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Running short on memory or space is the most common reason a gaming PC or console starts to feel tired. Before you spend a penny, though, it’s worth knowing what’s going on with prices. This guide covers the upgrades that make the most sense right now: DDR5 RAM for PCs, portable SSDs, and Xbox Series X|S expansion cards. It also covers when a whole new console is the smarter buy. We haven’t tested these products ourselves; the picks are based on manufacturer specifications, official information and current UK pricing data.
Prices checked on 20 Oct 2026. Amazon prices change, sometimes daily, so check the live price before you buy.
| Product | Key spec | UK price at time of writing | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crucial Pro DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL36 | 32GB DDR5-6000 CL36, XMP 3.0 and EXPO | Check price | Cheaper 6000MT/s gaming RAM | View in our shop |
| Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL30 | 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30, low-profile | Check price | Tighter timings, big air coolers | View in our shop |
| Samsung T7 Portable SSD 1TB | USB 3.2 Gen 2, up to 1,050MB/s read | Check price | PCs, laptops and console game storage | View in our shop |
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD | Internal M.2 NVMe SSD | Check price | Internal PC storage | View in our shop |
| SanDisk Optimus GX C50 1TB | Xbox Series X|S expansion card | Check price | Playing Series X|S games from extra storage | View in our shop |
| Xbox Series X 1TB Digital Edition | 1TB console, no disc drive | Check price | When a new console beats an upgrade | View in our shop |
| Xbox Series S 512GB | 512GB console | Check price | A cheaper new console | View in our shop |
First, a word about prices
We’ll be straight with you: DDR5 RAM is expensive at the moment, and it isn’t getting cheaper quickly. A UK price check by The RAMageddon on 19 October 2026 found the cheapest 32GB DDR5 kit from a known brand at £394.97. Across 299 offers the median price was £508.07, and the median price per GB rose 9.3% in a single week. Popular 6000MT/s kits typically sit between about £420 and £450.
Storage has been caught up in the same squeeze. As we reported in memory and SSD prices are still climbing, and chipmakers say the squeeze will last until 2028, the industry isn’t expecting quick relief. So the honest advice is to buy what you need, not what you fancy.
Who should upgrade now, and who should wait
- Upgrade now if you’re building a new PC and have no RAM at all, if 16GB is causing stutters in the games you actually play, or if your console is so full you’re deleting games every week.
- Wait if you already have 32GB of DDR5 and just want faster timings, if your PC runs fine for what you play, or if your upgrade is more “nice to have” than “need to have”. With prices climbing week to week, a small speed bump just isn’t worth paying a premium for.
- Think twice about upgrading an older DDR4 platform to DDR5. That means a new motherboard and often a new CPU too, which is a much bigger bill than RAM alone.
Best DDR5 RAM for gaming PCs: 32GB kits
For most gaming PCs, a 32GB kit (2 x 16GB) running at 6000MT/s is the sweet spot. That speed is widely recommended for AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and 9000 desktop chips, and it works well on modern Intel platforms too. Two sticks give you dual-channel performance, so avoid buying a single module.
Crucial Pro DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL36
A plain, no-frills kit (model CP2K16G60C36U5B) with Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO profiles, so you can set the rated speed in your BIOS with one click. It has a limited lifetime warranty. At CL36 it’s a touch looser than the Corsair below, but it was one of the cheaper 6000MT/s kits in the UK price checks we looked at. Check the price: Crucial Pro DDR5 32GB on Amazon UK.
Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL30
The Corsair kit (CMK32GX5M2B6000C30) has tighter CL30 timings and a low-profile heatspreader that’s less likely to clash with big air coolers. It also has a limited lifetime warranty. Expect to pay a bit more: idealo listed it from £449.99 this month. Check the price: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB on Amazon UK.
Before you buy: check your motherboard’s supported memory list, and make sure you buy desktop DIMMs rather than laptop SO-DIMMs.
Best portable SSD: Samsung T7 1TB
A portable SSD is the most flexible storage upgrade you can buy. It works with PCs, laptops and consoles. The Samsung T7 uses USB 3.2 Gen 2, with quoted read and write speeds of up to 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s. It’s about the size of a credit card, comes with USB-C to C and USB-C to A cables, and Samsung says it can survive drops of up to two metres. Check the price: Samsung T7 1TB on Amazon UK.
On an Xbox Series X|S, there’s a catch. A USB drive like this is great for storing games and for playing older Xbox One and backward-compatible titles. But games built for Xbox Series X|S can’t run from ordinary USB storage. They have to be moved back to the internal drive or onto an official expansion card first. Think of it as a cheap “garage” for your library, not a second games drive.
Best Xbox Series X|S storage: SanDisk Optimus GX C50 1TB
If you want to play Series X|S games straight from extra storage, you need an officially licensed expansion card. SanDisk’s Optimus GX C50 is one of the newer options, alongside Seagate and WD Black. According to Digital Citizen, it is designed to match the consoles’ internal SSD performance and supports Xbox Velocity Architecture, so games run directly from the card. Quick Resume works too. UK launch pricing was £88.99 for 512GB, £177.99 for 1TB and £249.99 for 2TB, and the box includes a one-month Game Pass Ultimate trial. Check the price: SanDisk Optimus GX C50 1TB on Amazon UK.
The 1TB card is the best balance for most players. The 512GB card is cheaper per card but much dearer per gigabyte, and on a Series S it only roughly doubles your space.
When a new console makes more sense than an upgrade
Expansion cards aren’t cheap, and on a 512GB Xbox Series S, adding a 1TB card can cost a sizeable chunk of a new console. Consider moving up to an Xbox Series X if:
- you’re running out of space and want better performance, as the Series X targets higher resolutions and has more internal storage
- you play on a 4K TV and the Series S is holding you back
- you can sell or pass on your Series S to recoup some of the cost
Stick with your current console and add a card if you’re happy with how games look and just need room. It’s also worth watching what’s happening with upscaling: AMD’s FSR 4.1 is heading to both consoles, which could help the Series S in particular. See our report on FSR 4.1 coming to Xbox Series X|S.
And if it’s your controller that’s worn out rather than your storage, our Xbox Wireless Controller vs Elite Series 2 Core comparison might be the cheaper fix.
Our verdict
If you genuinely need more RAM, a 32GB DDR5-6000 kit is the right buy, but shop around because prices are moving every week. If you don’t need it yet, holding off is perfectly sensible. For storage, a portable SSD is the best-value all-rounder, while Xbox owners who want to play current-gen games from extra storage need an official expansion card. As we say up here in Yorkshire, there’s no point spending brass you don’t need to.
Not sure which to buy? Keep an eye on our Black Friday & Prime deals hub, or browse memory and storage in our shop.
Shop the picks
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