External storage is a great way to increase space on your PS4 without fiddling around with replacing your internal hard drive. However, with the plethora of external hard drives available it can be tough to choose which one is right for you. For consumers who don’t want to compare models or worry about incompatibilities, The Seagate Game Drive for PS4 is an officially licensed model that works right out of the box.
Seagate Game Drive for PS4 review | Design
The highlight of the Game Drive, besides the fact it stores data, is the design. The hard drive is encased in an attractive aluminum enclosure with blue highlights on the sides and the PlayStation logo in the upper right of the top side. It’s a great compliment to the PS4’s design and looks great alongside the console.
If you’re someone who is a stickler for aesthetics, the Seagate Game Drive is a lot more attractive than most of the plastic-bound external drives you’ll find on the market. The aluminum chassis also helps keep the hard drive a bit more protected against accidental drops and the like.
Seagate Game Drive for PS4 review | Usability
Using an external hard drive with the PS4 is easy. Just plug it in, format it through system settings, and you’re good. The Seagate Game Drive doesn’t do anything to make this process easier or harder; it works the same as any other external.
The Game Drive enclosure uses a USB Micro-B to USB 3.0 Type A connection to link with the PS4. This gives it a max throughput of 5 Gbit/s, which is way more than enough to keep up with the 5400 RPM hard drive inside. As much as I wish everything were USB-C, the PS4’s dependence on USB Type A connectors means this was the easiest way for Seagate to connect the drive.
Since we were reviewing the newly released 2 TB Seagate Game Drive for PS4, though, I hoped that the enclosure would take a USB-C connection and connected to the console via a Type-C male to Type-A male cord. I would assume the PS5 will be equipped with Type-C ports, and you may have to purchase another cable or adapter if you want to ensure the drive remains compatible with the next generation of consoles.
The 2 TB Game Drive fits around 25 titles on it, though your results will vary. Likewise, the 4 TB drive predictably holds roughly 50 games. That’s quite a bit of storage, especially if you’re still rocking a launch model PS4 with only 500 GB of storage available.
Seagate Game Drive for PS4 review | Price
You can get the Seagate Game Drive for PS4 for around $90 on Amazon. Prices fluctuate, but that’s about the average. By comparison, you can get a Seagate Expansion 2 TB external hard drive for $65. The hard drives in both enclosures provide about the same performance, so what does the extra $35 get you if you chose the Game Drive?
Well, it’s officially licensed from Sony, which means a lot less hassle if something happens to your system while using the Game Drive. The enclosure seems a bit more premium quality than your standard plastic case too. I like the Game Drive because it just looks good compared to its peers. However, when you get down to it, this is just a regular hard drive in a fancy case.
It all really comes down to personal preference. I can’t really name one particular advantage the Game Drive has over another 2 TB external drive other than it has been tested and certified to work with the PS4 flawlessly.
Seagate Game Drive for PS4 review | Is it worth it?
You can get the same performance out of any Seagate 2TB hard drive that you get from the Game Drive for PS4 significantly cheaper. However, the Game Drive is a bit more hearty than your standard external drive, and it has a more refined look that matches the PS4 well.
I recommend going the extra mile and getting the officially licensed Game Drive rather than just any external. It looks better, is constructed better, and will likely last longer as a result.
Seagate PR provided us with a 2 TB Game Drive for PS4 for review.
