We all know that high-capacity flash drives are becoming rarely available. When it comes to gaming on PS4 consoles, gaming on a USB stick is one of the best considerations.
Compared to other storage devices like an external hard drive (HDD), a USB flash drive is more portable. It can be placed in your wallet or clothes pocket. Its portability makes it a better alternative to external storage devices.
In this post, we will look at what USB flash drives are compatible with PS4, and will also introduce you to our top pick among various popular USB drives and how to properly install them on your PS4 console.
To answer the question of the day, there are various purposes for using USB flash drives on PS4, and you can use any type of USB drive to achieve these purposes. However, if you want to use a USB flash drive to extend your PS4 storage, the USB drive has to support a USB 3.0 or higher connection, and its usable storage space must be 250GB at least.
Having mentioned that there are various uses of USB flash drives in PS4, you might use PS4 USB drive for any of these purposes:
For backup storage: USB flash drives are typically small enough to do the job of storing small files on the PS4. These can be used to share with friends and relatives. If the drive is too large, it can also be used to backup games.
Sharing and transferring files: PS4 USB drive is a great way to transfer games and screenshots from your PS4 to a computer.
PS4 system software upgrade: The USB flash drive is a vital component in the process of upgrading a PS4 hard drive. It serves as a storage device that contains the Update file for the console game. After installing the new operating system, just launch the file and install it from scratch.
Extend PS4 Storage: You can also use the PS4 USB drive as an extended storage device. In doing so, it will allow you to save and install games directly to the drive.
Although there are no restrictions to the type of USB drive that’s used for transferring data and upgrading PS4, there are still some limitations when it comes to extending the storage of your PS4, as mentioned earlier.
Table of Contents
Flash drives that work with PS4
Since just any flash drive will work with PS4, there are no strict recommendations as to which model or type you pick. However, if you want to extend the storage of your PS4 with a USB drive, you will want to go for a suitable one.
So below is a list of our top recommended USB flash drives that meet the standard for PS4 compatibility.
Our Top Recommendation on Flash Drives for PS4
Getting the right flash drive can be overwhelming, and doing so without doing proper research can lead to buying one that doesn’t match your needs. Below is a list of the best PS4 flash drives to buy.
Name
Key Features
Remark
Corsair Flash Voyager GTX
1TB max space, super-fast read, write speed, impressive operating temperature.
Top Pick
HyperX Savage
Fast read, write speed, supports USB 3.1, 512Gb space, cool aesthetics.
Premium Pick
Samsung BAR Plus
Fast read, write speed, supports up to USB 3.1, superb operating temperature.
Best for Budget
SanDisk Ultra Fit
Fast read, write speed, Can encrypt data, 512Gb max storage space, supports up to USB 3.1.
Check Price
Samsung MUF-256AB/AM FIT Plus
Fast read, write speed, supports up to USB 3.1, durable, affordable.
Check Price
There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to choosing the best flash drive for PS4.
You want to make sure that your flash drive is USB 3.0 or 3.1, it should have at least 256Gb storage capacity, and it should work seamlessly with the exFAT format.
You should also make sure that the flash drive you buy has a high read and writing speed. This will help minimize the time it takes to transfer data between the console and the flash drive.
The top 5 flash drives listed in the table above do a great job in all these standards.
What you should know about using flash drives for PS4?
On second thought, PS4 accepts 250GB of storage space, not the actual 250GB storage capacity. This means that if your drive comes with a sharp 250GB storage capacity, the PS4 system will reject it.
This is because, in terms of capacity, 1 megabyte is equal to 1,000,000 bytes, and one terabyte is equal to 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.
The PS4 uses the binary numbering system. In the system, one megabyte is equivalent to 1,048,576 bytes and one terabyte is equivalent to 1,099,511,776 bytes.
This means that the actual size of the 256GB flash drive is 256,000MB, which is less than the 250GB stated by the PS4. In addition, the drive needs to be used a few gigabytes to reserve the space.
So the capacity of the flash drive will not be enough for the PS4 if it is that exact 256 GB. In order to meet the storage requirements of the PS4, the minimum storage capacity of the drive has to be 512 GB or more.
This made the basis of how we selected our top picks for the best PS4 USB flash drive, along with considering quality, durability, performance, and price.
Final thoughts
PS4-compatible USB flash drives are very beneficial for gamers. They allow you to store and play data without the need for a cable. They are also very easy to install and use.
We have seen in this post that there are many reasons why you’d want to use a USB flash drive for PS4.
And that flash drives that work for PS4, if you want to extend the storage of PS4, are ones that have at least 250GB of usable space, and support USB 3.0 or higher connection.
Matt Connor is a Senior Editor at TechBeastz. He is an experienced writer, creative, editor, and journalist with a deep passion for all things tech and gaming. He spends a lot of time researching about tech devices, gadgets, and software. He specializes in gaming, security, and consumer technology. Matt has reviewed more than 500 products and can be found in front of the computer screen writing product reviews, how-tos, buying guides, and deals news.
