PlayStation 3

Upgrading the HDD

Upgrading the drive erases everything on the new disk and may not carry over your existing data automatically. Back up your saves and content first. Always power the console down fully and unplug it before removing the drive caddy.

More space, faster loads

The PS3 stores games, saves, and media on a standard 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, the same form factor used in laptops. Because it is a user-serviceable part, you can replace the original drive with a larger one for more storage, or fit a 2.5-inch SSD for quieter operation and quicker loading. This is one of the easiest and most rewarding upgrades on the console.

Choosing a drive

Form factor: 2.5-inch SATA, the same as a laptop drive.
Capacity: a larger HDD for cheap bulk storage.
SSD option: faster, silent, and more shock resistant, though gains are modest on this hardware.

Back up your data
Copy saves and content to external storage or cloud before you start.
Remove the old drive
Slide out the drive bay cover, unscrew the caddy, and disconnect the existing disk.
Fit the new drive
Mount the new HDD or SSD into the caddy and reinsert it into the bay.
Reformat and restore
Let the console format the new drive, reinstall firmware if prompted, then restore your backup.

Heads up

Keep your old drive untouched until the new one is confirmed working, so you have a fallback if anything goes wrong.

storage ssd upgrade