What the 11.25mm limit really means
Sony's M.2 bay accepts a 2280-size drive plus a heatsink, with a total stack of roughly 11.25mm: about 8.0mm of clearance above the circuit board and 2.45mm below it. A bare M.2 SSD is only around 2.3mm thick, so the heatsink is what consumes the rest of the budget. Thin, single-sided heatsinks fit comfortably; tall tower or fan-cooled designs do not.
How we build this list, and its limits
We read each product's title and specifications for a stated height and for low-profile or PS5-fit wording, include drives sold with a fitted PS5 heatsink, and exclude obvious tall, tower or fan coolers. Manufacturers do not always publish the exact stack height, so this list is best-effort guidance rather than a guarantee.
Before buying, confirm the maker's stated height for your specific model, especially for the PS5 Slim, whose bay is tighter than the original console. If you are fitting your own heatsink to a bare drive, measure the combined height and keep it under 11.25mm.