Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

The Install Size of Every PS4 and Xbox One Game

Posted by timothy on from the expands-to-fill-the-space-allotted dept.

SlappingOysters writes: One of the biggest challenges for gamers during this generation of consoles is ensuring you have enough hard drive space to hold the latest blockbuster. Given that every game needs to be installed in order to be played, and games often weigh in at over 40GB, the 500GB of storage that comes as standard doesn't stretch far. Finder.com has provided a handy resource, listing the install sizes for every PlayStation 4 game (460 and counting) and every Xbox One game (290 and counting). The list is searchable, and can be ordered.

18 of 106 comments (clear)

  1. An idea. by LiENUS · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why don't games just come on special SSDs? They could have two chips, one containing original game data and that chip is set read only after production, the other larger and read/write one contains updates and save data and then unionfs the two together so writes automagically go to the read/write larger one. Then you could just insert the SSD in a special cartridge so its easy to insert into and remove from the console!

    1. Re:An idea. by tepples · · Score: 2

      Look at the install size of some of these games. A cartridge with two 32 GB flash chips would probably still be a lot more expensive to manufacture than a BD-ROM. Or what has changed in the cost of flash memory lately?

    2. Re:An idea. by unrtst · · Score: 2

      I think the GP was just a joke, but comparing a cartridge with two 32gb flash chips on it to a BD-ROM is crazy. You can't update a BD-ROM.

  2. PS4 Drive Replaceable by Kunedog · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's worth noting that the PS4's hard drive is user-replaceable (for more space and/or SSD speed) while the X-Bone's is not. It's just one of the many things Sony did so much better this generation, even when it shouldn't have cost Microsoft much to keep up.

    1. Re:PS4 Drive Replaceable by JMJimmy · · Score: 4, Informative

      MS did something different - they made it so you can use external USB 3.0 drives for all the data. No need to buy a new console/mess around with the internals of your existing one - just plug it in and go.

      The one thing I would like to know is why this is "news". TrueAchievements.com and TrueTrophies.com have been compiling this data since the 360/PS3. They have it for Windows/GFWL/Windows Phone/etc as well.

    2. Re:PS4 Drive Replaceable by RogueyWon · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Advantages and drawbacks to both approaches.

      On the XB-One, you can get generally larger external drives than you can with the 2.5" internal drives you use with the PS4. You also don't need to open up the console to perform the drive-swap (though I've done said swap and it is pretty painless).

      On the other hand, that external drive is another unsightly box taking up space under your TV and will likely need external power, meaning it is yet another power-cable and socket you need to fit into the viper's nest behind your TV.

    3. Re:PS4 Drive Replaceable by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 2

      Yeah, I upgraded my HDD in my PS4 to a 2TB drive on day one. 500GB just didn't sound impressive considering that everything does a full install. Heck, my PS3 even has a 1TB drive.

      :)

      Did the exact same thing, with both consoles... Our PS3 upstairs has a 1TB drive in it and the PS4 got a 2TB drive before it was ever turned on for the first time.

      I just knew it would be a PITA to swap the drive out later, moving data between them, so I figured I'd just do it on day one.

      It was a smart move, we passed 500GB on that drive within a month, it is past 1TB now.... sadly, the space likely will run out by the end of this year...

    4. Re:PS4 Drive Replaceable by JMJimmy · · Score: 2

      USB 3.0 drives?... That solves _SO MANY PROBLEMS_... errr... not...

      Also replacing a PS4 drive is so easy you never even see the real internals, most of it is just pushing down a bit and sliding a thing off the top then removing a 3.5" from a nicely cradled thing.

      "not" - Seriously? USB drives do solve many problems, you no longer have a storage limit, you can have multiple connected or swap them, they can be transported to other consoles, all without compromising the original system. You can do some of that with the PS4 as well but you've got to power down, unplug, de-case and swap the drive... vs plugging in a USB cable. I mean, it's not a perfect solution but it's pretty flexible and user friendly.

    5. Re:PS4 Drive Replaceable by gyroheli · · Score: 2

      You can store data on USB on a PS, it's a feature that PS3 had since day one i think. Using a USB as a HDD replacement though, those long load times just become that much longer. I don't know why you'd ever want to bring your whole HDD anywhere with you, sure gave saves or something that's fine and can be on a USB. A 1 TB USB drive is like x10 more expensive than a 1 TB HDD. Also no SSD capability. You lose so much more without being able to replace your HDD in your console. The main benefit you say about the USB applies to pretty much no one.

  3. Why 2.5" drives? by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 2

    Can anyone explain why they insisted on using 2,5" drives in both consoles? It seems like they could have shipped with 1tb for the same price if they'd used 3.5" drives. It's not like a few extra cubic inches of volume would have made people walk away from the deal.

  4. Expandable Storage by WoodburyMan · · Score: 2

    Unfortunately it's relitively hard to open up the XBox One to replace the drive. Some have done so, and managed to clone the drive to a larger drive and gotten it to work. I took the easy route, as I have maybe 8 games and my 500gb drive was full. I got a Collective Minds Media Hub http://www.collectiveminds.ca/... (Also on Amazon). It snaps on to the end of the XBox One, making it appear as if it's part of the console, and gives you three front USB 3.0 ports for wired Controllers, Charging, whatever. The top feature, it contains a 2.5" Enclosure. I threw a 2TB 2.5" drive in there. I have it formatted to use as a system drive for games. I keep all my games on it, for archive, and keep the games I play at the time on my internal drive. A cheaper USB 3.0 external drive will work fine. Point being though, the article is correct, that 500gb for launch with games being REQUIRED to be installed to the drive is not enough, when 8 games, and reserved OS space, can fill it up.

  5. To make the console not XBOX HUEG by tepples · · Score: 3, Informative

    Can anyone explain why they insisted on using 2,5" drives in both consoles?

    Because of all the XBOX HUEG jokes after Microsoft used a 3.5" drive in the original Xbox. One of the advantages of a console over a living room gaming PC is that a case smaller than a big honkin' PC tower is more likely to fit in with the other hardware next to your TV.

    1. Re:To make the console not XBOX HUEG by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 2

      Then Microsoft failed because the XBone is huge. My XBone's external drive has to share space in the PS4's nook because there isn't room for it in the XBone's nook. And it needs an external drive because Microsoft decided there's no reason for me to be able to upgrade their piddly 500 gig drive. And, as big as it is, they still gave me a huge, honkin' external power supply. And I can't set anything on top of the XBone because of the huge top vent.

      At least Sony hit the target when they aimed for a small size.

  6. Re:40GB? by RogueyWon · · Score: 2, Informative

    There have been some pretty big 30+ gig PC games over the last few months. I can't check exact sizes easily from here, but Witcher 3, GTA5, Metal Gear Solid 5 and Titanfall all have fairly vast install-footprints. As developers stop cross-developing for the Xbox 360, which is the last platform around limited to DVDs for its physical media, 30+ gig installs are only going to become more common on PC.

  7. Shared screen; no driver troubleshooting by tepples · · Score: 2

    You save when buying a console, lose money over time when buying 100's of games.

    That's fine for people who live alone, not quite so fine for a parent with multiple gamers in the house. Say you see one game for a console and another game for a PC. The console game allows up to four players on a single TV, while the PC game requires you to buy a separate copy of the game for each player and run each copy on a separate PC. Which game do you buy? Also, time is money, and a lot of people don't want to waste time troubleshooting GPU driver issues, reconfiguring buttons whenever a USB gamepad is plugged in or out, and the like.

    I've summed up more of the Peasants' talking points in this article, and I'd be interested to see what I left out.

  8. Re:40GB? by SB2020 · · Score: 2

    SonA just built (with my help) a stonking PC. I put a 240Gb SSD in there thinking that would be fine for the hot new games and they could be moved to the platter when needed. 1 week later he's at 90% full. Plenty of games are around 40Gb - Evolve and Arkham Knight to name two.
    SonB got a XBone with 500Gb drive - a bunch of Games with Gold later and he's at 80% full within 2 weeks.
    F*ck knows where it all goes. Obscene disregard for compression and efficiency?

  9. Size and heat by KatchooNJ · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Can anyone explain why they insisted on using 2,5" drives in both consoles? It seems like they could have shipped with 1tb for the same price if they'd used 3.5" drives. It's not like a few extra cubic inches of volume would have made people walk away from the deal.

    Simple answer... size and heat. Everyone wants to produce the smallest console that also doesn't burst into flames.

    --
    "Never give up, for that is just the time and place when the tide will change." -Harriet Beecher Stowe ^_^
  10. Re:40GB? by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 2

    240GB SSDs for a gaming machine? Ouch!

    Amazon had a special a few days ago for a 1TB SSD for $279... If I didn't already have 1TB SSDs in all our gaming machines, I'd have picked up a few...

    My office machines have 256GB SSDs in them, but all they run is Windows, Office, and a few other programs, they are less than half full.