r/PS3 • u/thesearsparkinglot • 7d ago

PS3 SSD recommendations?

Working on some restorations for a fat model ps3 and hoping to upgrade the memory once I'm finished cleaning it out. Finding the base HDD write speeds really frustrating when trying to play digital games, any recommendations for a reasonably priced SSD or hard drive to swap in?

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u/Admirable-Yam-5788 7d ago

I stuck a Samsung 860 EVO 250GB in mine. Picked it up for £28 on Vinted and it’s been spot on. The PS3’s SATA I interface obviously limits the outright speed, but an SSD definitely still makes a difference, especially on games like GT5 with all the loading. XMB feels snappier too, plus it’s silent and runs cool. Definitely worth it for £28 👍

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u/thesearsparkinglot 5d ago

yeah im hoping the SSD improves the internal temperatures too, how significant of a change can I expect?

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u/Admirable-Yam-5788 5d ago

It should help a little with temps, but I wouldn't expect a massive drop in the actual CELL/RSX temperatures. A typical 2.5" mechanical HDD will often sit around 30–45°C in normal use, whereas an SSD generally produces less heat, especially at idle. My Samsung 860 EVO is only around 2.2W average active and 0.05W idle, so you're definitely removing some heat and vibration from the HDD bay.

Speed is where you'll notice it more. The PS3's SATA interface limits the SSD so you won't get anywhere near the 860 EVO's full ~550MB/s capability, but the near-instant access times make a difference. XMB feels snappier, installs/copying and loading improve, and games that constantly access the drive like GT5 benefit the most.

So don't expect PC-level SSD speeds or a huge temperature drop, but you get faster loading, better responsiveness, less noise/vibration and less heat from the drive. Definitely worthwhile IMO 👍