The coolest thumb drive I've ever seen is actually an M.2 SSD, and it's still available at a discount after Prime Day

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The SK Hynix Tube T31 is one of a kind in the best way possible.

SK Hynix Tube T31 SSD Flash Drive review
The SK hynix Tube T31 is an M.2 SSD in a thumb drive body, and it hit a new low price for Prime Day (Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Windows Central)
Recent updates

October 11, 4:30 AM ET: Amazon's Prime Day discount has ended, but the SK hynix Tube T31 is still available for $62.99 at Newegg's FantasTech II sale.

As someone who's cautious when it comes to relying exclusively on cloud storage, I can never seem to have enough SSDs and thumb drives lying around for transfers and long-term storage. However, traditional USB flash drives can no longer keep up with the speeds I want, and external SSDs aren't as portable.

The SK hynix Tube T31 solves the issues by combining an M.2 2242 SSD with a thumb drive form factor. It's a handy PC accessory for practically any user, and a 1TB model is now down to a new $62 low at Amazon (EXPIRED) during Prime Day. 

Good news! Newegg has now gone live with a similar deal as the one we first spotted at Amazon, getting you the 1TB Tube T31 for $62.99.

SK hynix Tube T31 1TB | $99.99now $62.99 at Newegg

SK hynix Tube T31 1TB | was $99.99 now $62.99 at Newegg

Is it a flash drive? It sure looks like one, but it's actually an M.2 SSD capable of read and write speeds up to 1,000MB/s. The deal is now available at Newegg after expiring at Amazon.

👀See at: Newegg

✅Perfect for: Speedy bulk storage that's easy to slip into a pocket. Works with PCs and Xbox Series X|S.

❌Avoid if: You instead prefer to rely on cloud storage.

🔎Our experience: SK Hynix Tube T31 review

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

"The SK hynix Tube T31 is a USB drive like no other"

Windows Central Best Award

Our favorite M.2 SSD in a flash drive form factor hit a new low for Prime Day. (Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Windows Central)

SK hynix is a brand that I usually rely on for internal SSD storage in my gaming PCs. I've only had good luck with its products, so I'm not worried about recommending its other products during October Prime Day.

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Windows Central's storage and PC expert Harish Jonnalagadda reviewed the SK hynix Tube T31 earlier this year, handing it a Best Award and a perfect five-star score. He remarked:

"The Tube T31 looks like a USB flash drive, but it houses an M.2 2242 SSD that goes up to 1,000MB/s — significantly faster than any other flash drive. In fact, it holds its own against the best external SSDs, and you get a familiar design with robust build quality and USB-A connectivity. The best part is that you can use it as an external game drive with the Xbox Series X/S, making it as versatile as it is portable. If you need a USB flash drive with a built-in SSD, the T31 is the obvious choice."

My colleague Harish was clearly impressed with the drive, and that was at the full $90 price. It has now dropped to $62.99 at Newegg.

Benchmark results from our Tube T31 review. (Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Windows Central)

The Tube T31 uses a USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) connector, which is probably the biggest drawback. But even if you don't have a USB-A port on your PC, you probably have a USB-C to USB-A adapter ready to go. Arguably the best part about it, at least for console gamers, is that you can use it with the Xbox Series X|S or PS5 for game storage.

SK hynix designed the drive to have two-meter drop protection, and it throws in a three-year warranty for extra peace of mind. It's also worth mentioning that SK hynix uses its own controller, DRAM, and NAND flash components in the drive, which is very rare among storage providers.

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

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Cale Hunt
Cale Hunt
Contributor

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.