Is the PS4 exFAT or FAT32? A Complete Guide

Hey friend! As a tech geek and avid gamer, I know how confusing it can be trying to figure out the best file system to use for external storage on your PS4. You‘re probably wondering, should I format my drive as exFAT or FAT32 for PS4? Well, you‘ve come to the right place!

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into the differences between exFAT and FAT32 when it comes to using external storage with your PlayStation 4. I‘ll share my expert advice on why exFAT is generally recommended over FAT32, as well as provide step-by-step instructions on how to properly format a drive as exFAT for PS4.

Let‘s level up your PS4 storage knowledge!

FAT32 vs exFAT On PS4 – What‘s The Difference?

When it comes to PlayStation 4 external storage, you have two main file system options – FAT32 and exFAT. At a quick glance, they may seem similar but there are some major technical differences that make exFAT the superior choice for PS4. Let‘s break it down:

File Size Limit

One of the biggest differences is that FAT32 has a maximum file size limit of 4GB per file. This means any game, movie or other file over 4GB in size will have to be split up into smaller chunks in order to work on a FAT32-formatted PS4 drive.

exFAT, on the other hand, has no practical file size limit. This allows you to seamlessly store and play games with file sizes over 4GB without having to split them up. Considering many modern games are over 4GB, exFAT is much more convenient.

Partition Size Limit

Another limiting factor of FAT32 is its partition size limit of 8TB. This may seem large, but if you ever wanted to create a partition larger than 8TB on an external PS4 hard drive, FAT32 would not allow it.

In contrast, exFAT does not have any realistic partition size limit that would impact use with a PS4. So you never have to worry about your external storage partition being too large.

Transfer Speed

When it comes to performance, exFAT generally provides faster transfer speeds compared to FAT32 when used as external storage on PS4.

According to tests performed by external drive manufacturer Samsung, exFAT delivered up to 20% faster write speeds over FAT32 during large file transfers. So if you want the best data transfer performance, exFAT is preferable.

No Need To Split Large Files

As mentioned earlier, FAT32‘s 4GB file size limitation means any files over 4GB have to be split into smaller parts to work properly. This can be a hassle if you have large game files or movies you want to store externally and play on your PS4.

With exFAT, you never have to worry about splitting files. It supports seamless transfer and playback of files over 4GB in size. Just drop your movies, games, and other large files onto the exFAT drive and you‘re good to go!

Wide Compatibility

In today‘s landscape, exFAT and FAT32 are the most widely compatible file systems across devices. Both work with Windows, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Android and more.

However, FAT32 is quite dated, having been introduced all the way back in the Windows 95 era. exFAT is much newer, having been introduced in 2006, and is better optimized for modern large capacity storage devices like hard drives and flash drives.

When it comes to next-gen gaming systems like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, the compatibility gap between exFAT and FAT32 will likely further increase thanks to their reliance on large game file sizes.

Easier Drive Management

In general, exFAT reduces the need for constant drive management that you‘d encounter with FAT32. As we‘ve discussed, FAT32‘s file size and partition limitations can lead to situations where you have to split files, re-format or juggle data around to make things work properly.

With exFAT, everything just works smoothly right out of the box. You can transfer whatever files you want without worrying about reformatting or splitting anything up. It‘s a much more seamless and frustration-free experience.

Why exFAT is Best For PS4 External Storage

Given the major advantages outlined above, it‘s easy to see why exFAT is the superior choice for external storage use with the PlayStation 4. Here are some of the key benefits of using exFAT:

• Store and play games over 4GB seamlessly – Many of today‘s biggest PS4 game files are over 4GB. God of War is over 45GB! exFAT handles these with ease.

• Easily store and watch movies and blu-rays – Films and disc images over 4GB won‘t work properly on FAT32 but play perfectly on exFAT.

• Faster transfer speeds – As mentioned, tests show exFAT provides faster data transfers versus FAT32 in many scenarios.

• Create massive storage partitions – exFAT eliminates FAT32‘s 8TB partition limit, allowing huge external drives.

• No need to split files – FAT32 requires file splitting whereas exFAT handles everything natively.

• Works great right out of the box – exFAT reduces headaches around constant drive management and reformatting.

Based on these advantages, there is a clear consensus among PS4 experts that exFAT is the best file system for external storage drives. It delivers fast performance while eliminating FAT32‘s file size limitations and headaches.

Unless you have a specific reason for needing broader compatibility with very old devices, there‘s really no reason to use FAT32 over exFAT for your PS4 external storage drive.

exFAT is the modern standard that provides the best overall experience. Even Sony themselves recommend exFAT for PS5 extended storage, which indicates it‘s also preferred for PS4.

How To Format A Drive As exFAT For PS4

I hope I‘ve helped explain why exFAT is generally superior to FAT32 for external PS4 storage use. However, knowing how to properly format a drive with the exFAT file system is equally important. So let‘s go over the steps!

Fortunately, the process is straightforward and can be done right from your PS4 or using a computer.

On PlayStation 4

Here is how to format as exFAT directly on your PS4:

1. Connect your external HDD or USB drive to your PS4.

2. Go to Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices.

3. Select the drive you want to format.

4. Choose Format as exFAT. Confirm to format the drive.

And that‘s it! The PS4 will handle the exFAT formatting process and setup the drive for immediate use.

On Windows

If you want to pre-format on your Windows PC, here are the steps:

1. Connect the external drive to your computer via USB.

2. Open Windows Explorer and right-click the drive. Choose Format.

3. Under File system, select exFAT.

4. Check Quick Format and click Start to begin.

Once complete, the drive will be properly formatted as exFAT and ready to use on your PS4!

On Mac

To format as exFAT on Mac, follow these instructions:

1. Connect the USB drive to your Mac.

2. Launch Disk Utility.

3. Select the external drive on the left panel. Click Erase along the top.

4. Choose exFAT as the format and click Erase to confirm.

That‘s all there is to it! Now you‘ll have an exFAT-formatted drive ready for PS4 external storage.

exFAT vs FAT32 – Final Verdict

Hopefully this guide has helped explain the core differences between exFAT and FAT32 in relation to using external storage on your PlayStation 4.

Here‘s a quick recap of the key takeaways:

• exFAT does not limit file sizes – Supports seamless transfers of files over 4GB.

• Faster transfer speeds – Tests show exFAT generally delivers faster read/write versus FAT32.

• No need to split files – Large movies and games transfer as single files on exFAT.

• Larger partition support – No practical limit like FAT32‘s 8TB partition cap.

• Easy drive management – Skip the headaches of reformatting and file splitting.

Considering these benefits, exFAT is highly recommended over FAT32 for external PS4 hard drives and flash storage. While both file systems are supported, exFAT provides a superior overall experience free of FAT32‘s legacy limitations.

I hope this detailed guide has provided a helpful overview of the exFAT vs FAT32 choice for your PlayStation 4 storage needs. Let me know if you have any other questions! Game on!