The Best SSD and Hard Drive Deals for January 2025

It’s 2025, and if you’re going to be gaming, content creating or just using your computer, you might need a little more storage. Prices are really good right now on drives from most of the major manufacturers, with SSDs and HDDs from Samsung, Crucial, Western Digital, and more seeing doorbuster deals. Here are nine of the best storage offers we’ve found in January.
Samsung 990 EVO 1TB Internal SSD for $74.99 (list price $149.99)
Crucial BX500 1TB Internal SSD for $58.59 (list price $94.99)
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue Internal SSD for $66.99 (list price $84.99)
Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD for $329.99 (list price $549.99)
SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable SSD for $89.99 (list price $129.99)
Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD for $89.99 (list price $129.99)
UnionSine 500GB Ultra Slim Portable External HDD for $28.28 (list price $39.99)
Seagate BarraCuda 5TB Internal HDD for $154.99 (list price $219.99)
WD_BLACK Pink P10 External 2TB HDD for $84.99 (list price $94.99)
Keeping your drive inside your computer is the traditional way to go, and internal SSDs are faster and less expensive than external drives. Definitely cross-check to make sure that these storage devices are compatible with your desktop or laptop. With capacities up to 2TB, you won’t need much more than this to keep your data close.
Specs: 1TB | 5,000/4,200 MB/s read/write | PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2
Let’s open this up with a massive 53% discount on an internal SSD that got an Editors’ Choice award from PCMag in its review, saying that the 990 EVO was “an excellent-value mainstream M.2 internal SSD, with whizzy performance and the class-leading warranty, software, and security that you’d expect from Samsung.” This is a tremendous all-around value, featuring read/write speeds up to 5,000/4,200 MB/s, smart thermal control, and exceptional power efficiency. You’re not likely to beat this price anytime soon.
Samsung 990 EVO 1TB Internal SSD for $74.99 (list price $149.99)
Specs: 2TB | 540 MB/s read/write | SATA
Here’s a budget SSD that has been dropped down to a seriously appealing price. PCMag reviewed the Crucial BX500 and called it “solid for mainstream service” thanks to its comprehensive software dashboard and reliable performance. Because this is a SATA 3.0 drive, it’s not as speedy as PCiE storage, but what you get in exchange is low cost and reliability. Micron 3D NAND technology brings increased power efficiency with it. This drive comes with a three-year limited warranty from Crucial.
Crucial BX500 1TB Internal SSD for $58.59 (list price $94.99)
Specs: 1TB | 560 MB/s read/write | SATA
Here’s another SATA SSD that hits a nice bargain price point. If fast access speeds aren’t a priority, this is a great choice at a 21% discount. Even though it’s been on the market for nearly a decade, the WD Blue internal drive still delivers. PCMag reviewed it when it was released, saying that the drive “should satisfy most consumers who aren’t obsessed with benchmarks,” resting comfortably above ultra-budget models but with slightly better performance.
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue Internal SSD for $66.99 (list price $84.99)
If you need a little more portability without sacrificing space, an external SSD is the way to go. These have come a long way since the measly flash memory sticks and can now hold massive amounts of data and transfer it back and forth through USB-C to laptops, desktops, and other devices. They’re also housed in rugged casings to survive frequent transport.
Specs: 4TB | 2,000MB/s read/write | USB 3.2
The Samsung T9 is a pricey portable drive, but for the money you get an unbeatable combination of durability and speed, and right now it’s on sale. PCMag gave this unit an Outstanding rating in its review, commenting that it “achieves blazing throughput speeds when connected to a compatible PC, making it a go-to external SSD for content creators.” It also earned PCMag’s coveted Editors’ Choice award. With read/write speeds of 2,000MB/second, it’ll handle huge files with ease. Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard keeps the unit cool and your files safe no matter how hard you push it, and it’s compatible with just about everything.
Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD for $329.99 (list price $549.99)
Specs: 1TB | 1,050/1,000MB/s read/write | USB 3.2
This is a tremendous price on a rugged and easy-to-use drive that can withstand some serious situations. USB-C connectivity gives you the best read-write speeds for an external drive, at over 1,000 megabytes per second. The casing is durable and has a handy loop for a lanyard or carabiner. 256-bit AES encryption helps you keep the contents safe if you misplace it. This is one of the nicest prices you’ll see on a portable of this capacity, so take it home while you can.
SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable SSD for $89.99 (list price $129.99)
Specs: 1TB | 1,050MB/s read/write | USB 3.2
Another workable external drive at a $40 discount, Crucial makes dependable hardware that they back up with a three-year warranty. The USB-C connection means it’s compatible with a wide range of hardware, including Xbox, PlayStation, Windows, Mac, Android, and iPad devices. The read/write speed is fast enough for large files and frequent accessing, so it’s a solid sidekick for creative types as well as gamers. Even though it’s an all-plastic construction, it’s rated shock and drop-proof up to 7.5 feet.
Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD for $89.99 (list price $129.99)
For the maximum amount of storage, you’ve got to go old-school with a hard disk drive. Although these are more vulnerable to mechanical wear than solid-state drives, hard disks are time-tested technology that is both reliable and affordable. This category covers internal and external drives, some designed for desktops and others for laptops.
Specs: 500GB | 110/103MB/s read/write | USB 3.0
Need something slim and portable but still using hard disk technology? This is a super cheap 500GB drive that hits all the marks. USB 3.0 compatibility gives it read/write speeds over 100MB/s, and the JMicron 578 noise-free solution keeps it running silently through the whole process. An insulating diaphragm helps keep the drive clean and free of any interference. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android devices, as well as all of the major game consoles.
UnionSine 500GB Ultra Slim Portable External HDD for $28.28 (list price $39.99)
Specs: 5TB | 140MB/s read/write | SATA
Here’s a nice price on an internal SATA drive that holds a lot in a compact form factor. Seagate’s BarraCuda line has been a reliable performer for many generations of PC hardware, and this model features a 2.5-inch form factor, allowing it to fit in multiple case configurations. With hot plug support, it’s a breeze to install, and although transfer speeds aren’t the fastest it’s not something you’ll notice. At this price, it’s an unbeatable pick.
Seagate BarraCuda 5TB Internal HDD for $154.99 (list price $219.99)
Specs: 2TB | 130MB/s read/write | USB 3.2
It’s pink! Besides the compelling color, this is a very sturdy hard drive optimized for game storage, with super-fast USB 3.2 connectivity through a Micro-B port. It’s compatible not only with Windows and other PC platforms, but also the leading gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X, S, and PlayStation 4 and 5. It’s a breeze to set up and the rugged casing belies the powder pink paint job. If you’re confident in your masculinity, this is a great hard drive deal.
WD_BLACK Pink P10 External 2TB HDD for $84.99 (list price $94.99)
Looking to upgrade your storage? Here are some things to keep in mind:
Internal SSDs and HDDs come in several form factors, with the most popular now being the M.2 “gumstick” variety, although 2.5-inch drives still have plenty of use cases. Typically, solid-state drives have more variance because they don’t require a mechanical spool. Make sure that the model you’re purchasing will fit in your machine — consult the manual or the manufacturer’s website for specifications.
Storage drives also use a number of different interfaces, and compatibility is important there as well. The two primary options are SATA and PCIe, each with advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the data transfer protocol is also different between units. Make sure they match.
Performance-wise, two factors matter: size and speed. Both increase cost, so balancing your budget with how much space you want is key. Thankfully, drive prices are lower than ever when you consider how capacious they are, so you can get massive multi-terabyte drives for pretty cheap.
The sheer variety of solid-state drives on the market can be overwhelming. Purchasing with purpose is the way to get the best value moving forward. If you’re moving files between locations, you obviously need an external SSD. If you plan to build a desktop that keeps system files on an SSD and program files on an HDD, a smaller solid-state drive will be more cost-effective. If you need to store massive amounts of data on a budget, an HDD will be the best option.
The major difference in solid-state drives is their interface method. Serial ATA technology is older and works like traditional mechanical drives, while Non-Volatile Memory Express was designed to work exclusively with SSDs. NVMe uses the PCIe bus, which is being regularly updated and expanded to exploit additional lanes of data transfer, increasing speed and capacity with each generation. NVMe will generally provide better results, but SATA may be compatible with more systems.
As the great computer scientist Tupac Shakur famously said, “Only God can judge you.” We’re proponents of investing a little extra than you think you need to for a more spacious drive. Given the skyrocketing sizes of file installs, with some AAA games coming in at over 100GB, you’ll find whatever drive you buy filling up fast. It’s smart to future-proof your setup now instead of buying a patchwork of external storage later.
Samsung 990 EVO 1TB Internal SSD for $74.99 (list price $149.99)
Crucial BX500 1TB Internal SSD for $58.59 (list price $94.99)
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue Internal SSD for $66.99 (list price $84.99)
Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD for $329.99 (list price $549.99)
SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable SSD for $89.99 (list price $129.99)
Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD for $89.99 (list price $129.99)
UnionSine 500GB Ultra Slim Portable External HDD for $28.28 (list price $39.99)
Seagate BarraCuda 5TB Internal HDD for $154.99 (list price $219.99)
WD_BLACK Pink P10 External 2TB HDD for $84.99 (list price $94.99)
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