SSD prices are continuing to fluctuate in the big 2026. As a knock-on effect from the rising costs of RAM, rates keep escalating, and what were once easy-to-recommend budget-friendly drives are now anything but.
While AI data centers continue to hoard up storage, leaving not a lot for the rest of us, we're not letting that bring us down. To ensure you can still give your PC and PS5 a well-deserved boost, we've scoured every inch of the internet to pick out the best SSDs for gaming at the lowest prices available right now. What's reasonable these days is a little different from this time last year, so there won't be any typical deals listed below. Instead, we've found the lowest SSD prices we can, given the circumstances.
If you'd prefer an external SSD instead, our roundup of the best external hard drives is the place to be. External drives will still typically run cheaper than NVMe drives, so they can be a great alternative amongst this RAM-pocalypse, especially if you're on the hunt for storage to store games, and some big files or two.
Where to buy SSDs
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This week's best SSD prices in the US
FAQ
Why are SSD prices so high in 2026?
The prices of SSDs began to rise towards the end of 2025 and continue to rise as a knock-on effect from the ongoing RAM-pocalypse, where the prices of memory have begun to skyrocket due to the demand required to power AI data centers. These data centers also require the use of SSDs, so storage stock is also growing scarce, leaving their prices to rise alongside their Nand bretherens.
What is a good size for a gaming SSD?
We typically suggest grabbing either a 1TB or 2TB model SSD over anything smaller that's available in an NVMe form factor. That's because at least an extra 1TB will give you enough space to not just download the newest AAA titles, but give you some extra headroom to account for any bloated patch updates and future DLC.
Larger capacity cards, where the PC is concerned, tend to have faster speeds than their small counterparts, so there's other advantages to buying higher capacity cards. However, the larger the capacity, the pricier the solid-state drive will be.
What SSD do you need for PS5?
If you're on the hunt for the best cheap SSD deals for the PS5, you will need to ensure you grab a Gen 4.0 drive with a heatsink attached and a minimum sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. Most SSDs designed with the Sony console in mind are available with heatsink models from the get-go for easy installation.
However, if you grabbed a Gen 4 drive without one, you can source your own compatible heatsink in order to use it alongside your PS5 console.
We've also rounded up the best external hard drives, the best PS5 external hard drives, and the best Xbox Series X hard drives if you're hunting for some gaming storage solutions.
