The PS5 has been out for a few months now, and with demand for both next-gen consoles continuing to outstrip supply, it feels like the new hardware is only now starting to hit the mainstream. Once the high of a successful PS5 purchase wears off, though, the work begins. There are multiple ways to get your games and saves onto your new console, but they are certainly not created equal. Below, we’ll run you through your options and provide an informal answer to the question of how long does it take to transfer data from PS4 to PS5.

Transferring your PS4 data to your PS5 via Wi-Fi is an instinctive choice for most users. Sure, wireless transfer will be a bit slower, but searching for that LAN cable in a forgotten drawer somewhere in your house means you’ll have to stand up. And we hate standing. The thing is, wireless is slower.

A lot slower. While exact times will vary between users depending on their console version and the amount of data they’re transferring, you can bet that wireless data transfers will take far, far too long. An average time would equate to tens of hours for a median-range amount of data, during which time any number of issues could occur — power outages, hardware failures, accidental disconnections — requiring you to restart the transfer at best. Many users have left their consoles powered on for days on end, only to see their estimated transfer times continue to climb.

Wireless transmission is therefore absolutely out of the question.