Why You Can Trust CNET Get a 240GB SSD for $89.99
That's far and away the lowest price I've seen for a solid-state drive with this much capacity. But take note: There's a rebate involved.
A couple months ago I professed my love for solid-state drives, and can you blame me? They're faster, quieter, and cooler-running than their HDD counterparts, and therefore essential for any modern PC -- especially laptops, which also benefit from their lower power consumption.
Just two problems: cost and capacity. One is high, the other, low. But today the two achieve a better balance: For a limited time, and while supplies last, TigerDirect has the PNY Optima 240GB 2.5-inch SSD for $89.99 shipped. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate.
Even without the rebate, this is a terrific deal on a big SSD. (Last time I wrote about one, it was a 250GB drive for $139.99.) But once you get that sweet, sweet check in the mail 6-8 weeks from now, you'll be smiling even bigger. Because this drive has a list price of $269!
Because it's a 2.5-incher, you'll need a bracket if you plan to mount it in a desktop. Laptop users should be able to swap it for their existing hard drive. Either way, check out Dong Ngo's tutorial on migrating to an SSD. You'll need software and either a USB-to-SSD cable or an external drive enclosure. I recommend the latter, as you can put the old drive inside it (post-swap) for bonus storage. Here's a well-rated enclosure for all of $14.99.
One bit of clarification on the warranty: TigerDirect's product-details section says three years, but below that it says 12 months. Why the discrepancy? According to PNY's product page, the warranty jumps from one year to three once you register the drive.
Although it has just six user reviews, five of them are glowing. The one bad review was owing to a DOA drive, which can happen.
Bottom line: If you're looking for an inexpensive way to breathe new life into an aging PC, this is a great start. I can't recommend SSDs highly enough.
Bonus deal: Speaking of things I really like, Nomad's ChargeCard and ChargeKey are wallet- and keychain-friendly USB cables for your phone. But I've always found their $29 price tags a bit steep.
For a limited time, however, you can get a ChargeCard or ChargeKey for $17 shipped when you apply coupon code empdisc at checkout. They're available in both Lightning ( for iPhone) and Micro-USB versions.