I'm on the prowl for the best Black Friday SSD and hard drive deals - and these are my recommendations for anyone looking for early discounts and savings.
My top choice right now is the Kingston XS1000 2TB, a compact external drive with a very welcome 5-year warranty. It's currently discounted in both the US (here) and the UK (here).
My team and I have tested out everything from the best portable SSDs and the best external hard drives to the best SSD and best HDD. So, I'll continue updating this page as more Black Friday deals and discounts drop. For even more savings over the shopping event, head to our Black Friday deals hub for all the latest technology.
Top Black Friday SSD and hard drive deals in the US
- Amazon: SSD and hard drives up to 45% off
- Best Buy: Up to $150 off
- Adorama: Save on storage starting at $16
- B&H Photo: HDD and SSD deals from $43
- Newegg: SSDs from $13
- Walmart: $6 deals on data storage
Top Black Friday SSD and hard drive deals in the UK
- Amazon: Save up to 45%
- Argos: Data storage deals from £20
- John Lewis: HDD and SSDs under £50
- Very: Data storage starting at £55
- Staples: Internal and external drives from £20
Tips for buying an SSD or HDD
It's easy to assume that SSDs and hard drives are simple products when compared to laptops, TVs, or PCs, but there's still plenty to consider if you want to buy new storage.
SSDs are more popular for a couple of crucial reasons: even affordable SSDs are far faster than the average hard disk, and they're physically smaller, so they can easily fit into laptops, compact PCs and motherboards. The lack of moving parts also means they're less susceptible to breakages.
While an SSD will always be quicker than a hard drive, different kinds of SSDs do exhibit different speed levels. The best cheap SSDs use the slower SATA or PCI-E 3 connections, while the best M.2 drives are quicker but pricier thanks to their PCI-E 4 protocols.
If you're buying the best internal hard drive you can find, you'll have to accept a slower pace when compared to SSDs. Nevertheless, remember that 3.5in drives are almost always faster than 2.5in products and that 7,200rpm drives are quicker than 5,400rpm disks.
Make sure you're buying an SSD or hard drive that's got enough capacity, and then think about the particular attributes of internal and external hardware. If you buy an internal SSD or hard drive, ensure you've got the requisite motherboard connections and space free inside your PC or laptop.
If you've got external storage in your sights, check that your other hardware supports its type of connector, and consider its dimensions and weight. It could also be worth buying a rugged hard drive to ensure that it survives life on the road. Make sure your new drive has a top-notch warranty, too, and consider what software comes with the device – a free subscription to an expensive service could sweeten the deal.
If you want to buy a hard drive for a specialist business PC or the best gaming SSD for your PC or console, there are some additional considerations.
Business buyers should buy an SSD or a hard drive that has a higher endurance rating. That's because productivity PCs and laptops tend to read and write files to storage at a greater frequency than the storage in consumer systems. That's true for internal and external hardware in equal measure.
It's also worth investing in storage with built-in backup options like cloud storage to ensure that you don't lose vital files, and if you're going to store sensitive data then many SSDs and hard drives also have encryption.
Gamers need to address different concerns. Speed and capacity are vital: if the former is good, your loading times and boot speeds will be better, and if the latter is large enough, you'll never run out of room. If you want an SSD to upgrade your PS5, make sure the console supports it before clicking the buy button.
Frequently asked questions
When do Black Friday SSD and Hard drive sales start?
Black Friday is November 29 this year, and we’re already seeing some great deals out there, so you can expect to see the best prices in the run up to the big day. Traditionally, the best deals show up right on Black Friday and continue into Cyber Monday (2nd December this year), but in recent years we’ve seen retailers ramp up their sales early and leave the price low right up until they end, so it doesn’t necessarily pay to wait.
Where will the best Black Friday SSD and hard drive deals be?
We’ve spent years covering the top deals all year round, and in our experience, Black Friday is when we see retailers offering up their biggest savings, so keep a close eye on our page for all the best offers. You can expect to see retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Currys, all putting up their best deals.
If you’ve been looking for a new SSD or hard drive, or think you will be in the next few months, we would definitely recommend using this page to keep an eye out for the deal that suits you best.
