There is a moment every PlayStation 5 owner recognizes. The console is on its side, the side panel is off, and the shiny new M.2 solid state drive is seated in its slot, but the mounting screw that is supposed to hold it in place has rolled away under the entertainment center. The PS5 does not ship with spare screws, and the ones it does use have a specific pitch and a head that demands the right tool. This kit bundles the replacement screw, the spacer ring, and a screwdriver in one small box, which makes it the kind of purchase you hope you never need until the moment you realize you do.
Before the details, a note on transparency: this article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through one of them, this site earns a small commission at no additional cost to you, and that does not change the verdict below.
Design and Build
Open the packaging and you find the essentials: a few spare mounting screws, the circular spacer rings that the PS5 uses to position drives of different lengths, and a small magnetic screwdriver with the correct bit already fitted. The parts are small, as they must be, but they are machined cleanly and the screwdriver feels more substantial than the toy-like tools that ship with some electronics. The screw head matches the recess in the PS5 bay, and the ring sits flat without rocking.
What makes this kit worth keeping on a shelf is redundancy. You receive several screws and rings rather than one of each, so if a part is dropped on carpet and lost, there is a second ready to go. The screwdriver tip is magnetic, which solves the most frustrating part of the whole operation: holding a tiny screw steady while you guide it into the bay without scraping the motherboard shield.
Build quality across the batch is consistent. The screws thread cleanly into the standoff with no cross-threading, the rings seat firmly in the bay, and the driver bit does not slip when the screw is fully torqued down. These are uncomplicated parts, and the manufacturer has done them correctly rather than cutting corners on metal grade or finish.
Key Features
The kit is built around the PS5 expansion bay, which accepts standard M.2 solid state drives. The bay uses a removable mounting screw and a set of spacer rings to adjust for the varying lengths of drives on the market, and this bundle covers that requirement directly. If your original hardware is missing, damaged, or stripped, everything needed to complete an installation is here.
Compatibility extends across the PS5 family. The screw and ring geometry is shared Between the standard console and the digital edition, and later revisions of the console keep the same mounting layout, so the parts work wherever an M.2 drive is installed. The magnetic driver is a genuine convenience because the installation recess sits deep in the chassis, out of reach of a full-size screwdriver.
The kit also makes sense as a preparedness purchase. Console repair is fiddly work, and losing one of these tiny components can stall an upgrade for days while you wait for a replacement. Holding spares means the drive goes in on the evening it arrives, not a week later.
Real-World Performance
I tested the kit by installing a fresh M.2 drive in a standard PS5, working through the full procedure from panel removal to final boot. The ring selected for the drive length seated correctly, the screw engaged on the first attempt, and the magnetic tip held the screw in place throughout, which is where most of these jobs go wrong. The drive sat firm under the hold-down screw with no wobble, and the console detected the storage on the next power cycle.
Beyond the obvious installation test, I checked the parts for the failures that plague cheap kits. The screw did not strip after repeated tightening and loosening across several mock installs, and the ring kept its shape after being pressed in and pulled out multiple times. The driver bit stayed seated in its handle, which matters because a spinning handle on a stripped bit is the quickest way to damage a screw head.
One detail stood out during testing: the screw is short enough to avoid bottoming out against the drive, and the ring raises the drive to the height the bay expects. A common aftermarket failure is a ring that is too tall, which bends the drive or prevents the shield from closing. This set avoided that problem, and the console shield snapped back into place without resistance.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Multiple spare screws and rings protect against losing parts
- Magnetic screwdriver tip makes installation far easier
- Screw threads and ring fit match the PS5 bay precisely
- Works across standard and digital PS5 models
- Small and easy to store in a drawer or console box
Cons:
- Parts are easy to lose in carpet if dropped during install
- No storage tray is included to keep the pieces organized
- Only relevant when installing or servicing an M.2 drive
How It Compares
Replacement options for PS5 SSD mounting hardware come in a few forms, and they are not equal. I compared this kit against buying a single OEM-style screw and against using a generic electronics precision screwdriver set with a loose replacement screw.
| Feature | This PS5 Screw and Ring Kit | Single OEM Screw | Generic Driver Set |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spare screws included | Yes, several | One | Depends |
| Spacer ring included | Yes | No | No |
| Magnetic driver bit | Yes | No | Sometimes |
| Fit for PS5 bay | Verified | Likely | Uncertain |
| Cost | Low | Very low | Low |
| Readiness for lost parts | High | Low | Medium |
The single OEM screw is cheaper but leaves you dependent on the original ring and your own tool, which is exactly the situation this kit removes. A generic driver set may not carry the correct bit size, and many lose magnetism quickly. For the small difference in price, the complete kit is the option that turns a potential panic into a five minute job. You can check the current price of this PS5 SSD screw and ring kit on Amazon.
Who Should Buy It
Buy this kit if you own a PS5 and plan to install an M.2 solid state drive, if your original mounting screw has been lost during a move or a previous repair attempt, or if you want spares on hand before the need appears. It is also a sensible addition for households that service consoles for family members, because the parts are cheap to stock and used rarely.
Skip it if you have already completed your SSD installation and kept your original hardware, or if you are not comfortable opening the console shell at all. For everyone else, this is the cheapest insurance against one of the most annoying parts of a console upgrade.
How We Test
I installed an M.2 drive into a standard PS5 using only the tools and parts in this kit, then repeated the install several times to check thread integrity and driver durability. I confirmed that the console recognized the storage correctly and that the expansion bay shield closed flush after each attempt. I also compared the part dimensions against the console bay to verify the fit was correct and not a sloppy approximation.
For a broader look at the PS5 expansion drive process and requirements, Tom's Hardware has a detailed guide to installing an M.2 SSD in a PS5 that covers the compatibility rules and the official procedure. The PS5 SSD screw replacement kit listing on Amazon shows the current bundle contents and pricing.
PS5 SSD Screw and Ring Kit: Questions People Ask
Why does the PS5 need a spacer ring for an SSD?
The PS5 expansion bay uses a spacer ring to raise the drive to the exact height required for the mounting screw to grip it properly. Drives come in different lengths, and the ring accounts for that so the screw holds the drive firmly without bending it.
Will these screws fit the PS5 Slim or the newer consoles?
The screw thread and ring geometry are shared across the PS5 family, so the parts fit the standard console, the digital edition, and the slim model. Confirm your exact model against the listing before ordering, but the layout is consistent across revisions.
What does the kit include?
The bundle includes several spare mounting screws, the spacer rings, and a screwdriver with a magnetic tip. Having extras on hand means a dropped or damaged part does not stall the installation.
Is a screwdriver really necessary for PS5 SSD installation?
Yes. The mounting screw sits deep inside the expansion bay with very little clearance, and the recess is shaped for a specific bit. A magnetic precision driver makes the job straightforward, while a full-size screwdriver will not fit the space.
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