Nyko Offers Data Bank For PS4 Users To Expand Internal Storage

One of the primary issues with today's consoles is storage. Games continue to increase in installation size, making the seemingly immense 500 GB storage too small, as that leaves room for only a few titles. For Xbox One owners, there are a few options to increase storage such as Western Digital's My Passport X external hard drive with 2 TB of storage or (if you didn't get an Xbox One yet) the recently announced 1 TB version of the console.

PlayStation 4 owners don't have this luxury, because it only allows transfers of saved data files, not the actual game itself. Other than replacing the internal 2.5-inch drive with a bigger capacity, we briefly mentioned another solution in the past: Nyko's Data Bank for PlayStation 4. First revealed six months ago at CES, the storage expansion device is finally on sale for $39.99.

The purpose of the Data Bank is to replace the 2.5-inch drive inside the console with a 3.5-inch drive. To do this, the Data Bank replaces the top plate of the PS4. You will have to take out the internal drive because the Data Bank needs that slot for a SATA connector. Once it's in place, you insert the 3.5-inch drive at the top of the device, and you're ready to go. A small LED light also illuminates to indicate that data is being processed onto the drive.

The switch to 3.5-inch drives is a logical one. The bigger drives are more commonly used in many devices, not to mention that it's also a cheaper storage solution. Furthermore, the 2.5-inch drive in the PS4 has a speed of only 5400 RPM, and with a 3.5-inch drive not only can you get a wider range of capacities but also better performance.

As for the Data Bank itself, its selling price is rather cheap. Combine that with an additional purchase of a 3.5-inch drive of your choosing, and you can easily double or even triple your storage for around $100.

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13 Comments Comment from the forums

Daniel Ladishew

What? No double wide or extra tall for RAID? Comon' guys!
Reply
10tacle

As has been proven time and time again, and I myself having swapped 2.5" HDDs on two PS3s and one PS4, I can state that a 7200 vs 5400rpm drive speed means little to nothing. Even SSDs don't do much more than slightly decrease loading times (and only on some games, not all) and game install times (like how many times are you going to install a game). The PS3/4 drive interface architecture is not designed to take advantage of faster drives as efficiently as PCs (SATA III specifically).

http://media.bestofmicro.com/I/A/412786/original/PS4-HDD-Game-Loading.png

But with that said, this would not work for me as the extension would make the PS4 too big for my entertainment center slot where it sits. Otherwise if I wanted up to a 6GB drive that is currently not available in 2.5" format, this is a pretty nifty and affordable solution.
Reply
wurkfur

Even SSDs don't do much more than slightly decrease loading times (and only on some games, not all) and game install times (like how many times are you going to install a game). The PS3/4 drive interface architecture is not designed to take advantage of faster drives as efficiently as PCs (SATA III specifically).

This is a load of crap that keeps getting repeated again and again. Certain games like GTA V, Skyrim, A Realm Reborn, and others suffer from texture pop-in and slowdowns WITHOUT an SSD. A Realm Reborn is borderline unplayable sometimes because you are waiting for everything to load when you come across a "Fate". Switching from one character to another with an SSD is almost instant with the SSD, otherwise it takes a while.

The substantial difference in seek time is the key. Many people don't feel much of a difference because they are using game disks. You see this in most of the reviews bashing the SSD's. In contrast, games bought from the PS Store perform considerably better because nothing is ever loaded from slow optical media. Why buy an SSD if you can't get the full benefit because half the data is coming off of a BD?

As games get more complex, and the systems are pushed even harder, SSD's will make sense and the prices are falling quickly. A 1TB SSD can be found at or under $300 these days. For serious gamers, it's worth consideration.
Reply
10tacle

16036449 said:
This is a load of crap that keeps getting repeated again and again.

What is your major anger problem sport? Here...I'll just finish up with the comment from last year's Tom's test of an SSD, SSHD, and HDD in the PS4 which effectively said the SAME THING I DID:

"Our testing shows that there are some performance gains to be had from tossing an SSD into the PS4, but they're small. You can shave a few seconds off of its boot time or load a saved game slightly faster, but ultimately, you're going to spend way too much more or lose too much capacity in the process."
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ps4-hard-drive-upgrade,3695.html

Anyone stating there is a massive performance boost with an SSD in a PS4 is talking NONSENSE.

Reply
wurkfur

16036790 said:
16036449 said:
This is a load of crap that keeps getting repeated again and again.

What is your major anger problem sport? Here...I'll just finish up with the comment from last year's Tom's test of an SSD, SSHD, and HDD in the PS4 which effectively said the SAME THING I DID:

"Our testing shows that there are some performance gains to be had from tossing an SSD into the PS4, but they're small. You can shave a few seconds off of its boot time or load a saved game slightly faster, but ultimately, you're going to spend way too much more or lose too much capacity in the process."

I bought the PS4 and put an SSD in it last month. There is a NIGHT AND DAY difference for open world games that are constantly hitting the hard drive. I only spent $150 on a 500GB drive. That's not expensive. Many games play much better. However, digital editions of the games are required to really see a difference.

This is even more prevalent on the PS3 because it hits the hard drive more due to a lack of memory.

You guys act like were still paying over $1 per GB.
Reply
fudoka711

If there's a night and day difference, something is wrong with either the original hard drive or the PS4.

Open world PC games don't show night and day differences between hdd's and ssd's.
Reply
wurkfur

16038394 said:
If there's a night and day difference, something is wrong with either the original hard drive or the PS4.

Open world PC games don't show night and day differences between hdd's and ssd's.

When i can't attack a bad guy because he's loading and I can't see him during multiplayer, that's a problem.

When I can't see an obstacle because I'm driving 200 mph and the HD can't keep up, that's a problem.

Recording during the game uses the hard drive while it is also trying to fetch game data, and makes the issues worse.

I have seen this. I own the system and have used both an SSD and the stock 5400 rpm drive. You don't know what you are talking about. I do.
Reply
fudoka711

16038432 said:

When i can't attack a bad guy because he's loading and I can't see him during multiplayer, that's a problem.

When I can't see an obstacle because I'm driving 200 mph and the HD can't keep up, that's a problem.

Recording during the game uses the hard drive while it is also trying to fetch game data, and makes the issues worse.

I have seen this. I own the system and have used both an SSD and the stock 5400 rpm drive. You don't know what you are talking about. I do.

Likewise.

I suggest you get your PS4 checked out. Seriously. Two of my friends who play on PS4's haven't had this problem with their stock hard drives.

The reason you're experiencing this is more likely due to the lack of processing power, not a slow hard drive. Also, how full or empty is your hard drive? If you're running out of space, you can definitely expect to find that things load/write slower.

And you completely ignored the review Tom's did...

I'm saying their is a difference. I just know that its not a night and day difference.

Regardless, NYKO's solution is very nice and is a welcome upgrade path/option for PS4 users.

P.S. Sticking a $300 SSD in a $400 system is bonkers in my mind.
Reply
wurkfur

16038894 said:
16038432 said:

When i can't attack a bad guy because he's loading and I can't see him during multiplayer, that's a problem.

When I can't see an obstacle because I'm driving 200 mph and the HD can't keep up, that's a problem.

Recording during the game uses the hard drive while it is also trying to fetch game data, and makes the issues worse.

I have seen this. I own the system and have used both an SSD and the stock 5400 rpm drive. You don't know what you are talking about. I do.

Likewise.

I suggest you get your PS4 checked out. Seriously. Two of my friends who play on PS4's haven't had this problem with their stock hard drives.

The reason you're experiencing this is more likely due to the lack of processing power, not a slow hard drive. Also, how full or empty is your hard drive? If you're running out of space, you can definitely expect to find that things load/write slower.

And you completely ignored the review Tom's did...

I'm saying their is a difference. I just know that its not a night and day difference.

Regardless, NYKO's solution is very nice and is a welcome upgrade path/option for PS4 users.

P.S. Sticking a $300 SSD in a $400 system is bonkers in my mind.

Google "PS4 Texture Pop In"

It's a thing. It exists. There are YouTube videos of it. Depends on the game. There is no problem with my console. Certain games do it due to being poorly optimized.

Also, Toms tested two OLD PS4 games that also had to be watered down so they could run on PS3 and X360. All they had to do as programmers is turn up a few effects and add more detailed textures.

Here's a fun fact. The second I installed an SSD, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEMS AGAIN. Problem solved. Why would the processor have anything to do with it? For a guy with so many assists on here, I would think you would be able to figure this out.
Reply
fudoka711

16039090 said:

Google "PS4 Texture Pop In"

It's a thing. It exists. There are YouTube videos of it. Depends on the game. There is no problem with my console. Certain games do it due to being poorly optimized.

Also, Toms tested two OLD PS4 games that also had to be watered down so they could run on PS3 and X360. All they had to do as programmers is turn up a few effects and add more detailed textures.

Here's a fun fact. The second I installed an SSD, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEMS AGAIN. Problem solved. Why would the processor have anything to do with it? For a guy with so many assists on here, I would think you would be able to figure this out.

Last comment from me.

I never said an SSD wouldn't help. Of course it would help. I don't believe for one second that you or a few youtube videos are proof this problem happens on a large scale. If it were such an issue, there would've been a recall or new hard drives put in. Never use youtube videos as evidence. Also, you might say that the ps4 games were watered down. I'd say you don't know that the programming needed is very different going from the previous generation to the current.

Regardless, I still can't get my head around spending $300 on storage on a $400 system. That's your money though I guess. I'm glad you solved your problem though. Long load times can be pretty irritating.

P.S. I never said I was a console expert and don't pretend to be. I just probably (but not definitely) know more about hardware than you do.
Reply

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