Sandisk's New PlayStation 5 SSD Costs More Than The Console It Goes Inside

These days, it certainly doesn't feel like it's getting any easier being a gamer. With certain electronic components only continuing to increase in price due to demand, those outside of the world of gaming are also beginning to feel the squeeze. Even the Steam Deck saw prices rise after being restocked in May, making modern gaming feel like something of a luxury. Unfortunately, Sandisk's new offerings for PS5 owners may only further solidify how dire the situation is for gamers.

Hardware manufacturer Sandisk recently announced its new Optimus GX Pro 850 NVMe SSD, declaring it "the officially licensed drive for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro Consoles." Offering up to a massive 8TB of storage, the drives come with an impressive array of features, though with a price to match. There are multiple storage options, but those who want the 8TB option for downloading games and additional files can expect to pay nearly $3,000. For perspective, the PlayStation 5 Pro retails for around $899.99 and comes with 2TB of storage.

Though we can weigh the pros and cons of buying a PS5 Pro in 2026, it may be more difficult to justify the cost of Sandisk's latest release. For what it's worth, there are other drives on the market for less than Sandisk's offerings; an 8GB WD Black SSD with similar specs is currently going for about $1,300 on Amazon. However, even these prices may still be a bitter pill to swallow for some.

Available in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB storage options, the Sandisk Optimus GX Pro is a solid-state drive officially licensed for PlayStation 5 consoles. Designed specifically for the M.2 2280 slot on both the base and Pro models, it also features a heatsink tailored to Sony's machines. However, these drives are also pricey, with the 1TB model starting at $379.99 and prices ballooning to $2,959.99 for the 8TB model.

With read and write speeds of up to 7,300 and 6,600 MB/s on the 2TB and 4TB models, there's also support for PCIe 4.0, and those running Windows 10 or later can take advantage of the SSDs in their gaming rigs. With the largest model, Sandisk touts that PS5 users can store and retrieve up to 200 downloadable game titles — which is certainly one way to get the most out of your PS5. However, online users nonetheless seem dismayed by the news.

Looking at comments from gamers on Reddit discussing the SSD, many were put off by the high asking price of the drive, though one user joked that users can "Just solder five PS5 together for more processing power and almost as much space. That's how it works right?" Multiple users also left inappropriate comments expressing their disappointment in response to Sandisk's announcement on X. Right now, Sandisk's official page appears to be sold out of all models, with a button that allows users to be notified when more are available.