PS4 disk replacement - Firecuda the best option?

[Crafty]

Got an OG PS4 thats running out of space, so want to put a 2tb drive in it. It seems that the only real choice is a Seagate Firecuda SSHD, but I'm put off by the many reports of failures but there doesn't seem to be much choice in this configuration, the only other drive I can find is a WD Blue on amazon which has an iffy warranty according to reviews. I could get a 1tb HGST Travelstar, but not sure it would be big enough.

Any other suggestions? is the firecuda not as bad as the reports make out ?

 

[ic1male]

Personally, I would choose something like a 4TB external drive. Is this an option for you? It has a couple of benefits such as marginally faster load times and if anything happens to your console, you won’t have to redownload everything again.

 

[Witcher1980]

Yeah I added usb drives to my consoles, they work just fine.

 

[chrcoluk]

I dont know

The problem is that the firecuda is a shingled drive, which negatively affects the write performance a lot, but as I understand it read performance is ok, the second issue there has been a higher then average of reported failures for the firecuda. The performance impact you might think well PS4 is mainly reads no problem, but like ssd's it does automatic background maintenance, as this is used to try and hide the effects of SMR to keep data in optimal places, if there is maintenance happening when a read request comes in I think at least in theory it will affect the read latency.

However if you want a PMR drive there is no such 2.5inch 2TB drive manufactured anymore.

The only drive that was, was the samsung M9T drive. There is a WD 2tb 2.5inch drive but its too big to fit in the ps4.

I brought the WD 2tb drive, put it in my STB, and the samsung 9T in that I am planning to put in my ps4 pro.

The firecuda is a SSHD as is my current 1tb SSHD in my ps4 pro, but a realisation came that its only 8 gig of flash nand so it cannot even cache a full game, it will work ok in a few selective games like if you play a FPS and keep playing the same map e.g. but otherwise will have limited benefit.

So I dont know on this one, but unless you prepared to buy a used drive then if you want 2TB it seems SMR is now your only option.

As others have suggested adding usb external drives may actually be the way to go. The new PS4 models do have usb3 ports so performance should be good enough.

 

[Witcher1980]

Performance is fine via usb, draw distance is not the same as a PC. You will not get any stutter via loading textures etc while in game. You might notice a second or two loading into games but I doubt it, I don't anyway.

 

[Diddums x]

I stuck a new 2tb drive in mine, Seagate something or other, the actual swap is a 10 minute job. I don't know about a performance difference between internal / external but it'd gave to be pretty big for me to sacrifice a USB port and have another item (and lead) on my desk. Performance is fine, given I play primarily multiplayer games and nothing starts until all players are loaded up and ready to go I'll never be faster than the slowest PS4 in the lobby anyway.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I dont know

The problem is that the firecuda is a shingled drive, which negatively affects the write performance a lot, but as I understand it read performance is ok, the second issue there has been a higher then average of reported failures for the firecuda. The performance impact you might think well PS4 is mainly reads no problem, but like ssd's it does automatic background maintenance, as this is used to try and hide the effects of SMR to keep data in optimal places, if there is maintenance happening when a read request comes in I think at least in theory it will affect the read latency.

However if you want a PMR drive there is no such 2.5inch 2TB drive manufactured anymore.

The only drive that was, was the samsung M9T drive. There is a WD 2tb 2.5inch drive but its too big to fit in the ps4.

I brought the WD 2tb drive, put it in my STB, and the samsung 9T in that I am planning to put in my ps4 pro.

The firecuda is a SSHD as is my current 1tb SSHD in my ps4 pro, but a realisation came that its only 8 gig of flash nand so it cannot even cache a full game, it will work ok in a few selective games like if you play a FPS and keep playing the same map e.g. but otherwise will have limited benefit.

So I dont know on this one, but unless you prepared to buy a used drive then if you want 2TB it seems SMR is now your only option.

As others have suggested adding usb external drives may actually be the way to go. The new PS4 models do have usb3 ports so performance should be good enough.

it's a lot more than just playing same map over and over.

maps use the same files so it will help across all maps.

hybrid drives have been proven to work extremely well. i would go hybrid for sure

 

[TheVoice]

I had the 2TB FireCuda in my Pro for a few months but ended up returning it, it was no faster than the default drive (and sometimes slower) and for some reason would spin down to save power when "idle" which caused weird stuttering issues occasionally. I may have simply had a bad one but I was disappointed, especially considering an older 1TB one (branded as an SSHD) in my old base PS4 and it always performed well.

I ended up going for a 1TB Crucial MX500 SSD instead for about the same price as the 2TB FireCuda, and I've stuck the supplied 1TB PS4 drive into an external USB enclosure to use as overflow storage.

 

[stoofa]

I fitted the Firecuda into my Pro when I got it, so about 14 months ago. I wanted more space, so the fact the Firecuda is not ridiculously faster, but certainly no slower, make it the obvious choice. It's not missed a beat in that time.
Since then I've added a 4TB USB drive as well (one of the WD refurbished ones when they appear on their website).
No performance difference (noticeable) if I'm using the internal 2TB or the USB 4TB.

 

[MOOGLEYS]

I have had a 2tb Firecuda in my Pro since launch day and not had any issues. I have one in my Xbox X too and that has been fine.....

 

[TheVoice]

Sounds like I probably had a naff one then, I did consider just getting a replacement but the option for an SSD was there and only cost me an extra £15 on top of the refund amount so figured why not.

 

[chrcoluk]

it's a lot more than just playing same map over and over.

maps use the same files so it will help across all maps.

hybrid drives have been proven to work extremely well. i would go hybrid for sure

So if you got a 40 gig game, and maps keep using the same files over and over what is the other 32gig used for?

Multiple tests have been ran, it worked ok a in one multiplayer FPS game where they kept reloading the same map, when they changed maps it was spindle performance again, and when they tried other games like skyrim where you wondering in a big world vs playing the same sandboxed map repeatedly it was also spindle performance.

Since I will be soon changing from a sshd to pure hdd, I will see for myself, if its noticeably slower.

 

[chrcoluk]

I had the 2TB FireCuda in my Pro for a few months but ended up returning it, it was no faster than the default drive (and sometimes slower) and for some reason would spin down to save power when "idle" which caused weird stuttering issues occasionally. I may have simply had a bad one but I was disappointed, especially considering an older 1TB one (branded as an SSHD) in my old base PS4 and it always performed well.

I ended up going for a 1TB Crucial MX500 SSD instead for about the same price as the 2TB FireCuda, and I've stuck the supplied 1TB PS4 drive into an external USB enclosure to use as overflow storage.

Sadly many modern laptop drives have aggressive head parking, that may have been your issue. WD drives it can be disabled or made less aggressive, but I havent found a way for seagate drives.

That is the only reason I have yet to put in my M9T as in my STB the head has parked over 68000 times, and I am concerned about getting the same issue.

 

[chrcoluk]

I stuck a new 2tb drive in mine, Seagate something or other, the actual swap is a 10 minute job. I don't know about a performance difference between internal / external but it'd gave to be pretty big for me to sacrifice a USB port and have another item (and lead) on my desk. Performance is fine, given I play primarily multiplayer games and nothing starts until all players are loaded up and ready to go I'll never be faster than the slowest PS4 in the lobby anyway.

How did you copy 100s of gigs of data in 10mins?

When I migrated from my base ps4 to ps4 pro, it took several hours.

Or did you just wipe your profile etc. and set it up from scratch again?

 

[Diddums x]

How did you copy 100s of gigs of data in 10mins?

When I migrated from my base ps4 to ps4 pro, it took several hours.

Or did you just wipe your profile etc. and set it up from scratch again?

Sorry, when I said "actual swap" I was referring to the physical aspect of it. The software install took about 40 mins and the download of all my games was overnight.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

So if you got a 40 gig game, and maps keep using the same files over and over what is the other 32gig used for?

Multiple tests have been ran, it worked ok a in one multiplayer FPS game where they kept reloading the same map, when they changed maps it was spindle performance again, and when they tried other games like skyrim where you wondering in a big world vs playing the same sandboxed map repeatedly it was also spindle performance.

Since I will be soon changing from a sshd to pure hdd, I will see for myself, if its noticeably slower.

the fact that i played games where i used various different maps and areas and i loaded into the map 4-8 seconds faster than everyone else.

it helps in things like battlefield so you get into tank before anyone else can, etc. and this was across every map in battlefield not just one.

if a game is 40GB as you suggest a lot of that will be sound files, single player stuff. a lot of the stuff in multiplayer is common across maps. it will get cached and save you those few seconds every map.

 

[TheVoice]

Sadly many modern laptop drives have aggressive head parking, that may have been your issue. WD drives it can be disabled or made less aggressive, but I havent found a way for seagate drives.

That is the only reason I have yet to put in my M9T as in my STB the head has parked over 68000 times, and I am concerned about getting the same issue.

Yeah, I used CrystalDisk to disable the power management functions which worked while it was connected to the PC, but as soon as it was installed back in the PS4 it went back to default.

 

[chrcoluk]

the fact that i played games where i used various different maps and areas and i loaded into the map 4-8 seconds faster than everyone else.

it helps in things like battlefield so you get into tank before anyone else can, etc. and this was across every map in battlefield not just one.

if a game is 40GB as you suggest a lot of that will be sound files, single player stuff. a lot of the stuff in multiplayer is common across maps. it will get cached and save you those few seconds every map.

battlefield is the one game that tested well in their tests.

So its niche benefit is when you play multiplayer games that have maps that dont utilise much data. Also playing the same again again and again as changing games would change the cache contents. But then of course you still have to wait for the other players to load in, so in the end you havent gained much anyway.