Gaming

Upgrading my PlayStation 5 storage

With the Seagate Firecuda 530 2TB with Heatsink

Published

May 26, 2022

Sometimes all we need is some space. For my PlayStation 5, specifically, I wanted 2TB more space. There were plenty of brands to consider, but ultimately I landed on the Seagate FireCuda 530 2TB with Heatsink. We’ll just call it Firecuda530 from here on out for brevity.

Seagate is a brand that’s trusted when it comes to expanding storage. And the Firecuda530 meets all the requirements that PlayStation laid out for compatible m.2 solid state drive (SSD) options.

In case you were wondering, these are the requirements:

Interface — PCI-Express Gen4x4 supported M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M)
Storage — 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB* *(4TB available upon pre-order)
Supported Sizes — 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110
Size including heat-dissipation mechanism — Width: up to 25 mm / Length: 30/40/6080/110 mm / Thickness: up to 11.25 mm (up to 8.0 mm
from above the board, up to 2.45 mm from below the board)
Sequential read speed — 5500 MB/s or faster is recommended
Socket Type — Socket 3 (Key M)

Seagate’s offering even exceeds this as it promises up to 7,300mb/s of speed and performance. They also claim to have transfer rates that are two times faster than PCIeGen3 NVMe SSDs.

Rescue Data

On top of that, you also get Rescue Data Recovery Services for the ultimate peace of mind on your precious files. Personally, I think this is one of the biggest value adds from Seagate. I have encountered my fair share of hardware data getting corrupted with only a small fraction of them recovered.

With this, Seagate offers the services of world-class data recovery experts with an industry-leading 95% success rate for in-house SSD and HDD data recovery. You get one in-lab data recovery attempt. And your recovered data will be stored in an encrypted storage device.

Alright, enough of that, let’s put this thing inside the PS5.

Installing the FireCuda 530 2TB with Heatsink

First we have to take off the faceplate. Make sure the side with the PS5 logo is the one that’s faced down. You want to remove the plate that’s on the other side.

To remove it, you have to pull up from the top side and then slide down from the bottom.

Once removed, you’ll see a plate covering the storage expansion slot. Unscrew and then remove the plate. Don’t lose the screw!

Inside, there are multiple screw slots, with the safety screw placed up top at the 110 slot. Remove it, and then place it loosely on the 80 slot.

Now, take the Firecuda530 and slide it into the slot diagonally. You’ll know it’s in when you hear a click.

Afterwards, screw it in place and put back the protective plate.

I also took this opportunity to replace the faceplates to black and added some personal touch.

TWICE chibi stickers c/o @arts423

Formatting and testing

After installation, the next time you fire up your PS5, you’ll be asked to format the expansion drive. Do it by simply following the prompts. It should take less than 10 minutes.

After that, you can proceed to transferring your files to the Firecuda530. Transfer rates will vary depending on the file size.

The first time I did it, I transferred nearly 100GB and it took only around three minutes.

Before I transferred, I recorded how long it’ll take for me to load a few games. I did this for when they were on the main drive and when they were transferred.

Here are the results:

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (PS4 Game)

PS5 Storage: 31.47 seconds
M.2 Storage: 27.77seconds

Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS5 Game)

PS5 Storage: 3.67 seconds
M.2 Storage: 2.49 seconds

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5 Game)

PS5 Storage: 2.61 seconds
M.2 Storage: 2.17 seconds

These are insane results as the Firecuda530 loaded the games faster than the PS5’s internal storage. Safe to say, the promised transfer speed and performance delivered as advertised.

Just playing

In the week since I moved most of my library to the Firecuda530, I’ve spent most of my time trophy hunting on the same games I mentioned earlier. So far, everything has been running great.

In terms of load times, there’s no discernable difference between the PS5’s internal storage and the expansion storage. I didn’t bother timing them anymore so this is just based on my natural internal timer. Native PS5 games load blazingly fast and PS4 games installed on the PS5 load just about as fast as one can expect.

Rivet and Clank

Same thing is true during actual gameplay. The expansion storage simply matches, if not exceeds, the performance of the built-in one, you wouldn’t know the difference unless you have your timer out to really see the milliseconds or sometimes even seconds of difference.

The biggest benefit, of course, is I’m now able to increase the number of my installed games from a measly eight all the way up to 20. And that’s with plenty of room to spare. That is simply incredible and extremely convenient.

Price and availability

The specific version I installed, as mentioned earlier, has a 2TB capacity. It has an SRP of PhP 25,895. The FireCuda 530 Heatsink also comes in 1TB and 4TB. The SRP is PhP 13,760 and 56,789 respectively. You can purchase these on Shopee, Lazada, or any of their authorized sellers. Find out more about Firecuda here.

This feature is a collaboration between GadgetMatch and Seagate.

Related Topics:Firecuda Firecuda530 PlayStation PlayStation 5 PS5 Seagate Seagate Firecuda Seagate Firecuda530 2TB with Heatsink

Gaming

Tides of Annihilation opens first public demo at Gamescom 2026

First hands-on

Published

August 6, 2026

Leez

Tides of Annihilation will make its public playable debut at Gamescom 2026.

Developer Eclipse Glow Games announced that attendees can try an extended demo of the upcoming action-adventure game during the event in Cologne, Germany. Players can find the demo at Hall 6, Booth B-050 inside Koelnmesse.

The studio will also reveal a new trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, before the show floor opens.

Demo offers more exploration and combat

The Gamescom demo gives players a longer look at Tides of Annihilation. It features branching paths that lead to different exploration routes and combat encounters. Players can also explore key locations and experience several of the game’s biggest set pieces.

“Gamescom will be an incredibly important moment for our team since this will be our first global playtest and we’re excited to see how first-time players experience our game,” said Ary Chen, Game Director and Co-CEO of Eclipse Glow Games.

“The team has poured heart, soul, and maybe even a few tears into developing the game over the last few years, and it’s finally our opportunity to share it with players. We’re looking forward to seeing their reaction.”

Members of the press and content creators can also schedule private hands-on sessions with the development team during the event.

Arthurian-inspired adventure

Tides of Annihilation blends fast-paced action with a Neo-Medieval vision of modern London. The story follows Gwendolyn after an Outworld invasion leaves the city in ruins.

Driven by a mission to save her sister, she travels between a shattered London and the mythical realm of Avalon. Along the way, she uncovers the mystery behind her newfound powers. She must also decide the fate of reality itself.

Eclipse Glow Games is developing Tides of Annihilation for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Gaming

Street Fighter 6 adds first Filipino fighter Yasmine to its roster

Eskrima fighter joins battle

Published

August 6, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Street Fighter 6 has officially welcomed Yasmine, making history as the first Filipino martial artist to join the franchise’s playable roster. The new character is now available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 as part of the game’s Year 4 content.

Yasmine practices Eskrima, having learned the Filipino martial art alongside her older brother under their grandfather’s guidance. She wields Karambit knives in battle and embarks on a journey to find her missing brother.

Players can access Yasmine by purchasing the Year 4 Character Pass or Year 4 Ultimate Pass. Her default outfit features traditional Eskrima-inspired combat attire, while a school uniform serves as her second costume. In combat, she specializes in fast, aggressive attacks that build toward an enhanced Bayani Mode.

Yasmine is the first of four Year 4 fighters, followed by Arjun, Tifa from the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, and Bosch. Her release also arrives alongside battle balance adjustments affecting the entire roster.

Onimusha crossover arrives this week

Capcom also announced a limited-time collaboration between Street Fighter 6 and Onimusha. Running from August 7 to August 31, 2026, the event introduces Oni EX character colors, themed Battle Hub decorations, avatar items, and additional rewards for players who log in during the event.

The update also adds new Avatar Arcade courses, additional ending scenes, a Frame Meter option for Avatar Random Match, and refreshed Master ACT rewards.

Philippine launch event set for August 9

Capcom will celebrate Yasmine’s debut with an official Philippine community launch event on Sunday, August 9, at Salud! by Primera Bar & Restaurant in Palanan, Makati. The event runs from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM and features a double-elimination tournament, gameplay showcases, giveaways, and community activities.

Attendees can also receive limited-edition Yasmine merchandise, including event T-shirts, lanyards, and collectible keychains while supplies last. Special guests and cosplayers are also scheduled to appear. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to venue capacity.

Gaming

Gangstar Mirage City launches on August 20 with SEA localization

Join a faction now for a chance to win rewards

Published

August 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

Gangstar Mirage City is set for a full regional launch on August 20, with localization for the Southeast Asia region.

Published by Level Infinite, the free-to-play multiplayer, urban, open-world action game is available for download on iOS and Android.

The full regional release features an expanded open world, a new PvP Arena mode, and local languages.

In Gangstar Mirage City, players can team up for up to 4-man co-op heists, drive powerful vehicles, customize their arsenal, build an empire, and fight for control of Rooklyn City.

Players can register on gangstarmiragecity.com for in-game rewards.

In Southeast Asia, players can also register as a member of their respective local faction and get an exclusive in-game Avatar to represent their loyalty:

Philippines: Manila Brigade
Indonesia: War Kanda
Malaysia: Taiko Tedung
Thailand: SIAM APEX

Factions will be ranked based on how many players join and support them. The winning faction will enable all members to get 300 Diamonds, sent directly to their accounts.

Meanwhile, all players, including those who already began their journey in Rooklyn City with the soft launch last July, are invited to join the Global Vault Heist.

Reaching the final Registration Milestone will unlock the Full Tilt Vehicle Pack. These are the rewards up for grabs per milestone: