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Tested: PlayStation 4 Hard Drive vs. SSD vs. Hybrid Drive
 
The PlayStation 4's built-in storage drive is more important than ever, but the 500GB hard drive included with the next-gen console is slow to install and load games. Good thing it's easily replaceable. We test the benefits of replacing it with an SSD and a hybrid drive (SSHD) to see what difference a $100 upgrade can make.
 
[9:06]
 
Boot
Default 25.67s
Hybrid 20.3s
SSD 19.5s
 
Knack Disc
Default 39.67s
Hybrid 33.67s
SSD 34s
 
Killzone Downloaded
Default 60s
Hybrid 42s
SSD 39s
 
Resogun Downloaded
2/3 of a second difference

 

Best bet seems to be a hybrid drive.

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Replacing the drive was a big thing with the PS3, good to see you retain that capability, and that it actually makes a difference. Is there a size limit to the upgraded hard drives?

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Replacing the drive was a big thing with the PS3, good to see you retain that capability, and that it actually makes a difference. Is there a size limit to the upgraded hard drives?

 

I put in my 1TB drive in to the PS4 (originally had in my PS3) and it worked.

After formating / installing Update 1.50, gave about 840ish GB free.  

 

Using a hybrid drive is pretty tempting, gives more of a performance boost then I was expecting.

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The numbers for 3 of those 4 tests don't really seem to make the $100 worth the price for a speed upgrade alone.

 

Nice boost but I kinda would've expected the SSD to be faster.  My PC boots in 10 seconds with UEFI and an SSD.

 

Your pc in your sig also has a fast cpu. These new consoles do not.

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Does that matter for hybrid drives? I'm not sure how those work in comparison to full ssds.

 

 

I don't think so. As far as the OS is concerned hybrid drives are normal HD. I think all is handled by the controller on the disk. Could be wrong though.

 

But the test is skewed. As far as i know all SSHD are 7200rpm. So the gain going from default to SSHD in the test my be going from a 5400rpm HD to a 7200rpm HD and the flash memory on the SSHD might have nothing to do with it. They would need to test a normal 7200rpm HD without flash memory.

 

There's no doubt anyone buying a PS4 and knowledgeable enough to replace the HD will want to remove the 5400rpm HD and replace it with a 7200rpm one.

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Hopefully this post helps people.

 

The built-in drive is a 2.5" 5,400 RPM hard drive.
 
Viable upgrades:

 

Starting prices for 2.5" 7,200 RPM hard drives:

Starting prices for 2.5" 10,000 RPM hard drives:

Starting prices for 2.5" hybrid SSD drives:

  • 500 GB - ?54
  • 1 TB - ?82
  • 2 TB - not readily available
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It should have a SSD in it to begin with or it should be empty.

I'm not very impressed with "next gen."

 

The same with high end TV's, do not include some junky 10W speakers that are never turned on.

SSD's are still pretty costly, especially if you want higher capacity models. The price of the PS4 would have to be a lot more...

 

I know a lot of people who use the TV speakers over a home theater or external speaker setup...If you don't like the next gen, simple, don't buy it! I'm not tempted by either system. I will probably wait till the slim Xbox One comes out, and hopefully it's cheaper by then too. After all, I just got my 360 Slim like a year ago.

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I know a lot of people who use the TV speakers over a home theater or external speaker setup...

I said "high end." Anyone that purchases a $2-2.5+k TV and utilizes the built in speakers is a jackass.

 

If you don't like the next gen, simple, don't buy it!

Yeah, I won't. Thanks for the super-pro, unique tip. But I still retain the right to criticize the ###### out of it and the fools willing to buy them.

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The numbers for 3 of those 4 tests don't really seem to make the $100 worth the price for a speed upgrade alone.

 

 

Your pc in your sig also has a fast cpu. These new consoles do not.

 

less to do with CPU performance and more to do with the fact that BSD doesn't boot fast period.  Windows 8.1 with SSD be it on surface, surface 2 or my desktop or may laptop boots amazingly quick..  The PS4 surely has to be faster than Tegra3 CPU wise, but again, Fast boot isn't what FreeBSD is known for..

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I said "high end." Anyone that purchases a $2-2.5+k TV and utilizes the built in speakers is a jackass.

 

Yeah, I won't. Thanks for the super-pro, unique tip. But I still retain the right to criticize the **** out of it and the fools willing to buy them.

I agree man, it seems foolish to me too. But, I've been in many houses where that was the case - beautiful TV using crap TV speakers. If you can afford $1k+ TV, you can probably afford a home theater setup. 

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It should have a SSD in it to begin with or it should be empty.

I'm not very impressed with "next gen."

 

The same with high end TV's, do not include some junky 10W speakers that are never turned on.

Err.. you do realise that if they were to include a 512GB SSD that their manufacturing cost would rise by at least $100, right?

 

And if they included a smaller SSD, people would be complaining how there's not enough space. You can't please everyone.

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I said "high end." Anyone that purchases a $2-2.5+k TV and utilizes the built in speakers is a jackass.

 

<snip>

Some people can't afford a home cinema all at once. So they buy the TV first, then the speaker system later when they save up for it.

 

Therefore a television of any class should always have built-in speakers, even if they're basic.

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The PS3 got quite a nice speed boost with an SSD, obviously not to its full potential because it's SATA 2, sadly the PS4 is SATA 2 as well. 

The console is SATA II?

 

That's a shame :(

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Err.. you do realise that if they were to include a 512GB SSD that their manufacturing cost would rise by at least $100, right?

 

And if they included a smaller SSD, people would be complaining how there's not enough space. You can't please everyone.

So you leave it empty...

 

MS just did this...

 

A person like me would be penalized for buying the console in it's current state. (Excluding other launch issues.)

 

Some people can't afford a home cinema all at once. So they buy the TV first, then the speaker system later when they save up for it.

That's nice.

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