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Cheapest SSD Per TB in 2026: NVMe & SATA Price Comparison

Find the cheapest SSD on Amazon sorted by price per terabyte. Compare every NVMe Gen 3/4/5, SATA, and external SSD — whether you're upgrading your gaming PC, expanding PS5 storage, or building a workstation. Prices updated daily — February 2026.

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SSD Price Landscape — February 2026

The SSD market in 2026 looks dramatically different from just 18 months ago. AI-driven NAND demand, manufacturing cuts, and enterprise allocation have pushed consumer SSD prices to levels not seen since 2021. Here's the current landscape:

NVMe Gen 4 (avg)
$75/TB
▲ 88% vs 2023
NVMe Gen 5 (avg)
$115/TB
▲ New category
SATA SSD (avg)
$65/TB
▲ 63% vs 2023
HDD (comparison)
$15/TB
5x cheaper than SSD

What's driving the price increase?

All major NAND manufacturers have confirmed that 2026 production capacity is sold out, largely to AI and data center customers. Consumer SSDs are getting what's left. TrendForce projects another 33–38% NAND flash price increase in Q1 2026, with client SSD prices expected to rise at least 40% quarter-over-quarter — the largest increase among all NAND flash product categories.

Best strategy for buyers

Buy what you need now — waiting is unlikely to save money. Target 2TB–4TB Gen 4 NVMe drives for the best $/TB ratio. Gen 5 drives offer marginal real-world benefits for most users at significantly higher cost. For bulk storage needs, HDDs remain 5–8x cheaper per TB than SSDs.

Frequently Asked Questions About SSD Prices

What is a good price per TB for an SSD in 2026?
In February 2026, a good price per TB for NVMe Gen 4 SSDs is $60–80. Budget SATA SSDs run $55–70/TB. Gen 5 NVMe drives cost $90–150/TB. The best value is typically found in 2TB–4TB Gen 4 NVMe drives. Prices have risen significantly from mid-2023 when NVMe storage was $30–40/TB.
Why are SSD prices going up in 2026?
Three converging factors: AI infrastructure demand consuming unprecedented NAND flash capacity, strategic production cuts by manufacturers to restore profitability after 2023 losses, and capacity allocation prioritizing higher-margin enterprise products. Phison's CEO stated that "every NAND manufacturer told us 2026 sold out." TrendForce projects a 33–38% NAND flash price increase in Q1 2026.
What capacity SSD has the best price per TB?
4TB NVMe SSDs currently offer the best price per terabyte, typically $70–90/TB. 2TB drives are the sweet spot balancing price and utility. 1TB drives have the worst $/TB ratio. Larger drives also benefit from higher endurance ratings (TBW) and better sustained write performance since more NAND chips can be written to in parallel.
NVMe Gen 4 vs Gen 5: is Gen 5 worth the extra cost?
For most users in 2026, no. Gen 5 offers up to 14,000+ MB/s sequential speeds vs 7,000 MB/s for Gen 4, but real-world differences are minimal for gaming and general use. DirectStorage adoption is still limited. Gen 5 drives run hotter, cost 40–80% more per TB, and require a compatible platform (Intel 14th Gen/Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen 7000/9000 series). Gen 4 remains the sweet spot.
What is the cheapest NVMe SSD per TB right now?
The cheapest new NVMe SSDs per TB include the Kingston NV3 2TB (~$60/TB), Silicon Power UD90 4TB (~$75/TB), and Crucial P3 Plus 4TB (~$72/TB). Used drives from Samsung 970/980 series can go as low as $35–50/TB. Prices change frequently — use the live table above to see current lowest.
Should I buy an SSD now or wait for prices to drop?
Buy now if you need storage. Industry forecasts show prices rising through at least mid-2026. NAND shortages are structural — driven by AI demand reallocating manufacturing capacity. New fabs won't bring relief until late 2027. SK Hynix, Phison, and TrendForce have all confirmed that supply will remain tight. The era of $50/TB NVMe drives appears over for now.
SSD vs HDD: which is better value per TB?
HDDs are 5–8x cheaper per TB ($12–18/TB vs $60–110/TB for SSDs). However, SSDs are dramatically faster (100–250x for random I/O), completely silent, more durable, and use less power. For OS drives, gaming, and active workloads, SSDs are worth the premium. For archival storage, media libraries, and backups, HDDs remain the sensible choice.
What SSD is best for PS5 in 2026?
PS5 requires M.2 NVMe Gen 4 with at least 5,500 MB/s read speed. Top picks: WD Black SN850X (7,300 MB/s, best overall), Samsung 990 Pro (7,450 MB/s, fastest), Crucial T500 (7,300 MB/s, best value). Get 2TB minimum for a decent game library. A heatsink is required — some models include one. Gen 5 drives work but offer no advantage on PS5's Gen 4 interface.
TLC vs QLC NAND: does it matter?
TLC (Triple-Level Cell) offers better endurance (typically 600–2400 TBW) and faster sustained write speeds. QLC (Quad-Level Cell) is cheaper but has lower endurance (300–1200 TBW) and can slow down during large sustained writes as the SLC cache fills. For a boot/gaming drive, TLC is recommended. For secondary/storage-only drives, QLC is acceptable. Most premium SSDs in 2026 use TLC.
Do I need a heatsink for my NVMe SSD?
It depends on workload. For gaming and general use, most Gen 4 drives run fine without one. Gen 5 drives generate significantly more heat (up to 7.5W+ operating power) and benefit from heatsinks to avoid thermal throttling. PS5 requires a heatsink. Most modern motherboards include M.2 heatsinks. If buying separately, a simple aluminum heatsink ($8–15) is sufficient — avoid massive tower-style coolers.

How We Track SSD Prices

We compare SSD prices from Amazon US across all major brands including Samsung, Western Digital/SanDisk, Crucial/Micron, Kingston, SK Hynix, Sabrent, Corsair, Silicon Power, PNY, and others. Prices are updated daily and include the current Amazon listing price. Price per TB is calculated by dividing the listing price by the drive's raw capacity in terabytes.

We track NVMe SSDs (Gen 3, Gen 4, Gen 5), SATA SSDs (2.5" and M.2), and external/portable SSDs. Both new and used/renewed listings are included and clearly labeled. NAND type (TLC/QLC), read/write speeds, warranty length, and form factor are sourced from manufacturer specifications.

This site is independently operated and is not affiliated with any SSD manufacturer. Product links are affiliate links to Amazon — we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This does not influence which products are listed or how they are sorted.