Gaming

Recommended Hisense A65K settings for PS5, Xbox Series X and S

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If you bought the 2023 Hisense A6, which is referred to as the A65K, then you can check out this guide to see how you can properly set up this television when it comes to playing PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S games.

Compatible PS5 Features

When it comes to PlayStation 5 games, the A65K has a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz, which means that the frame rate tops out at 60 frames per second as opposed to 120 fps.

This television set does support Variable Refresh Rate starting at 48 Hz for the Sony console. Furthermore, you should also be able to use Auto Low Latency Mode and HDR10.

Compatible Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Features

The frame rate is also limited to 60 fps for Series X and Series S games with the A65K.

With that said, the TV is capable of using VRR with the two Xbox consoles, starting at 40 Hz, in addition to supporting ALLM, HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

How to optimize the A65K for gaming consoles

For the best settings when it comes to playing videogames on your Hisense A65K, we recommend that you take the following steps:

1. If you haven’t done so yet, connect your console to any of the four HDMI ports of the A65K. We recommend using the HDMI cable that came with your PS5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S for the best compatibility.

2. Next, press the gear cog button on the TV remote and then make your way to Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Picture Mode > Game. You should then enable Game Mode, which lowers the input lag.

3. Afterwards, navigate over to Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Advanced Settings > Instant Game Response and then make sure that Instant Game Response is set to Auto as this will turn on Auto Low Latency Mode.

4. You should now go to Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Advanced Settings > FreeSync and then make sure you enable it. Doing so will also turn on Variable Refresh Rate support.

5. Now turn on your PS5, Xbox Series S or Xbox Series S console, if you haven’t done so already, and then open its Settings menu.

On the PlayStation 5, head over to Screen and Video > Video Output.

From there, set Resolution to 2160p, HDR to On When Supported and the following options to Automatic:

  • VRR
  • 120 Hz
  • ALLM
  • 4K Transfer Rate
  • Deep Color Output
  • RGB Range

Next, select Adjust HDR and then follow the instructions to calibrate the HDR brightness output of the PS5 to your A65K.

On the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, navigate to General > TV & display options > Video modes.

From there, select the following:

  • Allow Auto-Low Latency Mode
  • Allow Variable Refresh Rate
  • Allow 4K
  • Allow HDR10
  • Allow Dolby Vision
  • Allow Dolby Vision for Gaming

Next, go back to General > TV & display options and make sure that Resolution is set to 4K UHD. On the same screen select Calibrate HDR for Gaming and then follow the instructions to sync up the HDR brightness output of the Xbox to the Hisense A65K.

Recommended Q70C settings for PS5, Xbox Series X and S

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If you have the Samsung Q70C (which is also known as the Q70 or Q70CD), then you can check out this Seeking Tech guide to see how you can properly set this QLED up for playing videogames on consoles such as the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Compatible PS5 Features

The Q70C is capable of outputting at a maximum 120 Hz refresh rate in resolutions of up to 4K when connected to a PlayStation 5 console. It also supports HDR10, Variable Refresh Rate (starting at 48 Hz) and Auto Latency Mode.

Compatible Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Features

When it comes to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, you can play games at up to 120 frames per second in resolutions of up to 4K. The TV also supports the HDR10, Variable Refresh Rate (starting at 40 Hz) and Auto Latency Mode features.

Unfortunately, the Q70C does not support the Dolby Vision HDR format.

How to optimize the Q70C for gaming

To get the best out of the Samsung Q70/Q70C/Q70CD when it comes to playing games on the PS5, Series X and/or Series S, we suggest that you take the following steps:

1. To begin with, connect your console to the QLED screen. All four of the HDMI ports of the Q70C are HDMI 2.1, so you can use any of them.

For best compatibility, use the HDMI 2.1 cable that came with your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X console.

If you have an Xbox Series S, then you can either use the HDMI 2.0 cable that came with it or get your own HDMI 2.1 cable.

2. Next, use the TV remote to open the Settings menu and then navigate over to Connection > External Device Manager > Input Signal Plus. Once you get there, make sure that Input Signal Plus is enabled for the HDMI port that is connected to your game console.

3. Afterwards, head over to Connection > Game Mode Settings and then enable the Game Mode setting if you haven’t done so already. This will turn on Variable Refresh Rate as well as lower the input lag.

4. From the same Game Mode Settings screen, you can also enable the Game Bar setting. This will let you open a gaming-specific quick menu by pressing and holding the play/pause button on the remote.

5. We also suggest that you turn on Game HDR as well. If you don’t find it in the Game Mode Settings menu, then see if you can select Game Picture Expert and see if you can turn this setting on from there.

By doing so, you will enable HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group).

6. You will also see the following options in the Game Mode Settings screen: Virtual Aim Point (which adds a reticle to the middle of the screen) and Dynamic Black Equalizer (which may make it easier to see in darker in-game environments).

If you select Game Motion Plus Settings, you can make games look smoother although it often comes at a cost of higher input lag.

We suggest that you leave these optional settings alone for now. If you run into issues with specific games, then you can return here to make adjustments.

7. Next, turn on your game console and then head over to its Settings menu.

For the PS5, go to Screen and Video > Video Output. On this screen, you need to set Resolution to 2160p, HDR to On When Supported as well as the following settings to Automatic: VRR, 120 Hz, ALLM, 4K Transfer Rate, Deep Color Output and RGB Range.

You should then select Adjust HDR and then follow the on-screen instructions to sync up the HDR brightness output of your console to your Q70C.

If you have your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S connected to the QLED, go to Settings > General > TV & Display Options > Video Modes. From there, make sure that the following settings are activated: Allow Auto-Low Latency Mode, Allow Variable Refresh Rate, Allow 4K and Allow HDR10.

Afterwards, return to Settings > General > TV & Display Options and double check to see if Resolution is set to 4K UHD and Refresh Rate is set to 120 Hz. You should then select Calibrate HDR for Gaming and then follow the on-screen directions to match the HDR brightness output of your console to the capabilities of the Samsung Q70C.

You should now be finished with setting up the Q70C for your PS5, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.

How to change the combo assist setting in Killer Instinct Anniversary Edition

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By default, combo assist is enabled in Killer Instinct Anniversary Edition. This setting allows you to pull off special moves without having to string together a string of button combinations in the correct order with proper timing.

To see how you can enable, disable, or customize this feature, you can take a look at this tutorial from Seeking Tech.

1. While you can enable or disable combo assist directly from the character selection screen (by pressing the X button if you are playing with a controller or fight stick with an Xbox layout), you won’t be able to customize it.

Therefore, we recommend that you head over to the Help & Options screen from the main menu instead.

2. Once you get there, select Controller.

3. On the next screen, scroll down to Combo Assist.

4. You will be able to change the combo Assist to Enabled, Disabled or Custom.

If you choose Custom, you need to open the Edit Settings screen (which can be done by pressing the A button on the Xbox controller). Afterwards, you can choose to enable or disable this assist feature for the following attack types:

  • Openers
  • Linkers
  • Enders
  • Ultras

Select the Save option once you are done to save your custom combo assist settings.

5. After changing the assistance feature, select Save to apply it in the game.

Recommended TCL Q7 settings for playing PS5, Xbox Series X and S games

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If you managed to get your hands on the TCL Q7, otherwise known as the Q750G, then you can check out this guide to see what the best settings are to use when it comes to optimizing the QLED for playing videogames on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S consoles.

Supported PS5 Features

With the Q7, the following gaming features are supported on the PlayStation 5:

  • UP to 120 frames per second
  • HDR10
  • Variable Refresh Rate from a range of 48 Hz to 60 Hz or 48 Hz to 120 Hz
  • Auto Low Latency Mode

Supported Xbox Series X and S features

This TCL QLED is capable of the following gaming features if you have an Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S:

  • Up to 120 frames per second
  • HDR10
  • Dolby Vision
  • Variable Refresh Rate from a range of 40 Hz to 60 Hz or 40 Hz to 120 Hz
  • Auto Low Latency Mode

How to optimize the TCL Q7/Q750G for gaming

To get the most out of the Q7 or Q750G set when playing games on the PS5, Series X or Series S, we suggest that you do the following:

1. For the first step, make sure you connect your console correctly to the TCL screen.

Use the HDMI 2.1 cable that is included with your PS5 and/or Xbox Series X to connect to the HDMI #1 or HDMI #2 port of the TV in order to unlock the full video transfer bandwidth.

If you have an Xbox Series S, then you can use its included HDMI 2.0 cable to connect to any of the four HDMI ports of the Q7. To get the full video transfer bandwidth, you have to get your own HDMI 2.1 cable and then connect the console to either of the first two HDMI ports.

2. Next, you need to press the home button on the TV remote to go to the home menu of your Q7. From there, press the gear cog button and then select Settings.

Navigate over to the HDMI Mode menu and then make sure that HDMI 2.1 is selected. You should see the following description:

Always use HDMI 2.1 mode for compatibly. Maximum resolution is 8K 60 Hz or 4K 120 Hz.

3. You then need to head over to Settings > System > Game Master.

By turning on Game Master, you will be able to play games at lower input lag in addition to enabling Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate.

This action will also enable the Game Master menu, which gives you quick access to the videogame settings of the TV. You will be able to view the FPS counter as well as whether or not you have HDR, ALLM and VRR enabled. Furthermore, you can turn on features such as shadow enhancement and aiming aid.

4. Turn on your console and then head over to its video output menu.

If you have the PS5, you can do so by going to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.

From that screen, set Resolution to 2160p, HDR to On When Supported as well as VRR, 120 Hz, ALLM, 4K Transfer Rate, Deep Color Output and RGB Range to Automatic.

Afterwards, select Adjust HDR. This will open up the HDR brightness calibration menu for the console. For the steps to sync the console’s HDR brightness output to the Q7.

On the Series X and Series S, head over to Settings > General > TV & display options > Video modes.

You should then make sure that the following options are selected:

  • Allow Auto-Low Latency Mode
  • Allow Variable Refresh Rate
  • Allow 4K
  • Allow HDR10
  • Allow Dolby Vision
  • Allow Dolby Vision for Gaming

Head back to the Settings > General > TV & display options screen and then make sure that Resolution is set to 4K UHD while Refresh Rate is set to 120 Hz.

You should then select Calibrate HDR for Gaming. Over the next three screens, follow the steps to align the console’s HDR brightness output to match the capabilities of the Q7.

You should now be fully set to get the most of this TCL television when it comes to gaming on the PS5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S.

Recommended X90L settings for PS5, Xbox Series X and S

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If you got your hands on the Sony X90L or X90CL, then you can take a look a this Seeking Tech guide to see how you can set up this television set to optimize it for playing PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S videogames.

Compatible PS5 Features

With the X90L, the refresh rate is 120 Hz at both 1080p and 4K resolutions on the PlayStation 5. At 1440p, the maximum frame rate drops to 60 fps. Therefore, you want to avoid the middle ground display resolution.

This Sony Bravia television set also supports Auto Low Latency Mode, Variable Refresh Rate (from 48 Hz to 60 Hz or 120 Hz) and HDR10.

Compatible Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Features

For the two Xbox Series consoles, the refresh rate is also 120 Hz at 1080p and 4K while being limited to 60 Hz at 1440p. The TV support ALLM, VRR (from 40 Hz to 60 Hz or 120 Hz) and HDR10 as well for Xbox games as well.

While Dolby Vision is supported, it limits the refresh rate to 60 Hz at all resolutions.

How to optimize the X90L or X90CL for gaming

In order to get the most with your Sony X90L when it comes to gaming, you can take the following steps:

1. Connect your console to your Sony Bravia.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X both come with HDMI 2.1 cables, which you should use to connect to either HDMI Port #3 or HDMI Port #4 of the X90L.

Since the Xbox Series S only comes with a HDMI 2.0 cable, you can use it to connect to any of the four HDMI ports on the Sony TV. You can also get a HDKI 2.1 cable and then connect the Series S to either the third or fourth HDMI port.

2. Next, use your TV remote to open the TV’s settings menu and then navigate over to the HDMI Signal Format menu. Select the HDMI port that is connected to your game console and then select Enhanced Format (VRR).

If you want to play or watch Dolby Vision content on the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, then you can select Enhanced Format (Dolby Vision) instead. Since not a lot of games take advantage of this HDR format, we recommend using Enhanced Format (VRR) as the default and then switching over to Enhanced Format (Dolby Vision) on a game-by-game or video-by-video basis.

3. Next, head over to the Picture section in the Settings menu of your X90L. Here, you need to make sure that the Picture Mode is set to Game, which reduces the input lag and enables Variable Refresh Rate.

This should also turn on the Game Bar, which is a quick settings menu where you can manually switch on or off Variable Refresh Rate, Black Equalizer (which may help you see better in darker games) and Crosshair (which adds a crosshair to the middle of the screen). There is also a Motion Blur Reduction option here but it is disabled when VRR is turned on.

In the same section, make sure you have Auto Picture Mode enabled as this will turn on Auto Low Latency Mode.

4. You should be done with the settings on the X90L side. However, there is still more work to do on the console side.

On the PS5, navigate over to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and then make sure you have the following settings set up correctly:

  • Resolution: 2160p
  • VRR: Automatic
  • 120 Hz: Automatic
  • ALLM: Automatic
  • HDR: On When Supported
  • 4K Transfer Rate: Automatic
  • Deep Color Output: Automatic
  • RGB Range: Automatic

On the same screen, select Adjust HDR and then go through the on-screen steps to calibrate the HDR brightness output of your console for the X90L.

For the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, go to Settings > General > TV & display options > Video modes and then make sure you select the following boxes:

  • Allow Auto-Low Latency Mode
  • Allow Variable Refresh Rate
  • Allow 4K
  • Allow HDR10

For Dolby Vision, you need to check Allow Dolby Vision and Allow Dolby Vision for Gaming as well.

Next, return to Settings > General > TV & display options and then make sure that Resolution is set to 4K UHD and Refresh Rate is set to 120 Hz.

You should then select Calibrate HDR for Gaming and go through the on-screen steps to tune the HDR brightness output of the Xbox Series console to match the capabilities of your Sony X90L.

You should now be fully optimized to get the most out of your PS5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S.

Recommended LG UR8000 settings for PS5, Xbox Series X and S

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If you recently got the LG UR8000 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS 23 with ThinQ AI TV, then you can check out this guide to see how you can properly set it up in order to get the most out of playing videogames on your PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S.

Supported PS5 Features

With the UR8000, you can play PlayStation 5 games at up to 120 frames per second with Variable Refresh Rate support if you have the 86-inch variant. For the smaller sizes, you are limited to a maximum of 60 fps with no VRR.

All screen sizes of this television support HDR10 and Auto Low Latency Mode when it comes to the PS5.

Supported Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Features

With the Series X and Series S, the 120 Hz refresh rate and VRR are both limited to the 86-inch screen size. For the smaller sizes, the frame rate tops out at 60 fps with no Variable Refresh Rate.

The TV also supports HDR10 and ALLM when connected to these Xbox consoles. This screen can’t play any Dolby Vision content, however.

How to optimize the UR8000 for gaming

For the best LG UR8000 settings when it comes to playing games on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S, we suggest that you take the following steps:

1. Connect your console to the HDMI port of the UR8000 if you haven’t done so already.

For best compatibility, use the HDMI 2.1 cable that came with your PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. If you have a Series S, then you can use the included HDMI 2.0 cable or get your own HDMI 2.1 cable.

For the 86-inch screen size, make sure you connect the console to a HDMI 2.1 port.

On the 43-inch, 50-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 70-inch and 75-inch versions, all three of the HDMI ports are 2.0; therefore, you can use any of the available ports.

2. Use the remote of your LG television set to open the Settings menu. From there, head over to the Game section, where you can then enable the Game Optimizer.

By doing so, the TV will lower the input lag in addition to turning on Dynamic Auto Sync and HDMI Deep Color. Furthermore, 120 frames per second and Variable Refresh Rate should automatically be enabled if you have the 86-inch version of the series.

3. From the same Game section, make sure that ALLM is enabled if it hasn’t been turned on already. This will allow the TV to automatically switch over to Game Optimizer whenever it detects that you are connected to a gaming console.

4. There are other settings in the Game menu such as Game Genre, Reduce Blue Light and Dark Room Mode. We recommend that you leave these alone for now. If a game looks off, then you can try playing with these options later on.

5. You should be done setting up your UR8000 from gaming. However, there is still more work to do on the console side.

For the PS5, head over to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. In that menu, set Resolution to 2160p, HDR to On When Supported as well as VRR, 120 Hz (if applicable), ALLM, 4K Transfer Rate, Deep Color Output and RGB Range to Automatic.

Afterwards, select Adjust HDR and then follow the on-screen instructions over the next three screens to calibrate the HDR brightness output for your LG UR8000.

For both the Xbox Series X or Series S, go to Settings > General > TV & display options > Video modes. In that screen, select Allow Auto-Low Latency Mode, Allow Variable Refresh Rate (if applicable), Allow 4K and Allow HDR10.

Return to the Settings > General > TV & display options screen and then make sure that Resolution is set to 4K UHD and, if applicable, Refresh Rate is set to 120 Hz.

On the same screen, select Calibrate for HDR Gaming and then follow the steps that appear over the next three screens to configure the HDR brightness output of the console to match the capabilities of the UR8000.

Your TV and console should now be set up to get the most of PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S games.

Recommended QN85C Settings for PS5, Xbox Series X and S

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If you got the Samsung QN85C or QN85CD, then you can check out this guide at Seeking Tech to see what setting you should be using to get the most out of playing video games on your PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and/or Xbox Series S console.

Supported PS5 Features

With the QN85C, you will be able to play PS5 games at up to 120 frames per second to go along with Variable Refresh Rate (from 48 Hz to 60 Hz or 120 Hz). Also supported are HDR10 and Auto Low Latency Mode.

Supported Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Features

The QN85C is capable of displaying Series X and Series S games at up to 120 frames per second with VRR (from 40 Hz to 60 Hz or 120 Hz). This TV also supports HDR10 (but not Dolby Vision) as well as ALLM.

How to optimize the QN85C for gaming

For the best settings when it comes to gaming on your Samsung QN85C QLED, we recommend that you take the following steps:

1. If you haven’t done so already, connect your console to the HDMI port of your television set. All four HDMI ports are version 2.1; so, you can use any of them for the connection.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X both come with a HDMI 2.1 cable. Make sure you use them for the connection if you want to unlock the full video transfer bandwidth.

Since the HDMI cable that came with the Xbox Series S is 2.0, the bandwidth will be more limited. This should be fine since the games running on this lower spec console most likely won’t take advantage of the extra bandwidth. With that said, you could still get your own HDMI 2.1 cable for the Series S as well.

2. After connecting the console, open the Settings menu of your Samsung QLED and then navigate over to Connection > External Device Manager > Input Signal Plus.

From there, select the HDMI port that is connected to your console and then make sure that Input Signal Plus is enabled for it. This should turn on HDR10 support.

3. Go back to the Settings menu of the QN85C and then head over to Connection > Game Mode Settings. From there, make sure you have Game Mode enabled.

By doing so, you should enable Auto Low Latency Mode and Variable Refresh Rate along with reducing the input lag.

4. There are other features in the Game Mode Settings menu that we suggest that you leave alone for now. In the future, you can go back here to play with the following on a game-by-game basis:

  • Dynamic Black Equalizer
  • Game Motion Plus
  • Blur Reduction
  • Judder Reduction
  • LED Clear Motion
  • Clear Motion

Dynamic Black Equalizer may help you see better in darker environments. The motion features may make the game appear to run smoother although they come at a cost of higher input latency.

5. Next, you need to make your way to the Settings menu of your game console.

On the PlayStation 5, head towards Screen and Video > Video Output. Once you get there, set Resolution to 2160p, HDR to On When Supported as well as the following settings to Automatic:

  • VRR
  • 120 Hz
  • ALLM
  • 4K Transfer Rate
  • Deep Color Output
  • RGB Range

For the two Xbox consoles, head over to General > TV & display options > Video modes. On this screen, make sure that the following is selected:

  • Allow Auto-Low Latency Mode
  • Allow Variable Refresh Rate
  • Allow 4K
  • Allow HDR10

Go back to the General > TV & display options and then make sure that Resolution is set to 4K UHD and Refresh Rate is set to 120 Hz.

6. One final step is to calibrate the HDR output of your console to optimize it for the Samsung QN85C.

To do so on the PlayStation 5, open its Settings menu and then select Screen and Video > Video Output > Adjust HDR.

On the Xbox Series X and S, navigate over to Settings > General > TV & display options > Calibrate HDR for gaming.

Follow the steps that appear over the next three screens to set up your HDR brightness output.

You should now be done setting up your QN85C for the PS5, Series X and/or Series S.

Skull & Co. Skin, CQC and FPS Thumb Grip Set review

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If you are looking for a thumb stick and/or analog cover, then you may have found the Skin, CQC and FPS Thumb Grip Set from Skull & Co. during your search. So, is this three-set bundle worth it? You can find out in this review article at Seeking Tech.

Compatibility

The Skin, CQC and FPS Thumb Grip is mainly advertised for the DualShock 4 and DualSense controller although Skull & Co. has stated that these covers should work well with the Nintendo Switch Pro controller as well.

We also tested the grips on the Xbox Series X controller and Nintendo Switch Joy-Con. While not optimal, they are usable.

Installation

Attaching the grips on to the analogs is relatively easy. In order to do so, you have to turn up the edges of the covers all the way outwards, push the middle of the cover down the analog stick making sure you align it correctly and then make sure that the edge wraps around the analog completely when you unfurl it.

It took us a couple of tries to properly install the grips. You should make sure that the edge has been completely set in place at the bottom of the analog: otherwise, the covers will easily fall off.

Grip Types

This bundle come with three grip types:

The Skull & Co. Skin Grip adds 2 mm of additional height to the analog stick. This provides the most natural feel as you should barely notice any difference when it comes to height. We used this for our DualSense analogs as the original top of the left stick started to peel off.

The Skull & Co. FPS Master Grip adds 7 mm of additional height, which the company claims to improve accuracy by increasing the movable radius by 42%.

The Skull & Co. CQC Elite Grip adds 11 mm of additional height, which supposedly increases the movable radius by 60%.

We found that the extra height added by the FPS Master Grip takes a little bit to get used to but ultimately felt comfortable with it. The taller CQC Elite Grip feels more uncomfortable for us, however, and may take even more time to get used.

As for improving the movable radius, we didn’t notice any difference. Most modern videogames already have sensitivity settings for the analog movements anyway; so, this feature seems a little redundant to us.

Summary

The Skull & Co. Skin and CQC Thumb Grips are both good replacements if you happen to damage the analogs of your DualSense, DualShock 4 and/or Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers. The FPS Thumb Grips are more uncomfortable when compared to the other two due to the added height.

We didn’t notice any performance improvements when it comes to the supposed increased moveable radius.

Since you get three pairs of covers in a relatively affordable set, we recommend picking this product up if you are looking for analog covers. Just don’t expect them to improve your gaming performance too much if at all.

If you are interested, you can purchase the Skull & Co. Skin, CQC and FPS Thumb Grip Set on Amazon with this link (#CommissionsEarned).

Is the Crucial P5 Plus with Heatsink worth it for PS5?

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If you are looking for a compatible M.2 solid state drive where you can store and play PlayStation 5 games, then you might want to consider getting the Crucial P5 Plus.

You can check out Seeking Tech’s review for this storage drive, when it is being used with the PS5 console, to see if the product is good enough.

Meeting the PS5 M.2 SSD Requirements

The Crucial P5 Plus meets all the requirements to be used as an additional storage option for PlayStation 5 games.

The SSD uses the M.2 2280 form factor, PCI-Express Gen4x4 NVMe interface in addition to a Socket 3 (Key M) connector.

With the heatsink installed, it is also small enough to fit within the 25 mm maximum width, 110 mm maximum length and 11.25 mm maximum height of the M.2 dock bay of the PS5.

The P5 Plus is also advertised with a reading speed of up to 6,600MB/s, which is more than the recommended 5,500MB/s for a compatible PS5 M.2 solid state drive.

Heatsink

The Crucial P5 Plus comes with a variant that has a heatsink already pre-installed right out of the box. This saves you the trouble of finding a compatible heat reduction add-on as well as having to carefully install it on the solid state drive.

Installation

Inserting this SSD in our PlayStation 5 proved to be a little troublesome for us although most of the issues may be from our lack of experience.

To install the Crucial P5 Plus, you need to take off the top cover of the PlayStation 5, remove the metal cover of the M.2 expansion bay and then insert the SSD into the slot.

To insert the P5 Plus, you have to do so from a diagonally upwards position at around a 30 degree angle. You should be able to feel and hear it click into the slot. This process took us several tries to get right with the storage drive.

If you inserted the drive incorrectly, then you may end up seeing the “Can’t access your M.2 SSD” error message. To see how you can make this message go away, you can check out this troubleshooting article.

Formatting

Once you inserted the drive correctly, the PlayStation 5 should let you know that you need to format it before you can start using the SSD as a storage option.

This process is automated. Once it is done, you should see the reading speed as detected by the PlayStation 5. The number can be somewhat different every time you do a reformat. In our initial setup, the speed was 5,623MB/s, which is faster than the recommended 5,500MB/s to be able to play PS5 games.

Storage Space

We installed the Crucial P5 Plus 2TB Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD Internal Gaming SSD with Heatsink in our PlayStation 5. If you open the console’s Settings menu and then navigate over to Storage > M.2 SSD Storage, you should be able to see the total size and free space of the P5 Plus.

In our case, the 2TB P5 Plus (which is referred to as CT20000P5PSSD8 in the PS5 menus) has a total size of 2.01 TB with a free space of 2.00 TB with nothing installed.

Performance

So far, the Crucial P5 Plus SSD with Heatsink has worked flawlessly when playing the PlayStation 5 games that we have installed on it. The loading times, at least in our eyes, appear to be the same as when running the same game using the console’s internal storage.

When transferring games to and from the P5 Plus to the PS5’s console storage and vice versa, the progress was lighting quick as well.

By going to Settings > Storage > Installation Location, you will be able to tell the PS5 to download and install future games directly to the P5 Plus. We recommend doing this so that you don’t wear down the console’s solid state drive as these are soldiered directly to the motherboard and can’t be removed. So, if the console’s SSD is no longer working, then you need to replace the entire console as opposed to simply inserting a new M.2 solid state drive.

For the uninformed, every solid state drive has a Terabytes Written (or TBW for short) limit, which is the maximum amount of data that can be written on the drive over its lifetime. This is a general specification as the SSD may die off sooner or last longer.

Recap

Once you get past the installation phrase, which can be somewhat difficult if you have never inserted a M.2 SSD on your PlayStation 5, then the Crucial P5 Plus SSD with Heatsink should work without any noticeable performance issues.

So, if you are looking to expand the storage of your console, then we suggest that you pick up the Crucial P5 Plus SSD. If you are interested, you can purchase the PS5-compatible storage drive on Amazon via this link (#CommissionsEarned).

How to reformat your PS5 M.2 SSD Storage

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If you have an issue with the M.2 SSD Storage on your PlayStation 5, then you can try reformatting it. To see how you can properly do so from the console, you can check out this tutorial from Seeking Tech.

1. If you haven’t done so yet, turn on your PS5 and make sure you are in the home screen menu.

2. From the home screen, select the gear cog icon that can be found on the top right side to open up Settings.

3. Select Storage from the list of options.

4. In the Storage screen, select M.2 SSD Storage on the left side.

5. On the right side, you should see details on the M.2 expansion drive that you inserted into your PlayStation 5 console. Here, you need to select the Reformat option.

6. You should see the following message:

To reformat your M.2 SSD, you need to restart your PS5. If you reformat the M.2 SSD, all data on it will be deleted.

Select Restart and Reformat.

7. Once the console has rebooted, it should automatically format the M.2 sold state drive once again.