One of the easiest ways to improve your gaming setup is by upgrading your SSD. It’s quick to do, pretty easy and will really level up your rig. But how? Well, we’ll explain exactly why it’s worth doing. And give you some handy installation tips – whether you’re playing on a PS5 or a gaming laptop. Let’s get stuck in…
Why choose Crucial T500 for your gaming setup?
Both versions of the PS5 – the digital edition and standard edition – come with a built-in 1TB SSD storage drive. But that fills up quick, especially as PS5 games keep getting bigger and more technically impressive. Those massive open worlds and shiny new graphics take up a lot of room after all.
That’s why the Crucial 1TB SSD or Crucial 2TB SSD are a no brainer as far as we’re concerned. They’ll beef up your storage, giving you way more space for all your favourite titles. And you won’t have to constantly delete games from your library to free up a spot either.
They’re a game changer when it comes to loading times too. Crucial’s tests found that most titles load a whopping 16% faster when compared to the built-in SSD on the PS5. So, those loading screens will absolutely fly by, and you’ll spend more time actually playing, instead of sitting there twiddling your thumbs. It’s the perfect SSD for PS5.
Not a PS5 gamer? You can still get in on the action on your gaming PC or gaming laptop with this Crucial T500 M.2 internal 1TB SSD. Install it, and you’ll get all the same next level boosts for your rig. What are you waiting for? Let the games begin!
Installation guide for PlayStation 5
Planning on installing the T500 in your PS5? Before you get started, you’ll need to get a few things together:
A #1 Phillips or crosshead screwdriver.
A small flashlight (the light on your phone will do too).
A well-lit room.
A soft cloth.
A table you can work on.
Right, now you’re ready to get going…
First off, touch a metal object to get rid of any static electricity from your body. If you don’t, you might damage your PS5 or the SSD.
Make sure your PS5 has also been updated to the latest system software. Once it’s downloaded, turn it off and unplug it.
Put your PS5 on the cloth and lie it on the table. Flip it so that the PS logo is face down and the power button is facing away from you.
With your right hand, grip the bottom right corner of the console cover, and use your left hand to grab the top left corner.
Lift the cover up gently with your right hand while you slide it off with your left. Use your fingers to keep the PS5 steady and stop it sliding about.
Once the cover’s off, you should be able to see the expansion slot (it’s the SSD sized metal section at the bottom).
Grab your Phillips screwdriver and unscrew the expansion cover. Take your time though – because if you drop that screw into the console fan, you’ll have a rough time getting it out again!
Once you’ve lifted out the cover, you’ll see a green area with five expansion screw holes.
Under the ‘110’ hole, carefully remove the screw and take out the spacer. Put the screw to one side and pop the spacer in the screw hole that matches the Crucial T500 SSD size.
Grab your SSD and line it up with the notch in the expansion slot on the right-hand side.
Starting from a diagonally upward angle, slide the SSD in all the way.
Once it’s in, tilt the other end down and fasten it using the screw you set aside from step 9.
Reattach the expansion slot cover and fasten the screw back in.
Put the console cover back on by positioning it slightly away from the top edge and sliding it back on.
You’ll hear a click when the cover is properly secured.
Reattach all the cables and fire up your PS5.
The formatting guide will pop up. Follow the instructions and format your new SSD drive.
Installing your T500 SSD in laptops
The process is a bit different for installing the Crucial 1TB SSD on your gaming laptop. Again, you’ll need to gather some supplies first:
A screwdriver.
Your laptop’s owner’s manual.
Got those? Let’s get cracking…
Just before you start the install, back up any important files on your computer to an external hard drive, USB flash drive or cloud storage. Then if something goes wrong, all your data will be safe and sound.
Turn off your computer completely.
Take out the power cable and the battery. You only need to remove the battery when you actually can (some laptops won’t let you). To see how to get the battery out, have a quick read of your owner’s manual.
Hold the power button down for five seconds to discharge any electricity that’s left in the laptop.
Open up the case. This’ll vary depending on your laptop, so flick through the owner’s manual again to see how to do it.
Ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface. This’ll protect your laptop’s components from the static that’s naturally in your body.
Find the M.2 PCIe slot. It’s usually right under the bottom panel or beneath the keyboard. For the exact location, check your owner’s manual.
You might find that there’s a screw or heat sink that needs to be taken out before you can pop your SSD in.
To insert the SSD, hold it carefully by the sides, being careful not to touch any gold connector pin.
Line the notches in the SSD up with the ridges in the PCIe, then put it in at a 30-degree angle. Be super careful when you do this though and don’t force it.
You might have to secure the drive with a screw that fastens into the provided mount on the motherboard. Don’t over-tighten it though.
SSD snug in the slot? Put your laptop back together.
Turn on your computer and get gaming!
Why is a heatsink important in gaming consoles?
Some consoles and computers can get pretty toasty. Why though? Games nowadays are more complex than back in the days of Pacman and Space Invaders. And it’s that size and scope that puts more strain on your system. It’s a lot of work to run them, and your fans and different components are working overtime to stay on top of things.
Luckily, the applied heatsink in the Crucial T500 helps to keep things nice and cool. So, you’ll still have a PlayStation 5 or laptop that doesn’t get too warm during the heat of battle. And by maintaining that high performance, you won’t run into a gamer’s worst nightmare either – the dreaded lag.
Need something new to play? Then head on over to our upcoming games page. We’ve got all the latest details on the year’s biggest new releases – from Star Wars Outlaws to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
