We’ve got just one more day until Black Friday, but the best deals for SSDs are already here. And in contrast to last year, these discounts are downright exciting. Case in point: a 2TB NVMe drive for just $80. (Still!)
But with sales happening everywhere, it can be hard to distinguish the excellent SSD deals from the ho-hum. That’s where we come in. Below is a list of the best SSD deals you can pick up at the moment. These drives are not only well-rated and popular, but they’re at or very near all-time low prices, too.
Best early Black Friday 2.5-inch SATA SSD deals
4TB SATA SSDs
2TB SATA SSDs
1TB SATA SSDs
- Samsung 870 Evo, 1TB SATA SSD – $85 (44% off on Amazon)
- Crucial MX500, 1TB SATA SSD – $68 (32% off on Amazon)
- WD Green, 1TB SATA SSD – $60 (45% off on Amazon)
- Teamgroup CX2, 1TB 2.5″ SATA SSD (plus bonus 16GB USB drive) – $55 (33% off on Newegg)
500GB SATA SSDs
A SATA SSD is a smart purchase regardless if you’re upgrading from an HDD or seeking an affordable SSD to expand your PC’s storage. It’s an even better when you can save a ton of cash. A standout among the deals is the Samsung 870 Evo: Popular for its rock-solid reliability, it’s hit an all-time low price across several capacities. But don’t count out other brands, especially if you have a niche need. The WD Green drive on sale is a low-power model, making it better suited for laptops.
Best early Black Friday M.2 NVMe SSD deals
2TB NVMe M.2 SSDs
1TB NVMe M.2 SSDs
500GB NVMe M.2 SSDs
- Sabrent Rocket, 500GB NVMe Gen 4 M.2 SSD – $50 (70% off on Amazon after coupon)
Depending on where you live, Micro Center’s crazy in-store discount on a 2TB NVMe SSD (just $80!) is still available. Stock is extremely low now, with very few locations still offering this screaming deal.
Plenty of other excellent discounts can be found online, too, including the Samsung 870 Evo and Crucial P3, two of our top SSD recommendations. Whether you need a wallet-friendly budget model or one with blistering speed, you can find something. We’re eyeing the SK Hynix models, as both the blistering fast Gen 4 P41 and still speedy Gen 3 P31 at all-time lows. The P41 is an especially great deal, given that’s not only cheaper than the better known Samsung 980 Pro, but is faster in benchmarks, too.
PlayStation 5 console owners should consider pairing a SK Hynix P41 with this be Quiet! low-profile heatsink for a high-performing SSD that’ll work with the PS5’s expansion slot. It has faster performance than rival options like the Samsung 980 Pro and Crucial P5 Plus. However, if cost is an issue, the 1TB Crucial P5 Plus deal at Best Buy, which includes a low-profile heatsink, is your cheapest option.
FAQ
Are Black Friday SSD deals worth it?
Absolutely yes. You can save a significant amount of money (sometimes hundreds of dollars on a high capacity drive) during the big Black Friday sale period. The trick is to know what’s a good deal, and what’s not. That’s where we come in: We’ve scoured reputable online retailers, looking for demonstrably good hardware at legitimately good discounts.
Are Black Friday SSDs lower quality?
Nope! Unlike other products, SSD vendors don’t produce special models for sale periods like Black Friday. These are the same models you’d find on a retail shelf or available on a website throughout the rest of the year.
What should I look for in a Black Friday SSD deal?
The best Black Friday deals drop prices on SSDs from reliable brands. A good discount starts around 15 to 20 percent—and a great deal will be 30 percent or more. Typically, the bigger bargains are higher-capacity SSDs (2TB or higher).
For the specific brands to watch, stick with known names like Samsung, Crucial, SK Hynix, Western Digital, Kingston, and Sabrent. TeamGroup and PNY are also options. The further afield you go, the more likely you’ll end up with underperforming (aka slow) drives.
Pay attention to the model, as well. You can often find multiple drives from a single vendor on sale. The usual sweet spots are discounts on high-performing drives rarely on sale and steep price cuts on budget models. This year we should finally see sizable reductions on high-capacity drives (2TB and up), too.
What kind of SSD should I buy?
This is the big question. If you’re on a budget, and have a laptop or a PC that has space for a 2.5-inch drive, a humble SATA SSD will already feel like a lightning fast upgrade from a spinning-platter (HDD) boot drive. (SATA SSDs also exist in the gumstick M.2 size, but this year’s best sales for that form factor are the faster NVMe SSDs.)
For those trying to decide between NVMe Gen 3 and NVMe Gen 4 drives, most people can buy a Gen 3 drive with a light heart. Unless you’re doing frequent large file transfers (think many GB at a time), you’ll get a notable boost in performance over a SATA drive without spending a ton of extra cash. If you’re building a system or buying for the very long haul, though, a Gen 4 drive is a good investment. File sizes will only climb over time for game installs, videos, and photos.
Still having trouble deciding? You can check out our guide on choosing an SSD for more details about each type of solid-state drive.
Which SSDs does PCWorld rate the highest?
PCWorld tests and reviews new SSDs every month, so if you’re looking to see what we recommend without regard to deal prices, check our rankings of the best SSDs of 2022. But it’s not an either/or situation: Some of our top picks are on sale right now!
When is Black Friday this year?
Technically, Black Friday falls on November 25, 2022. But as you can see here, the deals started before then—you can find great discounts and bargains now.
