Your PS5 storage situation might be rough, but probably not "spend three times the cost of a PS5 Pro on a single SSD" rough. That is apparently the solution SanDisk has decided to offer with the new Optimus GX PRO 850P NVMe SSD, an officially licensed PS5 accessory that pushes the console's storage to 8TB for the eye-watering price of $2,959.99.
To put that number in context: Sony has raised PS5 Pro prices recently, but you can still buy three PS5 Pro consoles for less than the cost of this single storage stick. That is not a typo.
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What you actually get for nearly $3,000
The Optimus GX PRO 850P comes in capacities ranging from 1TB all the way up to that 8TB flagship. SanDisk claims the largest option can hold up to 200 PS5 games based on average install sizes, which sounds impressive until you remember that a comparable Western Digital SN850X (WD is SanDisk's parent brand) with the same 8TB capacity is currently available on Amazon for around $1,470. That is less than half the price for functionally similar hardware.
The price gap gets worse when you look at historical data. That same Western Digital 8TB SSD was selling through retailers like Best Buy and Newegg for roughly $640 last year. So the Optimus GX PRO 850P represents a price increase of more than 360 percent compared to where comparable drives sat just 12 months ago.
The smaller capacities are not exactly bargains either. The 4TB version is $1,499.99 (discounted from a listed $1,874.99), and the 2TB option sits at $759.99, which is still $100 more expensive than a standard PS5 console.
The "officially licensed" angle and what it actually means
Here's the thing: the main differentiator SanDisk is selling here is the official PS5 licensing. The drive features a heatsink designed specifically for the PS5 and PS5 Pro M.2 slot, and SanDisk says it has been tested on both consoles for compatibility. That peace of mind has real value for players who do not want to research third-party compatibility, but it is hard to argue it justifies a $1,500 premium over an equivalent drive from the same parent company.
PS5 storage has always been a pain point. Games like those covered in our Saros file size and pre-load date guide highlight just how quickly install sizes eat through the console's base 825GB of usable space. Expanding that storage makes sense. Spending nearly $3,000 to do it is a different conversation entirely.
The memory shortage making everything worse
The broader context here matters. A global NAND flash memory shortage has been pushing SSD prices up across the board throughout 2026, affecting everything from PC components to phone storage. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently called RAM expenses "unsustainable." SanDisk is not alone in passing those costs to consumers, but the Optimus GX PRO 850P represents one of the starkest examples of how far prices have climbed.
What most players miss is that the "officially licensed" branding does not make the hardware faster or more capable than a well-reviewed third-party alternative. The PS5's M.2 slot accepts any PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD with a compatible heatsink. Players who are comfortable installing their own drive can find solid options at significantly lower price points right now, shortage or not.
For players who want to understand how storage needs break down before making any decisions, checking out our gaming guides for upcoming PS5 titles can help you figure out exactly how much space you actually need before committing to any expansion.
The Optimus GX PRO 850P is listed as coming soon on SanDisk's store. If memory prices continue trending the way industry executives are describing, it may not be the last product to arrive with a price tag that makes the console itself look affordable by comparison. Keep an eye on the broader SSD market over the coming months before pulling the trigger on any storage upgrade.
