SSD and Hard Drive Deals

Buying advice

Three things matter more than the peak figures printed on the box: the flash and cache used, sustained write performance, and endurance. Many SSDs only reach high transfer rates inside their SLC cache; once it is full, speed drops noticeably when you copy large amounts of data. Drives with a DRAM cache usually behave more evenly under continuous load than DRAM-less versions. Endurance is indicated by the TBW rating, the amount of data the manufacturer guarantees over the warranty period; five years of warranty is common for branded drives. With classic hard disks, what counts instead is spindle speed, the recording method (CMR or SMR) and whether the model is rated for continuous operation, for example in a NAS.

Memory chips have become significantly more expensive since late 2025, so older price recommendations are often out of date. For office work, browsing and photos, a SATA or entry-level PCIe SSD with 1 TB is enough; these currently go for about 140 to 220 euros in most cases. If you game, install a lot or move large files, 2 TB with PCIe 4.0 is the better choice, which currently often costs around 280 to 380 euros. Above that you mainly pay for PCIe 5.0, high TBW ratings or 4 TB and more. External hard drives with 4 to 6 TB often sit at about 160 to 210 euros and remain the cheapest storage per terabyte for backups.

A good deal shows less in a crossed-out price than in the trend of recent months: if the price is clearly below the usual level, it is worth taking. Previous-year models from well-known makers such as Samsung, Kingston or Western Digital are often considerably cheaper and barely slower in everyday use. Larger price movements tend to occur around Black Friday, at the turn of the year and when product lines are replaced. Factor in follow-up costs: a heatsink for M.2 drives, a mounting bracket for 2.5-inch models, an enclosure for internal disks or shipping fees can eat up the benefit of a small discount.

What to look for

• Internal SSDs: the form factor (M.2 or 2.5 inch) and interface (PCIe or SATA) have to match your computer.
• For the PS5 you need an M.2 SSD with PCIe 4.0 and a heatsink; in everyday PC use the difference between PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 is barely noticeable.
• External hard drives are cheaper per terabyte and great for backups, external SSDs are faster and more rugged for travel.

In depth in our guide: Buy an SSD: NVMe or SATA, and what size really makes sense