Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) needs up to 212 GB of free space on PS5. That figure comes from Rockstar's pre-load announcement (November 3, 2026). Digital pre-loading opens on PS5 at midnight local time on Tuesday, November 10, and the game launches November 19. A launch PS5 has about 667 GB of usable space, so GTA 6 alone takes roughly a third of it.
Below: how much room each PS5 model has left after GTA 6, whether you need an M.2 SSD at all, and which drives to buy at today's prices, sorted by budget.
Updated November 7, 2026. Prices checked on Amazon US the same day. We'll add the exact installed size on PS5 once pre-load opens.
How much space does GTA 6 need on PS5?
Plan for 212 GB free. Rockstar says the pre-load file "will require up to 212 GB depending on your device." It hasn't published a separate PS5 number yet, and a day-one patch can add more, so leave some headroom on top of that.
Boxed copies don't spare you the download. Rockstar says code-in-box versions arrive at retailers from November 12, which means the whole game still installs from the PlayStation Store.
How much free space will your PS5 have after GTA 6?
On a launch PS5 you'll have about 455 GB left after GTA 6. On a 1TB PS5 Slim it's about 636 GB, and on a 2TB PS5 Pro about 1.68 TB. The table starts from each console's usable space, not the number on the box. The last column shows how many more 100 GB-class games fit, for a sense of what's left.
| Console | Usable space (empty) | GTA 6 (up to) | Free after GTA 6 | GTA 6 share of usable space | More 100 GB games that fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 (825GB, launch model) | ~667 GB | 212 GB | ~455 GB | ~32% | 4 |
| PS5 Slim (1TB) | ~848 GB | 212 GB | ~636 GB | ~25% | 6 |
| PS5 Pro (2TB) | ~1.89 TB | 212 GB | ~1.68 TB | ~11% | 16 |
| Any PS5 + 1TB M.2 SSD | add ~1 TB | 212 GB | all of the above + ~1 TB | n/a | +9 to 10 |
| Any PS5 + 2TB M.2 SSD | add ~2 TB | 212 GB | all of the above + ~2 TB | n/a | +19 to 20 |
Usable space sources: GameSpot (launch PS5), Digital Trends (PS5 Slim), Swappa (PS5 Pro). Swappa notes that some later PS5 Slim Digital units shipped with the 825GB drive, so check Settings → Storage for your real number. An M.2 drive shows up as slightly less than its label after formatting.
If you're on a launch PS5 and keep two or three other big games installed, GTA 6 is the point where you start deleting. That's the case for an SSD.
Do you need an M.2 SSD for GTA 6?
Only if you want GTA 6 and your other big games installed at the same time. GTA 6 fits on every PS5 with nothing else installed. Use this to decide:
- PS5 Pro (2TB): skip the SSD. You have room for GTA 6 plus more than a dozen big games.
- PS5 Slim (1TB): optional. Buy one only if you keep five or more large games installed.
- Launch PS5 (825GB): buy one if you play anything else big alongside GTA 6. A 2TB drive is the sweet spot.
- Any PS5, tight budget: park older games on a USB drive instead (see below). It's cheaper, but you have to copy PS5 games back before you can play them.
Which M.2 SSDs work in a PS5?
You need a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD with a heatsink, between 250 GB and 8 TB. Sony recommends 5,500 MB/s sequential read or faster. Every pick below reads at 7,100 MB/s or more and ships with a heatsink. Sony's requirements, from the PlayStation M.2 SSD support page:
| Requirement | Sony's spec |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M). SATA M.2 drives are not supported. |
| Capacity | 250 GB to 8 TB |
| Recommended speed | 5,500 MB/s sequential read or faster |
| Form factor | M.2 type 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110 |
| Cooling | A heatsink or heat transfer sheet is required. Don't add a second heatsink to a drive that already has one. |
| Max size with heatsink | 25 mm wide, 11.25 mm thick (up to 8.0 mm above the board, 2.45 mm below) |
A drive faster than 5,500 MB/s won't make GTA 6 load meaningfully faster than the internal SSD. Sony notes that some games may not match internal-drive performance even with faster drives. Buy on capacity and a reliable brand, not on the top read number.
Best PS5 SSD for GTA 6, by budget
Our pick for most people is the Lexar NM790 2TB with heatsink at $334.99. It's the cheapest 2TB drive here per terabyte, it's sold and shipped by Amazon, and 2TB covers GTA 6 plus about 19 more 100 GB games. Prices below were checked on Amazon US on November 7, 2026.
| Pick | Drive | Capacity | Read speed | Price (Nov 7) | Per TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest that works | Crucial P310 1TB (heatsink) | 1TB | 7,100 MB/s | $183.99 | $184 |
| 1TB, sold by Amazon | Lexar NM790 1TB (heatsink) | 1TB | 7,400 MB/s | $204.99 | $205 |
| Best value | Lexar NM790 2TB (heatsink) | 2TB | 7,400 MB/s | $334.99 | $167 |
| Best overall | WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB (heatsink) | 2TB | 7,300 MB/s | $439.99 | $220 |
| Officially licensed for PS5 | WD_BLACK SN850P 2TB | 2TB | 7,300 MB/s | $469.99 | $235 |
| Big library | Crucial P310 4TB (heatsink) | 4TB | 7,100 MB/s | $563.00 | $141 |
Read speeds are manufacturer ratings from each Amazon listing. Prices move fast in launch week, and the 4TB Crucial showed only 2 left in stock when we checked.
Cheapest that works: Crucial P310 1TB
The Crucial P310 1TB with heatsink ($183.99) is the lowest-cost drive here that clears Sony's 5,500 MB/s recommendation with room to spare. Crucial sells this version specifically as a PS5 drive, with the heatsink already fitted. On a launch PS5 it takes you from about 455 GB free after GTA 6 to roughly 1.4 TB. Buy it if you want GTA 6 plus a handful of other games and don't want to spend $300+.
Best value: Lexar NM790 2TB
At $334.99, the Lexar NM790 2TB with heatsink works out to about $167 per terabyte, the best rate of any 2TB drive we checked. It's rated at 7,400 MB/s and is sold and shipped by Amazon, which matters in launch week when third-party sellers mark prices up. If you want 1TB instead, the NM790 1TB is $204.99, but the 2TB is the better buy per gigabyte.
Best overall: WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB
The WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB with heatsink ($439.99) is the long-running default PS5 upgrade: 7,300 MB/s reads and the heatsink version fits under the PS5 cover. You pay about $100 more than the Lexar for the brand and track record. Note that on the day we checked, the listing was fulfilled by a third-party seller (Newegg Business), not Amazon itself.
Officially licensed: WD_BLACK SN850P 2TB
The WD_BLACK SN850P 2TB ($469.99) is the SN850X's officially licensed PS5 sibling, with a heatsink designed for the PS5's slot. It's the no-research option, and the reason to pay about $30 over the SN850X is peace of mind, not speed.
Big library: Crucial P310 4TB
If you keep everything installed, the Crucial P310 4TB with heatsink ($563.00) is the cheapest per terabyte of anything here, at about $141/TB. That's room for GTA 6 and roughly 35 more 100 GB games on the SSD alone.
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Cheaper option: park other games on a USB drive
You can store PS5 games on a USB drive, but you can't play them from it. Sony's USB extended storage page says PS5 games have to be copied back to console storage before you play. PS4 games do play directly from USB. The drive needs SuperSpeed USB 5 Gbps or faster, 250 GB to 8 TB, and has to plug straight into the console, not into a hub.
That makes a big, cheap hard drive a good "parking lot": move everything you aren't playing this month onto it, keep GTA 6 on the internal SSD, and copy a game back when you want it (much faster than re-downloading). The Seagate Portable 5TB is $219.97 and sold by Amazon. That's less than any 2TB SSD above, but you're trading play-from-anywhere for copy time.
How to install an M.2 SSD in a PS5
You need a small Phillips screwdriver. Update the console's system software first, then follow Sony's steps on the official install guide. In short:
- Power the PS5 off fully (not rest mode) and unplug every cable.
- Remove the cover and the expansion slot cover over the M.2 slot.
- Move the spacer to match your drive's length (2280 for every pick above), slot the SSD in, and screw it down.
- Refit the covers. If the slot cover won't close, the heatsink is too tall for the slot.
- Power on. The PS5 prompts you to format the drive. Then set it as the install location for PS5 games under Settings → Storage → Installation Location.
Do this before November 10 so the pre-load can go straight onto the new drive.
How to pre-load GTA 6 on PS5
PS5 pre-load starts Tuesday, November 10, at midnight in your local time zone. If you pre-ordered digitally, open the game's tile in your library and start the download (it can also start on its own if you have automatic downloads switched on). Make sure the 212 GB is free on whichever drive is set as your install location. Rockstar links its step-by-step from the pre-load announcement.
On Xbox instead? Our Xbox Series X|S storage guide for GTA 6 covers expansion cards and why the Series S is the tightest fit.
Still choosing a console? Our PS5 Pro vs PS5 vs Xbox Series X|S for GTA 6 comparison adds up the total cost to play on each, storage included.
GTA 6 PS5 storage FAQ
Is a 1TB PS5 enough for GTA 6?
Yes. A 1TB PS5 Slim has about 848 GB usable, so after GTA 6's 212 GB you still have about 636 GB, room for around six more 100 GB-class games.
Can I play GTA 6 from an external USB drive on PS5?
No. GTA 6 is a PS5 game, and Sony says PS5 games can't be played directly from USB extended storage. You can store it there and copy it back. To expand where you can play it from, you need an M.2 SSD.
Will a faster SSD make GTA 6 load faster?
Not in any way you'll notice above Sony's 5,500 MB/s recommendation. Sony says some games may not match the internal SSD's performance even on faster drives. Spend the money on capacity.
Will GTA 6 get bigger after launch?
Probably. Rockstar's 212 GB is the pre-load figure, and a day-one patch is common for a launch this size. Keep 30 to 50 GB of headroom beyond the 212 GB if you can. We'll update this page with the installed size once pre-load opens.
The verdict
Launch PS5 owners who keep other big games installed should get a 2TB drive before November 10. The Lexar NM790 2TB ($334.99) is the value pick and the WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB ($439.99) is the safe brand pick. PS5 Slim owners can usually skip it, and PS5 Pro owners definitely can. If money's tight, a USB drive for parking games frees up space for less.
Geeky Inc may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Prices were checked on Amazon US on November 7, 2026 and can change. GTA 6 image: Rockstar Games. Product images: the manufacturers.
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