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What Kind of Hard Drive Do You Need to Upgrade a PS3?

No matter the size of the hard drive that comes with your PlayStation 3, it's easy to fill it up and run out of space. But Sony designed the console to allow for hard drive upgrades. You can pick your own hard drive instead of purchasing an official first-party drive and install it yourself. But this also means you need to know what kind of hard drives are compatible with the system.

Type
- The PlayStation 3 is compatible with nearly any SATA notebook (laptop) hard drive. Even if you are not sure exactly what that is, your computer retailer will help you pick out the correct one.
Speed
- The hard drive can be 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM. The more revolutions per minute, the faster the hard drive performs, which can lead to shorter load times and quicker saves.
Size
- The SATA drive must be only 2 1/2 inches as it has to fit into the console's 2 1/2-inch drive tray.
Storage Capacity
- Because you're already going through the trouble of upgrading, you might as well make it big. Choose at least a 120GB hard drive or go as high as 250GB.
Installation
- You can install it yourself, but remember that by doing so, it voids any warranty you might have on your system. If you doubt your ability, seek professional assistance.

PlayStation 3