Ive been through a bunch of drives with my Pro and honestly, the jump in loading speeds for Monster Hunter is totally worth it. If you want reliability, I would definitely go with the Samsung T7 Shield 1TB Portable SSD over the standard version. The Shield has way better thermal management because of that rubberized outer layer, so it doesnt overheat during long sessions like the regular Samsung T7 1TB Portable SSD can sometimes do. I also really like the Crucial X8 1TB Portable SSD for the price, but it feels a bit more fragile. Tbh, Id stay away from the SanDisk lately because theyve had some firmware issues that caused data loss for some users. My Shield has been plugged in for nearly two years now without a single hiccup. Its definitely the way to go for longevity.

Just catching up on the thread and honestly, youve gotten some really good advice already. The T7 Shield is a beast, and like others mentioned, the PS4 USB bottleneck is the main thing to remember. Since youre worried about longevity and cost, i definitely recommend the Crucial X9 Pro 1TB Portable SSD. Its super compact, handles heat better than the older X8, and is usually a bit cheaper than Samsung. If you want the ultimate reliability setup tho, my pro tip is to buy a Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5 Inch Internal SSD and put it in a Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Enclosure. Internal SATA drives are built for constant read/writes and the enclosure keeps it cool. Its a bit more DIY but its basically bulletproof for a library that size. Just make sure the drive is at least 250GB or the PS4 wont format it!

Just catching up on the thread and honestly, youve gotten some really good advice already. The T7 Shield is a beast, and like others mentioned, the PS4 USB bottleneck is the main thing to remember. Since youre worried about longevity and cost, i definitely recommend the Crucial X9 Pro 1TB Portable SSD. Its super compact, handles heat better than the older X8, and is usually a bit cheaper than Samsung. If you want the ultimate reliability setup tho, my pro tip is to buy a Crucial MX500 1TB 2.5 Inch Internal SSD and put it in a Sabrent 2.5-Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Enclosure. Internal SATA drives are built for constant read/writes and the enclosure keeps it cool. Its a bit more DIY but its basically bulletproof for a library that size. Just make sure the drive is at least 250GB or the PS4 wont format it!

Re: "Just catching up on the thread and honestly,..."

• I actually disagree a bit with sticking to the pre-built portable drives if youre really worried about reliability. Ive tried many different setups over the years, and in my experience, those all-in-one SSDs can be a headache if the controller fails because everything is usually soldered together. If you want something that truly lasts, the DIY route is the way to go:
• Reliability: You can pick a drive with a much better warranty and endurance rating than what they put in the portable cases.
• Temperature: Standard 2.5 inch drives handle heat way better than the tiny NVMe drives inside those portable sticks like the T7 or X8.
• Flexibility: If the USB port on the case breaks, you dont lose your data. You just buy a new case for ten bucks. Id personally go with the SK hynix Gold S31 1TB SATA SSD and put it in a Sabrent 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure. SanDisk has been having some weird firmware issues lately that make me nervous, so Id honestly avoid them for now... anyway, just a different perspective for ya!

Just catching up on this thread and man... after having a pre-built drive brick on me during a massive update, I became super cautious about what I plug into my Pro. I've found that building your own is the only way to really sleep easy. Portables are convenient but they run way too hot for my liking.

• I would suggest picking up a Samsung 870 EVO 1TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD. These have a great track record for reliability and that DRAM cache really makes a difference for consistent performance.
• Make sure to pair it with a solid housing like the UGREEN 2.5 Hard Drive Enclosure USB 3.0. It's super easy to assemble and if the USB bridge ever fails, you just pop the drive into a new ten-dollar case.
• Be careful about using QLC drives like the 870 QVO. They're cheaper for a reason and might wear out faster if you're constantly deleting and reinstalling games. It might seem overkill but honestly, spending a few extra bucks for TLC flash and a dedicated enclosure is worth it for the peace of mind. I've had this exact setup for years and it hasn't skipped a beat even during those 10-hour weekend sessions.

Just saw this thread and tbh you should check out the Digital Foundry technical reviews or the PS4 subreddit wiki for real-world load times. Basically, the Pro is limited by its USB interface so you dont need the fastest tech... it kinda hits a ceiling. Ngl, I usually tell people to just get any external drive from Western Digital since their failure rates are super low. Their stuff is basically bulletproof and youll be fine.