You can almost guarantee that storage devices will receive big discounts in any major sales event and the upcoming Memorial Day sales are no exception. This is great news for gamers, as many of us need to upgrade the storage capacity of our consoles at least once in order to keep more games installed and will finally get the opportunity to do so without completely breaking the bank. Whether you’re a PlayStation player, an avid Nintendo fan, or even batting for Xbox over on Team Green, there’s likely going to be something for you that’ll get the discount treatment.
But which products should be at the top of your wishlist this Memorial Day? I cover all kinds of storage devices ranging from SSDs to external hard drives and SD cards and I’ve picked out a few of each that I think should be on your radar. If you’re a more casual player or someone that is completely new to upgrading your console’s storage capacity, don’t worry as I’m also going to break down the advantages and disadvantages of each option while providing you with some alternatives to consider.
PS5 owners: expect steep SSD discounts
Getting your hands on a compatible SSD should be a top priority for any PS5 owner and sales events are always a good opportunity to grab some of the cheapest PS5 SSD deals. They’re easy to install (especially with our how to install a PS5 SSD guide on hand) and will dramatically increase your console’s storage capacity without compromising speeds. Just bear in mind that not every drive is going to be compatible with the PS5, as they require a read speed above 5,500 MB/s and a heatsink installed to work properly.
If you have a particularly generous budget, I would recommend the Samsung 990 Pro. It’s the absolute cream of the crop, one of the best SSDs for PS5 with blazing-fast speeds and excellent thermal performance. Past sales events have seen the normally pricey 2TB model drop down to as low as $136.56 at Amazon in the US and £128.49 at Amazon in the UK. If you see one going for anything close to that price, be sure to snap it up quickly.
Other good choices include the officially licensed WD Black SN850P, which has been slashed as low as $99.99 at Amazon in the US and £94.99 at Amazon in the UK in its 1TB configuration. It’s a strong contender if you’re looking for a no-fuss storage upgrade as it is officially licensed by Sony and designed specifically for the console. Also keep an eye out for any big savings on the older SN850, which is still a strong performer and a great choice.
No matter which model you buy, make sure that you’re getting at least 1TB of storage. Any less than that is likely to fill up pretty fast and generally represents quite poor value for money in 2024. Where possible it’s definitely worth spending a little more for a 2TB model to really future-proof your purchase.
It’s not all SSD discounts, though, as there are still likely to be some good deals if you’re sticking with the PS4 or even want to look at external storage options for your PS5. Despite its branding, the Seagate Game Drive for PS5 is still fully compatible with the PS4 and offers a huge storage boost if you find a good price cut on its 5TB version. If you really don’t want to have to worry about capacity, watch for savings on the mammoth 8TB configuration of the WD Black D10. It’s one of the best PS5 external hard drives right now and, while it lacks portability, can hold hundreds of games to make up for it.
While this doesn’t affect PS4 owners, be aware that the use of slower HDD storage means that you won’t be able to play any current-generation games without first moving them to the console’s internal storage on PS5.
Xbox storage expansion cards should get a little cheaper
I was recently put in the unenviable position of having to buy an Xbox storage expansion card to slot into a chronically overstuffed Xbox Series S. Although they’re a lot easier to install than a PS5 SSD, it’s hard to ignore the fact that they represent quite bad value for money at full price. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card, for example, hovers at around $150 / £150 in its 1TB configuration – which is more expensive than most high-end 1TB SSDs. That said, we’ve seen it dip as low as $129.99 at Amazon in the US and £139 at Amazon in the UK which definitely helps soften the blow to your wallet a little.
In addition to Amazon, keep an eye out for potential discounts on listings at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart in the US or Argos and Game in the UK. Seagate also isn’t the only manufacturer creating Xbox storage expansion cards at the moment. The WD Black C50 Expansion Card generally comes in at a similar price to the Seagate offering and has received discounts down to as low as $124.98 at Amazon in the US and £128.99 at Amazon in the UK in the past.
Definitely avoid the 512GB models for both of these products. The slight saving might seem tempting compared to the 1TB version, but it’s not going to take long for such a small capacity drive to fill up. For reference, most AAA titles come in at around 100GB in my experience – so you’re looking at about five or so big releases at most. Although I own an Xbox Series S, these cards are also fully compatible with the Xbox Series X making them a good choice for owners of the other Xbox too.
Consider an external hard drive if you don’t mind having to copy current generation titles to your internal storage in order to play them. I’m personally watching for any major savings on the super snazzy Seagate Ghost-Spider 2TB FireCuda Hard Drive purely because I love its Marvel-inspired design, but I would recommend the more plain Seagate Game Drive for Xbox for most players. The massive 4TB version has fallen as low as $89.99 at Amazon in the US and £66.99 at Amazon in the UK and is well worth picking up if it ends up in that price range again.
Prepare for big price cuts on top Nintendo Switch SD cards
Nintendo Switch owners are likely going to be in for a treat this Memorial Day. Many of the best SD cards for Switch receive fantastic discounts in sales, so it’s especially worth keeping a lookout. They’re also super easy to install: you just pop the card into the back of your console and you’re ready to go. I use the brilliant 512GB Samsung EVO Select in my personal Nintendo Switch OLED, which has received discounts down to as low as $24.49 at Amazon in the US and £25.59 at Amazon in the UK. It’s got excellent endurance too, meaning that it’s likely to last for a long time before it starts to slow down.
Other good microSD card options include the various officially licensed cards offered by SanDisk. The 128GB model is a great budget pick, as it comes in at well under $20 at Amazon in the US and £15 at Amazon in the UK during sales. If you don’t want to have to worry about your Nintendo Switch storage again, consider the 1TB model which has dipped as low as $87.99 at Amazon in the US and £104.99 at Amazon in the UK. It’s a lot to spend on an SD card, but this one big purchase is going to ensure that most players never run out of storage space again.
There are lots of other good options to pick from too, but my biggest piece of advice when shopping for a Nintendo Switch microSD card is to always stick to reliable brands. There are plenty of less-known brands at various online retailers for bargain bin prices and, while they might work well enough if you’re lucky, there’s no guaranteeing their longevity or that the quoted speeds are accurate. Some reputable names you can have confidence in include Samsung, SanDisk, Lexar, Kingston, Micro Center, Amazon Basics, PNY, and Sony.
