One of the more attractive features of the PlayStation 3 is that the hardware is designed to allow you to replace the hard drive with inexpensive, high-capacity models that work with laptops. Previously the only reason to upgrade was to get more storage space, but newer solid state disk (SSD) drives reportedly speed up the device.

A Eurogamer post compares the PS3 performance with a regular hard drive, an SSD drive and a hybrid, half-SSD drive. In many cases, the SSD drives cut down on loading times and generally improved system performance. Results varied depending on the games that were used.

Here’s a video guide that shows you how to swap out your PS3 hard drive:

Can SSD Upgrades Boost PS3 Performance? [Eurogamer via Kotaku]

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