While not as flashy as the new 4K monitor or one of the best graphics card, SSDs can make a surprisingly big difference to your PC gaming experience. Storing their data in semiconductor cells instead of old spinning wafers, SSDs have significantly faster transfer speeds than traditional hard disks and can therefore reduce download times instantly. This also makes them generally more expensive, and although prices are constantly falling, our guide to the best SSD deals right now can help you find a particularly good bargain.
Any SSD will provide a significant upgrade over a standard HDD, but when choosing between SSDs, there are various factors to consider. For example, internal SSDs come in two varieties: SATA SSDs, which are usually cheaper and connect to your motherboard and PSU via cable, and NVMe SSDs, which plug directly into your motherboard and can be two or three times faster. times that of SATA SSDs.
Since the pros and cons of SSDs aren’t always as obvious as they are with GPUs, it can be easy to overspend or buy an SSD that isn’t right for your device. Our advice? Check out our picks for Best SSD for gaming, then check back here to see if the model you want is discounted.
Best SSD deals (UK):
Best SATA SSD deals:
Important BX500 Transactions:
A great choice for those building a PC on a budget, the BX500 is only slightly slower than its more expensive cousin, the MX500. Currently, the 240GB version costs £30 less, although for an extra £15 you can double your storage.
Deals for Samsung 870 Qvo
Our Katharine-approved pick for the best high-capacity SSDs, the 870 Qvo comes in a variety of capacities up to 8GB, and offers some of the fastest read and write speeds you’ll find in an SSD. SATA. That’s still a fraction of the performance an NVMe SSD can deliver, but if storage space is more important to you than speed then the 870 Qvo is definitely the way to go.
Best NVMe SSD deals:
WD Blue SN570
Probably the best all-around SSD, the SN570 offers a great balance between storage capacity, price, and lightning-fast read and write speeds. Its high-performance random read rate makes it particularly well-suited to gaming, outperforming even the higher-end WD Black in this particular respect. Amazon currently has the best price for the 500GB model, though the 1TB model is an even better value.
WD Blue SN550
If you want to squeeze every last drop of your budget while maintaining fast load times, the SN550 is slightly cheaper across all dimensions than the SN570. With read and write speeds in the 2000MB/s range, it’s slightly slower than its replacement, though still faster than any SATA SSD. A perfect alternative to WD’s more expensive models.
WD Black SN850
If you want one of the fastest SSDs, the Black SN850 is a good choice. Its PCIe 4.0 interface offers a huge leap in performance over 3.0, especially when writing. That said, the Blue SN570 isn’t a million miles slower in read speeds – the more important factor for gaming – so arguably the better deal, although £60 for the 500GB Black SN850 is exceptional. hard to ignore.
Samsung 970 Evo Plus
In addition to WD’s Blue SN570, the 970 Evo plus is one of the best NVMe SSDs using the PCIe 3.0 interface. The Plus version only has slightly better read speeds than the standard 970 Evo, but write speeds are significantly faster. Both the 1TB and 2TB versions of the drive are currently half off at Amazon, while the 500GB version is 40% off.
Best external SSD deals:
Samsung T5
Katharine thinks T5 an expensive touch when she reviewed it in 2018. Three years later, the price of this tiny external SSD has dropped dramatically. You can currently buy the 500GB version at eBuyer for a few pence over £68.
Touch Samsung T7
Despite the similar appearance to the T5, the T7 touch has (approximately) twice the read and write speeds, plus a built-in fingerprint scanner to prevent your family members from peeking at the novel. fiction you are writing. It’s a bit more expensive than the T5, and Amazon’s deal on the 1TB version isn’t amazing, but you can get £100 off the 2TB version, which is a fair amount on your bill. friend.
Important X8
The Crucial X8 offers the same performance as the Samsung T7 Touch, but at a significantly lower price point. The 1TB version is currently just over £100 at Amazon, while the 2TB version is £82 off at Ebuyer. It is almost twice the weight of T7 Touch, although 100g it is still quite light..
The best SSD deals (US):
Best SATA SSD deals:
WD Blue 3D NAND
Amazon now has Western Digital’s workhorse SSDs at a pretty decent price. The 500GB version is especially cheap – You can grab two and still spend less than the discounted 1TB drive.
Samsung 870 Qvo
The excellent 870 Qvo seems to be in short supply after Black Friday and prices are fluctuating wildly. However, Best Buy drops money on all four capacities, from 1TB to 8TB.
Best NVMe SSD deals:
WD Blue SN550
Some good prices for Western Digital’s already affordable NVMe SSDs. While the SN550 isn’t as fast as the black SN570 or SN850, it’s fast enough for most PCs. The 500GB version is a good budget buy for a bit over $40.
WD Black SN850
Got a PCIe 4.0 ready motherboard and more money to spend? The speed of the Black SN850 is well worth a try, especially when the 500GB and 1TB versions are on sale.
Samsung SSD 980
Samsung’s competitor to WD’s SN550 impressed with Katharine with extremely fast transmission speed. Currently on offer at Best Buy, the $10 discount on the 500GB version is a bit misleading, but you can get $40 off the 1TB version, which isn’t bad at all.
Best external SSD deals:
Touch Samsung T7
Best Buy has dropped a finger or two off the price of Samsung’s ultra-secure SSD. You can get the 500GB version for under $100, while the 1TB and 2TB versions are discounted by $40 and $70 respectively. With a fingerprint scanner, it’s ideal for anyone who wants to store more sensitive files alongside their game backups.
Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD
Some external SSDs, although portable, are still at home. Not so much when SSD Extreme Portable, which combines high transfer rates with a rugged, water-resistant enclosure.
