Best cheap SSD deals for gaming today

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Team Group MP44L | 500 GB | M.2 2280 | PCIe 4.0 | 5,000 MB/s read | 3,700 MB/s write | $34.99 at Amazon
The MP44L isn't a fast SSD, but it is very good value for money. While we don't recommend anyone use this size of capacity for a main storage drive, it's fine if you just want something to store important documents from the boot drive.

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Team Group MP44L | 1 TB | M.2 2280 | PCIe 4.0 | 5,000 MB/s read | 4,500 MB/s write | $79.99 $59.99 at Newegg (save $20)
The MP44L is far from being the fastest SSD you can buy but for the money, you really can't complain. The read/write speeds are pretty low compared to others in our curated list, but they're still fast enough for most users and way better than a SATA SSD. If you avoid using it for heavy data transfers, you'll have no problems with it.

Price check: Amazon $59.99

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Lexar NM790 | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,400 MB/s read | 6,500 MB/s write | $99.99 $69.99 at Amazon (save $30)
For anyone looking for a cheap, spacious drive offering serious performance, this is a genuinely brilliant SSD for the money. Our review of the 4 TB version clearly shows just how good it is.

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Samsung 990 Evo Plus | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,150 MB/s read | 6,300 MB/s write | $109.99 $74.99 at Amazon (save $35)
Samsung's relatively new 990 Evo Plus range has a lot going for it (check out our review) but its launch price was too high. This deal goes a long way to rectify that but for a DRAM-less SSD, it's still a bit pricey. If you're a fan of Samsung's excellent Magician software, then it's worth considering, but there are SSDs for less money that are just as good.

Price check: Newegg $74.99

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WD Black SN850X | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,300 MB/s write | $92.99 at Amazon
This is still our favorite SSD for gaming, despite the strong competition and volatile prices. Unlike the cheaper SN770, the SN850X encapsulates the best PCIe 4.0 offers in terms of performance (check out our review). That makes it a great fit for a boot drive with space to spare for your game library, and at this price, we're happy to pay the premium for its higher speed.

Price check: Best Buy $94.99 | Newegg $94.99

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Crucial MX500 | 1 TB | 2.5-inch | SATA 6 Gb/s | 560 MB/s read | 510 MB/s write | $96.55 at Newegg
Not enough M.2 NVMe slots on your motherboard for more storage? No problem—you can still install an SSD via a SATA port. The Crucial MX500 is pretty much the best out there, as nothing else offers the same blend of performance and value for money as the MX500. It's also available in 2 TB and 4 TB sizes, with the prices scaling on par with the storage capacity. However, we recommend an NVMe drive if you have the spare M.2 slot and Crucial is starting to discontinue the MX500 line.

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Nextorage NEM-PAB | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,400 MB/s Read | 6,100 MB/s write | $149.99 $89.99 at Newegg (save $60)
Nextorage may be a relatively new name in NMVe SSDs but don't be fooled by appearances. This drive uses the ubiquitous Phison E18 controller, and the 1 TB version represents excellent price/performance value here. This version without a DRAM cache makes it less responsive than the DRAM-equipped NEM-PA model, despite having a slight advantage in stated straight-line performance. Check out our review of the NEM-PA for more.

Price check: Amazon $89.99

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Crucial P310 | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,100 MB/s read | 6,000 MB/s write | $171.99 $99.99 at Amazon (save $72)
This is a decent saving on a 2230 format SSD that performs pretty nicely, as we found when we reviewed the 2 TB version. Crucial's performance claims are very much peak values and the real-world numbers are generally lower, but at this price, it's a great way to boost your Steam Deck's storage and get a handy speed bump. There are cheaper 2230-size SSDs to be found but they're not as fast as this one.

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Team Group Cardea Z540 | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 5.0 | 11,700 MB/s read | 9,500 MB/s write | $189.99 $139.99 at Newegg (save $50)
If you absolutely must have the fastest possible SSD, you need to get a Gen5 model. Team Group's Z540 is ridiculously quick in benchmarks, but no game that takes advantage of that speed exists yet. As with all Gen5 SSDs, it's very expensive and runs really hot, so it's probably best to wait for the next round of PCIe 5.0 SSDs before taking the plunge.

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Silicon Power UD90 | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 5,000 MB/s read | 4,800 MB/s write | $119.97 $95.97 at B&H Photo (save $24)
You might not know Silicon Power from Samsung, but this SSD is well-received by our friends at Tom's Hardware. It offers plenty of speed for a Steam library expansion but with a meager cost per gigabyte of just four cents. It's not the fastest SSD out there, though.

Price check: Newegg $97.99 | Amazon $105.97

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Team Group MP44L | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 4,800 MB/s read | 4,400 MB/s write | $107.99 at Newegg
There's no DRAM to boost sustained performance and the SLC cache isn't especially big, either. But the speed is good enough for most workloads and when 1 TB of storage costs this much, who cares that it's not flash or fancy? Not us, that's for sure.

Price check: Amazon $107.99

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Nextorage NEM-PAB | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,900 MB/s write | $249.99 $129.99 at Newegg (save $120)
You can expect top performance out of this drive, which is impressive for the price. This version without a DRAM cache makes it a little less responsive than the DRAM-equipped NEM-PA model, despite having a slight advantage in stated straight-line performance. Unfortunately, this drive's price is volatile, but it's still one of the better-value 2 TB drives with a heatsink right now.

Price check: Amazon $149.99

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Team Group MP44S M.2 2230 | 2 TB | PCIe 4.0 | 5,000 MB/s read | 3,500 MB/s write | Steam Deck + ROG Ally compatible | $169.99 $142.99 at Amazon (save $27)
This Team Group drive isn't the fastest compact SSD you can stick in your Steam Deck, but it is one of the cheapest 2TB drives you'll be able to find for your wee handheld gaming PC. And it will also be a little quicker than the stock drive the Deck ships with, too.

Price check: Newegg $142.99

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Lexar NM790 | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,400 MB/s read | 6,500 MB/s write | $164.99 $129.49 at Amazon (save $35.50)
This particular version of Lexar's best SSD is so popular that stocks regularly dry up, so at the moment, the best deal available is for the heatsink-equipped variant. But thanks to high-layer NAND and a low-power controller, you're still getting tons of storage here in an energy-efficient and great-performing drive for not much cash and often much less cash than the competition. Read our Lexar NM790 (4 TB) review for more.

Price check: Newegg $129.99 (heatsink-less version)

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WD Black SN850X | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,600 MB/s write | $159.99 $144.95 at Amazon (save $15.04)
Our favorite SSD for gaming right now encapsulates the best PCIe 4.0 offers in terms of performance (check out our review). That makes it a great fit for a boot drive with space to spare for your game library but while it's super fast and reliable, prices are really volatile.

Price check: Newegg $151.59 | Best Buy $199.99

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Samsung 990 Pro | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,450 MB/s read | 6,900 MB/s write | $199.75 $169.99 at Amazon (save $29.76)
Samsung's 990 Pro is a very solid SSD (read our review), albeit rather pricey for what it is. It's reputation was damaged due to a habit of dying unexpectedly but that's been resolved with firmware updates. If you really must have a Samsung SSD in your gaming PC then this one is pretty good, but there are better options to be found.

Price check: Newegg $169.99

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Team Group QX | 4 TB | 2.5-inch | SATA III 6 Gb/s | 560 MB/s read | 510 MB/s write | $190.99 at Newegg
It's a fair chunk of cash for a slow SSD but if you're looking for lots of storage and don't need a blazing NVMe drive, then this is the cheapest way of putting a 4 TB SSD in your gaming PC. Just don't expect it to sustain full speed under heavy workloads and you'll be fine.

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Silicon Power UD90 | 4 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 5,000 MB/s read | 4,500 MB/s write | $239.99 $214.99 at Amazon (save $25)
This Silicon Power might not be the fastest of drives, but it's difficult to argue with this much storage for this sort of money. With a sequential read/write of 5,000 MB/s and 4,500 MB/s, it's still not what you'd call slow and should be fine for gaming; plus it comes from a reliable brand.

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Team Group MP44 | 4 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,400 MB/s read | 6,900 MB/s write | $299.99 $242.99 at Amazon (save $57)
This Team Group boasts some mighty specs for the money, though it's actually the same hardware as in the Lexar NM790. The sequential read/write speeds are extremely high but it can only sustain them over short bursts. At this price, it's well worth putting up with that limitation. Read our full review of this SSD for more info.

Price check: Newegg $242.99

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WD Black SN850X | 4 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,600 MB/s write | $299.99 $278.99 at Newegg (save $21)
Ignore the tiny 'saving' and just focus on the fact you're getting 4 TB of our favorite gaming SSD (check out our review) for a reasonable price. If 4 TB still isn't enough for you, then there's the 8 TB version of the SN850X, but at $600, it's more than double the price of two 4 TB drives.

Price check: Amazon $279.99 | Best Buy $309.99

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Team Group PD20M | 1 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2x2 | 2,000 MB/s read | 2,000 MB/s write | $69.99 at Newegg
Not all external SSDs need to be big and bulky. This Team Group PD20M is just 40 g in weight and 8.2 mm thick, making it very portable. It's also MagSafe-compatible so you can attach it to the back of an iPhone and extend its storage, with an appropriate cable. As with all fast external SSDs, you'll need a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (20 Gbps) port to get the full speed.

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Adata SD810 | 1 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2x2 | 2,000 MB/s read | 2,000 MB/s write | $79.99 at Amazon
Small, light, and very fast in the right USB port, this little SSD might be all you need for your external storage requirements. While we didn't think it offered a great amount of drop resistance in our review, the SD810 is rated to IP68, so it'll fend off dust and water ingress nicely.

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Crucial X9 Pro | 2 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2 | Up to 1,050 MB/s read and write | $169.99 $129.99 at Amazon (save $40)
Crucial is a big name in SSDs, and the Micron-owned brand is offering a small saving on this 2 TB external model. The drive comes in an anodized aluminium shell with a rubberized base and is just 65 x 50 mm big. There's an integrated lanyard hole too, if you want to wear it, which hides a drive activity light.

Price check: Newegg $129.99 | Best Buy $129.99

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Samsung T7 Shield | 4 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2 | Up to 1,050 MB/s read and write | $499.99 $275.26 at Amazon (save $224.73)
You might think this is a lot of money for an external SSD, and you'd be right. But that's not to say it's a bad deal. In fact, it's one of the best deals in this list, at around $0.06 per gigabyte. You're paying less, for more. Now I sound like Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang... "the more you buy, the more you save."

Price check: Newegg $329.85 | B&H Photo $275.26

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WD Black SN850X | 1 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,300 MB/s write | £157.99 £78.49 at Amazon (save £79.50)
This is one of our favourite SSDs for gaming right now. Unlike the cheaper SN770, the SN850X encapsulates the best PCIe 4.0 offers in terms of performance (check out our review). That makes it a great fit for a boot drive with space to spare for your game library, and at this price, we're happy to pay the premium for its higher speed.

Price check: Scan £78.49

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Silicon Power XS70 | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,800 MB/s write | £127.99 £119.99 at Amazon (save £8)
Prices for the XS70 are some of the most variable I've seen for an SSD, so it's perhaps worth waiting to see if the price dips again before picking one up. It packs rather a large bang for your buck with its fast read and write times, at least. While the software side of things may be a little lacking, we were impressed with this drive's overall performance and value proposition.

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Lexar NM790 | 2 TB | PCIe 4.0 | 7,400 MB/s read | 6,500 MB/s write | £139.99 £124.99 at Overclockers (save £15)
Lexar has put together a superb SSD in the NM790, and the best part is that it's surprisingly cheap. Thanks to high-layer NAND and a low-power controller, you can get tons of storage here on an energy-efficient and great-performing drive for not much cash and often for much less cash than the competition. Read our Lexar NM790 (4 TB) review for more.

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WD Black SN850X | 2 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,300 MB/s read | 6,600 MB/s write | £144.98 £122.49 at Amazon (save £22.49)
Despite its age, this is still one of our favourite SSDs for gaming right now. Unlike the cheaper SN770, the SN850X encapsulates the best PCIe 4.0 offers in terms of performance (check out our review). That makes it a great fit for a boot drive with space to spare for your game library, and at this price, we're happy to pay the premium for its higher speed.

Price check: Scan £133

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Lexar NM790 | 4 TB | NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7,400 MB/s read | 6,500 MB/s write | £233.99 at Scan
It's a lot of money to spend on a storage drive but it's actually great value for money. Trying to find a high-quality 4 TB SSD around £200 in the UK is pretty impossible right now but this Lexar is well worth the extra money. There are cheaper SSDs with the same capacity but they won't have anywhere near the same performance or longevity.

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Crucial X9 Pro | 1 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2 | Up to 1,050 MB/s read and write | £89.99 at Amazon
Crucial is a big name in SSDs, and the Micron-owned brand is offering a small saving on this 1TB external model. The drive comes in an anodized aluminium shell with a rubberized base and is just 65 x 50 mm big. There's an integrated lanyard hole too, if you want to wear it, which hides a drive activity light. If this isn't enough storage for you, the 2 TB version is only £102.99 on Amazon.

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Adata SD810 | 1 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2x2 | 2,000 MB/s read | 2,000 MB/s write | £79.99 at Amazon
Small, light, and very fast in the right USB port, this little SSD might be all you need for your external storage requirements. While we didn't think it offered a great amount of drop resistance in our review, the SD810 is rated to IP68, so it'll fend off dust and water ingress nicely.

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Crucial X10 Pro | 2 TB | USB 3.2 Gen2x2 | Up to 2,100 MB/s read | Up to 2,000 MB/s write | £145.99 at Amazon
If you need a small external SSD but don't want to sacrifice capacity or performance, then Crucial's X10 Pro is a great choice. It's the same size as the X6 model but has double the read/write performance, though you will need to plug it into a 20 Gbps USB port to reach full speed.

Price check: Scan £199.99