Every time I write about SSD prices or the memory supply crisis more broadly, I feel like I should don a billowing, hooded cloak and open with something like "Alas, I bring you more ill-tidings, my liege." I do love a bit of drama, but honestly, in terms of SSD deals, it's also pretty rough out there.
That doesn't mean you can't find a reasonably priced SSD out there, you just need to know where to look—and as I update our best SSD deals for gaming today guide every week, I like to think I have a clue. So, to contend with the challenging SSD stock situation, I've not found just one deal on a speedy 1 TB drive, but three—because I know I'm not the only one with a nose for deals.
Today's SSD deals
- Crucial P310 (2280 form factor) - $107 @ Amazon
- WD_Black SN850X - $109 @ Walmart
- Crucial P310 (2230 form factor) - $130 @ Newegg
So, to cut to the chase, if you miss out on the Crucial P310 for only $107, fear not because you can pick up the WD_Black SN850X for only a few bucks more at $109 (from Walmart, of all places).
Unfortunately, we know this is old, and therefore limited stock—Sandisk has separated from WD, and has rebranded a bunch of its drives to match. If you miss out on Walmart's limited stock, there's finally the itty-bitty handheld gaming PC-friendly, 2230 version of the Crucial P310 for only $130 instead.
But why pick up any of these drives? Well, I'm so glad you asked! For one thing, each one has featured in some form among the hallowed headers of our best SSD for gaming guide, but let me break it down further. To begin with, the most affordable drive of the bunch, the 2280 form factor version of the Crucial P310, boasts the exact same speeds of its shorter, slightly more expensive sibling. With up to 7,100 MB/s read and 6,000 MB/s write speeds, this is definitely a speedy enough game drive for the price.
All that added length also gives it a greater surface area from which to disperse heat, and better thermal performance than its stumpy sibling as a result. However, it's worth underlining that the 2230 form factor is geared towards handheld gaming PCs like your Steam Deck, rather than your full-size rig.
Furthermore, as an older QLC SSD, it's not really built with, say, more professional workloads in mind, but it's otherwise a worthwhile choice for any gamer on a budget—and that's the long and short of it for the Crucial P310.
For a few bucks more, there's the WD_Black SN850X (soon to be renamed the Sandisk Optimus GX Pro 850X). With a sequential read/write of up to 7,300 MB/s / 6,300 MB/s, it's only a wee bit nippier than either version of the Crucial P310. With a 1 GB DDR4 DRAM cache alongside a 300 GB dynamic SLC cache, it's also a little better suited to more beyond gaming too.
If you can find this old stock at a reasonable price, you'll still get a very respectable performance out of this PCIe 4.0 drive. If you miss the boat on this deal though, there's always the Crucial P310—though the 2230 form factor is currently more expensive, can get pretty toasty during lengthy loads, and is only really a good deal if you're looking to give your Steam Deck a little extra room to breathe.
1. Best overall:
WD_Black SN7100
2. Best budget:
Biwin Black Opal NV7400
3. Best PCIe 5.0:
WD_Black SN8100
4. Best budget PCIe 5.0:
Crucial P510
5. Best 4 TB:
TeamGroup MP44
6. Best 8 TB:
WD_Black SN850X
7. Best M.2 2230:
Lexar Play 2230
8. Best for PS5:
Silicon Power XS70
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