Video game consoles have grown and changed over the years. From the early cartridge-based systems, to cartridges with on-board memory for saved games, all the way up to the disc-based/download-ready systems of today. Today’s games take up a lot of storage, even if you’re playing them directly from the disc. We’ve previously reviewed the Seagate Game Drive for Xbox One and the new Seagate Game Drive for PS4 offers up 2TB of external storage for your PlayStation gaming needs. Read all about how it performs in this full review.
Specifications
- 2TB of capacity — store 50+ games, no more deleting your favorite games
- High-speed USB 3.0 allows you full-speed gaming
- Plugs directly into any USB port on your PlayStation 4 console
- Simple guided setup through your PlayStation. Takes less than 3 minutes
- Built and tested for PS4 gaming — inside and out. Compatible with any generation of PS4 (System Software version 4.50 or higher)
- USB bus-powered — no extra power cord necessary
What’s in the Box
- Seagate® Game Drive for PS4
- 18-inch (45.72cm) USB 3.0 cable
- Quick start guide
Design
The Game Drive for PS4 is a rectangle, approximately 3” x 4 ½” and exceptionally thin at about 1/3″ thick. The top of the drive has a small Seagate logo in the lower right corner, and a thin slit for the power indicator LED in the upper left corner. The outer edge of the drive is PlayStation Blue all the way around, a nice touch to indicate that this drive is meant for your PlayStation 4. The bottom of the drive has a larger Seagate logo overlayed across the entire back, not completely visible, but nicely laid out to add a bit of design to an ordinarily blank area. The front and sides of the drive are simply blue, there’s no other ornamentation or access there. The back has the USB input, allowing the drive to connect to your PlayStation 4. The included USB 3.0 cord is approximately 18” and will reach easily from the back of your PlayStation allowing you to set the Game Drive on top of your system.
Setup
Getting up and going with the Game Drive is very easy. The drive is pretty much ready to go, you’ll just plug the USB cable into the drive and then into your PlayStation. After turning on your PS4 it will recognize the drive, though you will still need to format it as external storage in order to use it. You should have a notification telling you about extended USB storage, which you can select in order to direct you to the appropriate location to format the drive. Formatting only took about a minute and then the drive is ready to go.
Performance
Transferring data from internal storage to the Game Drive is relatively quick. A smaller game install for Dragon Quest Builders only took about 11 seconds to transfer 950 MB while a larger 30GB install for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 took approximately 5 minutes. Installing games directly to the drive is just as fast, and drive settings will determine whether or not new games are installed directly to the external storage.
Running games off of the game drive was also painless, with no noticeable lag. At 2TB, your storage capabilities will depend largely on what you’re storing on it. Lots of smaller indie/arcade games will take up less room than your Horizon: Zero Dawn or Final Fantasy XV installs obviously. Seagate claims you should have room for 50+ games, though your mileage will obviously vary. I’m still a relatively new PS4 owner, so I’m not currently maxing out the storage even slightly, though being able to store my game installs on a removable drive is still definitely quite helpful.
If your entire game is stored on the Game Drive, you can simply attach your drive to your friend’s PS4 and play your game on their system. If you just have the install from a disc-based game you will still need the disc in order to play.
Price/Value
The 2TB Game Drive has an MSRP of $109.99 USD, though you can find it for $89.99 USD on Amazon. This is slightly more expensive than Seagate’s non PS4-branded 2TB drives, though not so much more as to be completely inappropriate. This drive does have a unique design, which really does fit nicely with the overall aesthetic of the PS4, and it is super-easy to set up with your console, which definitely adds value as well. USB 3.0 speeds offer incredibly fast performance, which also adds value.
Wrap Up
If you’ve got a lot of PlayStation 4 games, or just like to take your games with you to a friend’s house, the Seagate Game Drive for PS4 offers good storage at a decent price. Its ease of setup with your PlayStation 4 offers good value for gamers looking for simplicity with their storage.
*We were sent a review sample of the Seagate Game Drive for PS4 for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on November 19, 2017.
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