Quick shopping tips
To choose the best hard drives for gaming in 2021, you have to consider the following factors:
- If you aim for data backups and long-term storage, go for HDDs. Although HDDs are not as fast and convenient as SDDs, they still have some more outstanding features. They are cheaper and can store vast amounts of data.
Therefore, if you live on a limited budget and have the purpose of storing data rather than running the system, just opt for HDDs. - Most 3.5-inch HDDs fit desktops, most 2.5-inch HDDs fit laptops. Data is stored in spinning disks in HDD, so more data means that more disks are required. That’s the reason why we usually see 2.5-inch HDDs on laptops and 3.5-inch on desktops.
- If you’re a gamer or doing specialized professionals, opt for a 2TB HDD at least. Especially if you play heavy games and store a large number of videos or pictures, 2TB will allow you to use the HDD for years.
- External drives can be used as internal ones and vice versa. External drives are better for storage, backups, and transfers. In other cases, internal drives may be the ideal choice.
Best hard drives for gaming
1. Seagate BarraCuda 2TB Internal Hard Drive HDD
Best internal hard drive
SPECIFICATIONS
- Interface: SATA 6Gbps
- Capacity: 250GB – 8TB
- Cache: 256MB
- RPM: 7,200
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Variety of choices
- Multi-tier caching technology
- High performance and quiet sound
REASONS TO AVOID
- Cables are not included
- Only 1TB and 2TB are 7200 RPM
Upgrading your gaming system with Seagate BarraCuda Internal Hard Drive HDD to experience faster loading time, quicker file transfers, and better gaming performance.
There are multiple variants for you to choose from, including 250Gb to 8TB, and most recently, 14TB. You can absolutely rest assured about the HDD since BarraCuda is a famous manufacturer which has over 20 years of delivering reliability.
The RPM of up to 7200 and the cache of 256MB will deliver excellent performance, helping you process the data more quickly. It’s not luck that BarraCuda receives thousands of positive reviews on authority websites, isn’t it?
Alternate choice:
Seagate IronWolf 2TB NAS Internal HDD
Western Digital 2TB WD Black Performance Internal HDD
Buy from Amazon
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2. Seagate Exos 7E8 Internal Hard Drive HDD
Best reliable hard drive
SPECIFICATIONS
- Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s
- Capacity: 1TB – 18TB
- Cache: 256MB
- RPM: 7,200
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Variety of choices
- Great capacity: up to 18TB
- High performance
- Long warranty: 5 years
REASONS TO AVOID
- Quite loud noise
- Expensive
If you need a tremendous hard drive to store data and backups, Seagate Exos 7E8 Internal Hard Drive may be the ideal choice. There are several options that you can consider, from 1TB to 18TB. The HDD assists the workload of up to 550TB/year.
Moreover, Exos HDD saves a lot of energy thanks to the PowerChoice and PowerBalance. It still ensures performance and reliability and cools down your electronics bills at the same time.
There is just a small note that the HDD will get hot and make loud noises if you do not let it rest. Take care of your HDD carefully, and it will take care of your data back!
Alternate choice: Western Digital 8TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD
(Image credit: Amazon)
3. WD Elements Desktop Hard Drive HDD
Best external hard drive
SPECIFICATIONS
- Interface: USB 3.0
- Capacity: 3TB – 18TB
- RPM: 7,200
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Small power consumption
- Affordable price
- Variety of choices
- Great capacity
- Simple installation
REASONS TO AVOID
- Easy to get hot
- Limited transfer rates
WD Elements Desktop Hard Drives are reliable, durable, and high-end HDDs for data storage. The compact design can store up to 18TB of data, which is such an impressive number. Therefore, if you are demanding to keep data such as images, videos, and files safe, this HDD should be on your consideration list.
Additionally, WD hard disk drives also can help to boost your computer performance when the internal HDD is full and slow down your PC.
Get WD Elements Desktop Hard Drives right now to protect your important files at the most affordable price!
Alternate choice:
G-Technology 6TB G-DRIVE USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive
Fantom Drives 6TB External Hard Drive
LaCie Rugged 5TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD
ADATA HD710 Pro 2TB USB 3.1 IP68 External Hard Drive
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
4. Seagate BarraCuda 1TB Internal Hard Drive HDD
Best hard drive for laptop
SPECIFICATIONS
- Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s
- Capacity: 500GB – 2TB
- Cache: 128MB
- RPM: 5400
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Affordable price
- Great capacity
- Compact design
REASONS TO AVOID
- Just two-year warranty
- May not work with too old laptops
Keep your data safe with Seagate BarraCuda Internal Hard Drive! Seagate has been famous in the storage industry for 40 years. That’s the reason why it is trusted by millions of people and received thousands of positive reviews on Amazon.
The multi-tier caching technology pushes the read and write speed to a new high level, thereby boosting your computer performance. The data flow is optimized by intelligent layers of NAND flash, DRAM, and media cache technology.
There is rarely a manufacturer that can compete with Seagate in terms of price. You can get the same storage with a lower budget when buying Seagate BarraCuda HDD.
Alternate choice:
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue Mobile Hard Drive HDD
Buy from Amazon
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5. WD Purple 18TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive
Best high capacity hard drive
SPECIFICATIONS
- Interface: SATA 6.0 Gb/s
- Capacity: 1TB – 18TB
- Cache: 512MB
- RPM: 7200
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Variety of choices
- Large capacity
- Great speed and performance
- Compact and nice design
REASONS TO AVOID
- Quite expensive
- Loud noise if overload
Go with WD Purple Surveillance Hard Disk Drive, and you will benefit from the vast storage and excellent performance that it delivers. This HDD is best suitable for individuals, home offices,s or small businesses since it offers quite various variants, from 1TB to 18TB.
Powered by Western Digital’s exclusive AllFrame technology, WD Purple Surveillance HDD can support up to 64 cameras and improve video capturing. Moreover, it is compatible with cases and chipsets that are integrated into your video surveillance system.
Last but not least, WD Purple Surveillance HDDs are customized to suit both Dvr and Nvr security systems. They consume less power and can work in high-temperature environments.
Those are reasons why WD Purple Surveillance HDDs are the perfect choice for your system!
Alternate choice:
Western Digital 18TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
FAQs
1. Are Hybrid drives (Solid State Hybrid Drives) worth the money?
No. When SSDs were way too expensive in the old days, SSHDs were the balanced choice between HDDs and SSDs. Now SSDs are affordable, SSHDs have done their part.
If you want speed, go for an SSD. If you wish to have a huge storage, go for an HDD.
2. How long does a hard drive last?
Typically, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) average age is from 3 to 5 years. Some exceptions are 10 years and even longer. When an HDD breaks, it can not be repaired, and the data will likely be lost forever.
Therefore, if you want to protect your data, you need to take care of your hard drive carefully. A possible solution is that you can use software that can read S.M.A.R.T. attributes to keep track of the health of HDDs. Then you will know when you should move your data to a new hard drive.
3. Should I plug in my external HDD all day?
It’s ok if you plug your external hard drive into your computer 24/7. However, in theory, if you leave your external hard drive plugged in all day, it is a waste of energy and causes some problems like spikes, surges, and sags. Therefore, the safest and most suitable solution is don’t use it when unnecessary.
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