What's a gamer to do if they need more storage? 😭obviously, but also consider this 2 TB drive for a whole lot less than our favorite SSD

Samsung 990 Evo Plus | 2 TB: $239.99 at Amazon

Samsung's relatively recent 990 Evo Plus range has a lot going for it (check out our review), but its launch price was too high. Those were different times, however, and the pricing of this DRAM-less SSD hasn't risen at the same rate as something like the SanDisk/WD_Black SN7100. While it doesn't have a DRAM cache onboard (likely making it that bit cheaper to make) it's no slouch in gaming terms, and has a fair endurance rating of 600 TBW, too.

Key specs: NVMe | PCIe 4.0 | 7250 MB/s read | 6300 MB/s write

Price check: Newegg $239.99

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It is tough out there, people. Real tough. Games are not getting smaller, and neither are our Steam libraries. And yet storage space inside your gaming PC is at a real premium. I don't want to have to keep doing this, but yes, it's all about the RAMpocalypse and the insatiable demand for memory, whether DRAM or now NAND, made by AI infrastructure.

We knew it would be coming for our SSDs, and we watched prices start to tick up before Christmas, but I've just spent today scouring through SSD prices on all our favorite (read: trusted) retailers, and I've come away very, very depressed for our hobby.

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All it takes is one good 150 GB game, and there will be a sound as if a million voices suddenly cried out in terror and were immediately silenced... when they looked at the red bars in their 'This PC' section of File Explorer.

Thankfully, there are no good new games coming, right?

Anyways, we would normally be recommending that you pick up a 2 TB drive to bolster your game storage, as the best compromise between capacity and affordability, but I just looked at our pick as the best SSD for gaming right now, and I'm floored.

The WD_Black SN7100 is great, but it's still just a PCIe 4.0 SSD, albeit a very speedy one for the interface. And yet the 2 TB version is retailing for $389 at best right now. Considering just back in September it was $120, that's a 224% price increase in just four months.

FFS. Luckily, there are still 2 TB drives out there that won't utterly bankrupt you, although they're still pricey compared to just a short while ago. This Samsung 990 EVO Plus is $240 at Amazon today, and it's only gone up 105% since September.

Sure, that pricing sucks in comparison to last year, but it is the reality for the foreseeable future (and still liable to get worse), so if you really do need to upgrade the storage in your gaming PC, then this is your best bet. And chances are, as cheap as it's going to be all year.

It's still a fast PCIe 4.0 drive, using proper TLC NAND, not the cheaper QLC, though it is DRAM-less (which helps 'cos it doesn't need any more expensive memory). That means for productivity tasks, it's going to be slower, and not feel quite as zippy on the Windows desktop, but realistically, you're not going to notice any performance loss in most games.

Theoretically, they have less longevity, too, though this Samsung 990 EVO Plus is rated to a healthy 600 TBW and has a full five-year warranty.

I'm not going to pretend this is some mega deal of the century, but if I were chasing a smart SSD purchase today, this would be the drive I'd buy. The WD_Black SN7100 is certainly the better SSD, but for two-thirds the price, I'd be happy sticking to Samsung.

👉Check out all the SSD 'deals' on Newegg right here👈

Best SSD for gaming 2026

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

👉Check out our full SSD for gaming guide👈