May’s Best SSD and HDD Storage Deals Are the Backup Bargains You’ve Been Looking For

What’s Better: An External SSD or an Internal One?

The benefits of internal SSDs are the same as external ones: They’re fast, they use little power, they have no moving parts, and they’re whisper-quiet. The main downside is the same between types, too: You’ll be paying more per terabyte of storage than you would with a hard drive.

Internal SSDs come in two types: gumstick-shaped M.2 drives, and 2.5-inch Serial ATA (SATA) drives. You’ll need to open up your computer to install either type, which could be intimidating for beginners.

An external SSD is easier to use: Plug it into your device with a USB or Thunderbolt connection, and you can instantly have terabytes of storage and backup options.

What Is the Benefit of Using an SSD Over an HDD?

SSDs tend to be faster and, thanks to the lack of moving parts, more reliable over time than HDDs. Solid-state drives have replaced hard drives as the storage of choice in just about all new PCs, but some situations still call for old-school platter drives. Here’s how to decide which is best for your needs.

How Does PCMag Test SSDs and HDDs?

Our benchmark suite puts solid-state drives and hard drives to the ultimate test. Speed is one of the key metrics we use to judge SSDs and hard drives, so part of our testing process involves connecting the reviewed drive to a testbed computer and observing its performance on formal, repeatable benchmark tests. We also evaluate drives on the basis of value for money and additional features, such as warranty, durability ratings, security features, and supplementary software.

For more, check out our in-depth explanation of how we test every drive we review.

What Should I Look for in an SSD?

SSDs differentiate themselves largely based on their speed: They make almost everything quicker, from starting apps to copying files to pulling up those files in a flash. Another benefit: These drives are less prone to failure due to a lack of moving internal parts. The downside? Because SSD technology is much newer and chip prices are ever-increasing, you might pay up to 10x more per terabyte for the speed and reliability of an SSD. 

What Should I Look for in an HDD?

When looking at an external HDD (hard disk drive), you’ll find that these are generally cheaper than SSD (solid-state drives), but this comes at a trade-off of speed and durability. Thanks to the moving parts and spinning discs of an HDD, these are more likely to fail over time and be slower in terms of data transfer as well.

If you’re comfortable opening up your desktop computer tower and making a few connections, an internal HDD is going to be the best, most cost-effective way to add extra storage and backup space. If you’re looking for a quick and simple storage solution, an external drive is your best choice to quickly back up your data.

Is 500GB Enough for an External Hard Drive? 1TB?

The bare minimum we recommend for any external drive is 1TB. If you have a significant photo or video library, you should seek at least 2TB of space. And if you’re a multimedia professional with tons of important project files to back up, consider an external hard drive with 4TB or more of storage space.

How Long Do SSDs and Hard Drives Last?

Drives wear out over time. But you’re more likely to discard your computer for obsolescence before you start running into read/write errors with an SSD. Eventually, hard drives will wear out from constant use, as well, since they use physical recording methods and motors. A proper backup routine is essential; always make sure you have at least two constantly updated copies of any data you cannot afford to lose, stored on different physical drives.

How Much Should I Pay for an External Hard Drive?

You can pick up a decent external hard drive for as low as $50. The best way to gauge relative value among similar portable drives is to calculate the per-gigabyte price by dividing the cost of the drive in dollars by the capacity in gigabytes. 

Are Cheap External Hard Drives Worth It?

As with most purchases, you pay more for more features. You pay a premium for a secure hard drive, for example, but that extra level of security means that your data won’t be stolen. The cheaper the drive, the fewer features it will have.

That said, the internal platter mechanisms inside external hard drives are made by one of just a handful of makers, so the drives themselves are uniformly excellent at a base level these days.

Are External HDDs and SSDs Cheaper During Cyber Monday or Prime Day?

Yes, we typically see good discounts on external drives and many other tech categories during these major shopping holidays. As mentioned above, you should look at the cost per gigabyte, not the overall price of the drive, to ensure you’re getting a good deal.

Which Brands Offer the Biggest Discounts on External Storage?

Expect to find high-quality drives from Samsung, WD, SanDisk, and other brands with significant discounts during major shopping holidays like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.