answer is in the maker's spec sheet: the slot's length (2230, 2242 or 2280) and its interface, such as PCIe 4.0 x4. M.2 SATA drives won't work in a PS5.
PS5: the requirements line by line
Sony's support page for adding an M.2 SSD sets out the rules for every PS5 model, including the Digital Edition. The console needs the latest system software before you install the drive. The table puts Sony's figures next to one drive's data sheet, the Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink, which Samsung lists for PlayStation 5 among its applications. It's an example of how to read a data sheet against the requirements, not a recommendation.
| Requirement | Sony's figure | Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink (data sheet) |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCI-Express Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M); M.2 SATA not supported | PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 2.0 |
| Capacity | 250 GB to 8 TB | 1TB or 2TB |
| Form factor | 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110 | M.2 (2280) |
| Width, including heatsink | Up to 25 mm | Max 25 mm |
| Thickness, including heatsink | Up to 11.25 mm: up to 8.0 mm above the board, up to 2.45 mm below | Max 8.88 mm in total; the split above and below the board isn't given |
| Sequential read | 5,500MB/s or faster recommended | 7,450 MB/s |
| Cooling | Heatsink or heat transfer sheet required | Heatsink fitted |
The thickness row is the one to check carefully. Sony gives a total of 11.25 mm and also a split: up to 8.0 mm above the circuit board and up to 2.45 mm below it. Samsung's data sheet gives 8.88 mm in total but not the split, so the total fits and the split has to be taken on trust or checked with the maker. Sony's advice for that situation is plain: if you're not sure a drive or heatsink meets the size requirements, look for another product or contact the vendor.
What the M.2 numbers mean
The four or five digits are the size. Sony's page pairs each type number with a length: a 2230 drive is 30 mm long, a 2280 is 80 mm, a 22110 is 110 mm, and all are 22 mm wide before any heatsink. In the PS5, Sony's instructions have you move a spacer to the position that matches the drive's length, which is how one slot takes all five sizes. A laptop slot is listed for the lengths it takes, and a drive longer than that won't fit.
“Key M” and “Socket 3” describe the connector. “NVMe” and “PCIe Gen4 x4” describe how the drive talks to the computer. An M.2 SATA drive uses the same kind of card but a different interface, and Sony says M.2 SATA SSDs aren't supported.
Cooling: why the PS5 rule is strict
Sony says a PS5 drive needs “effective heat dissipation with a cooling structure, such as a heatsink and a heat transfer sheet”, and warns: “Do not use an M.2 SSD without a heat-dissipation mechanism, such as a heat sink or heat transfer sheet.” You can add a single-sided or double-sided cooler yourself, or buy a drive with one built in. If the drive already has a heatsink, Sony recommends against adding another, saying it may reduce the built-in heatsink's effectiveness.
Two more notes from Sony: the PS5 doesn't support Host Memory Buffer, so a drive that relies on it may run slower than expected, and some games may not perform exactly as they do on the internal drive, even with a drive faster than 5,500 MB/s.
With and without a heatsink
The same Samsung drive family, photographed with a heatsink fitted and without one. Sony requires a heatsink or heat transfer sheet on a PS5 drive, as set out above. Photos for reference, not a recommendation.
Laptops: read the slot, not the drive
Laptop makers publish slot sizes and interfaces in their specification documents. Four examples:
| Laptop | Slots and sizes | Interface |
|---|---|---|
| Dell XPS 14 (DA14260) | One M.2 2230 or M.2 2280 drive | Gen 4 x4 PCIe NVMe (2230 drives Dell offers); Gen 5 x4 (2280 drives) |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition | One M.2 2280 slot | PCIe 4.0 x4 with U series processors; PCIe 5.0 x4 with V or H series |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 (Intel) | Lunar Lake: one M.2 2280 slot. Raptor Lake, Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake: one M.2 2242 and one M.2 2280 slot | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 14IRH10 | One M.2 2242 slot and one M.2 2280 slot | PCIe 4.0 x4 |
Two things follow. First, length decides the physical fit: a 2280 drive can't go in a 2242-only slot, so on the E14 Gen 7 and IdeaPad Slim 5 it matters which slot is free. Second, check the slot's PCIe generation as well as the drive's: Lenovo fits a PCIe 5.0 x4 slot only to X1 Carbon Gen 13 models with V or H series processors. Samsung's data sheet notes that the 990 PRO, a PCIe 4.0 drive, is backward compatible with PCIe 3.0; for any other pairing, look for the same kind of note on the drive's own data sheet. None of the laptop pages we used says whether there's room for a heatsink, so before fitting a drive with one, check the laptop's service manual.
A quick check before you buy
- Length: the drive's type number matches a length your slot or console takes.
- Interface: NVMe on PCIe, not SATA. For a PS5, PCIe Gen 4 x4.
- Capacity: for a PS5, between 250 GB and 8 TB.
- PS5 only: sequential read of 5,500 MB/s or faster, and a heatsink that keeps the drive within 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm thick, 8.0 mm above the board and 2.45 mm below.
- Laptop only: whether there's room for anything thicker than a bare drive.
Sources
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, How to add an M.2 SSD to a PS5 console: requirements, cooling, installation for CFI-1000 and CFI-2000/7000 model groups, FAQ. Read October 1, 2026.
- Samsung Semiconductor, Samsung V-NAND SSD 990 PRO with Heatsink data sheet, Rev. 2.0: interface, dimensions, sequential read, applications, PCIe 3.0 note. Read October 1, 2026.
- Dell, XPS 14 DA14260 Setup and Specifications: Storage. Read October 1, 2026.
- Lenovo PSREF, ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition specifications, Storage (August 28, 2026). Read October 1, 2026.
- Lenovo PSREF, ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 (Intel) specifications, Storage (July 27, 2026). Read October 1, 2026.
- Lenovo PSREF, IdeaPad Slim 5 14IRH10 specifications, Storage (August 28, 2026). Read October 1, 2026.
Product photos: manufacturers’ data-sheets via Open Icecat, reduced in size from the originals on October 1, 2026. Database Right data-sheet 2026 Icecat. All rights reserved. Provided “as is”, without warranty.
Changes: first published October 1, 2026.