When people talk about the essentials for the perfect gaming experience, many of them forget to mention one important piece. The hard drive. You might have the best gaming monitor, a special mouse, and keyboard, a gaming pad maybe or even a gaming chair but these will mean nothing when you have no space to install your games.
Which is why you need a dedicated gaming hardware. Not only does it allow you enough space for storing your favorite games but are also optimized to reduce the load time and minimize game lagging. Moreover, with over 100 different types of best gaming hard drives available, you will find our list of the top 7 best gaming hard disks pretty useful.
List of Best Hard Drive for Gaming
Here is the complete List
| Product Name | Capacity | Reason Chosen | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 860 EVO | 250GB to 4TB | Best Internal SSD Hard Drive | Check Price
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| WD Black | 250GB to 6TB | Best Internal HDD for Laptops | Check Price
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| Seagate FireCuda SSHD | 1TB | 2TB | Best Hybrid HDD | Check Price
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| Seagate Game Drive | 500GB to 8TB | Best for Xbox | Check Price
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| WD Caviar Blue | 320GB | Best Budget | Check Price
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| Toshiba P300 | 500GB to 3TB | Best Hard Drive for Desktop PC | Check Price
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| Seagate External Hard drive | 3TB to 8TB | Best External Hard Drive | Check Price
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#1: Samsung 860 EVO – Best Internal SSD Hard Drive
The Samsung 860 Evo follows up on the success of its predecessor, the 850 Evo, and having inherited everything we liked on the 850 EVO it’s easy to understand why we recommend this SSD storage device.
However, it is the incredible speed of the SSD that will really appeal to you as a gamer. Although this is typical of all SSDs, Samsung takes it a notch higher with their latest V-NAND technology that can sequentially read at speeds of 550MB/s and write at about 520MB/s. This is more than 2x the standard HDD.
This hard drive has also seen a 51% increase in performance from the 850 EVO with 6x more endurance. Also, unlike some other drives relying on software-based encryption, the Samsung 860 EVO comes with the Self Encrypting Drive technology that ensures that your data is safe without affecting the hard disk performance.
Now, we can all agree that upgrading to a new hard drive can be a hassle especially considering you have to reinstall the OS then move all your old files to the new drive. But now thanks to the Samsung Data Migration software, this process has been really streamlined.
You also have the option to download the Samsung Magician software that will help you monitor and maintain the SSD. This drive comes with a 5-year warranty and is available in sizes ranging from 250GB to 4TB.
Pros
- Excellent speeds
- Effectively protects your data
- Generous warranty
- Includes a data migration software
- Easy monitoring through Samsung Magician software
Cons
- Reported cases of the Data Migration Software not working
#2: WD Black – Best Internal Laptop Hard Disk
Western Digital is one of the leading brands in the manufacture of hard disks and you can, therefore, expect superior products from them. The WD Black series is one such example we highly recommend as an upgrade for your laptop hard disk.
You can choose from its several capacities starting from 250GB to 6TB, but for this review, we will look at the WD Black 1TB. Why? It offers sufficient space for all your game's downloadable content (DLC), it's quite affordable, and most importantly, it excels in performance levels. Now, nothing is stopping you from getting the new Fortnite Founder’s pack.
Equipped with a dual-core processor, you can expect excellent load times with read/write speed of almost 200mbps. It also features 32MB of cache which is also crucial in boosting the load and access time. To top it off it comes with the industry's best rotation speed of 7200RPS.
It also features various protection mechanisms like No Touch Ramp Load technology and Corruption Protection Technology that are meant to safeguard your data better. Physically this hard disk also includes a layer of silica gel on top of the plastic wrapper to ensure better protection against moisture.
Pros
- Great speeds
- Available in a variety of sizes
- Great data protection mechanism
- Trusted brand name
Cons
- A grinding noise when in operation
#3: Seagate FireCuda SSHD – Best Hybrid Hard Drive
Seagate came up with the FireCuda hard disk series to specifically cater for the gamers, and hence all of its features are meant to improve your gaming experience. Which is why it is only available in 1TB and 2TB version since any lesser capacity is not really ideal in this modern gaming era.
The FireCuda 3.5" SSHD is the bigger desktop version of the Seagate FireCuda 2.5" SSHD and comes with 7200RPM, 64MB of cache and a SATA 6Gb/s connection. However, the highlight of this Hard disk is its Hybrid architecture.
It is the perfect fusion between an SSD and an HDD. That is it combines the speed of an SSD and the storage capabilities of the HDD. By using adaptive learning, the FireCuda can memorize the frequently accessed games and save them in the flash memory. This significantly reduces the access time to these games.
Comparatively, this hard disk produces high performance than the 2.5” FireCuda, but this can be attributed to its larger size which allows more space for the rotating disks.
Other mentionable features include the Instant Secure Erase to safely and easily delete content from the hard drive. The Self-Encrypting technology protects your data. You also get a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- A hybrid between SSD and HDD
- Instant Erase feature
- Great data protection techniques
Cons
- You cannot manually select what goes to the flash memory
#4: Seagate Game Drive – Best Hard Drive for Xbox
Until recently, the biggest storage space you could get on the Xbox is 500GB. Even now you will have to cough up more bucks to get the 1TB SSD. But do you know what's better than the wd blue 1TB SSD from Microsoft? The Seagate 4TB hard drive specifically made for the Xbox.
This self-powered hard disk may be a bit bigger than its 2TB counterpart, but it is still pretty convenient to carry around. It features USB 3.0 ports which means data transfer is quite fast. It only takes a few minutes to copy Halo 5 which is more than 50GB in size.
Another thing we found pretty convenient is the Plug and Play setup which means once the Xbox recognizes the hard disk it only takes some seconds to load the game. You will also find that it takes less time to load your game’s DLC than with the internal hard drive.
Additionally, you can use the drive to save movies and other media files that can be played through your Xbox console. This hard drive comes with a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- Plug and Play setup
- Fast USB 3.0 ports
- Easily portable
- Ample storage
Cons
- Cannot play games and Media at the same time
#5: WD Caviar Blue – Best Budget Hard Drive
I have mentioned that gaming hard drives should be large in size, but that does not automatically rule out the smaller drives. Especially if you have a tight budget or if your game library is not insanely big.
The WD Caviar Blue hard drive is one of the best budget hard drives you can buy for gaming. With a rotation speed of 7200RPM and a cache size of 8MB, this drive will still be able to provide a decent load and access time.
Of course, you will have to compromise on the number and size of the games you play, but considering the price I would say you will be getting the best value for your money. On top of getting a 1-year warranty from the reseller, you also have the option to return the product for a full refund.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Great loading time
- 100% Money back guarantee
Cons
- Limited game size that you can play
#6: Toshiba P300 – Best Hard Drive for Desktop PC
Don't you hate it when you have to wait for what seems like forever for your game to load? Well, with a 64 MB cache size and 7200RPM you will definitely notice faster load time. With 2TB of storage space, it's hard to envision you having any trouble with inadequate space even after installing all the available mods for your games.
Toshiba has also included a caching technology that efficiently allocates the cache space during read and write cycles resulting in faster access to your games. They have also taken the necessary measures to protect your data which is evident through the internal shock sensors that absorb any impacts resulting from falls or knocks and the secured motor shaft that protects the hard drive against system vibrations.
The No-Touch Ramp-load tech also helps to reduce the wearing down of the recording head by ensuring that it does not touch the disk surface. This series of Toshiba hard disks are available in sizes ranging from 500GB-3TB and comes with a 2-year standard limited Warranty.
Pros
- Great loading time
- Effectively protects your data
- Does not produce noise
- Easy to install
Cons
- Some reported cases of premature failure
#7: Seagate External Hard Drive – Best External Hard drive
Sometimes we just want to add extra storage to our devices without having to replace the existing hard drive. If you are using a desktop PC, this may not be a problem since they usually allow space for additional hard drives, but it's different with a laptop.
Seagate External hard drive is ideal for laptop gamers. These are available in sizes starting from 3TB up to 8TB, and all you have to do is connect them to a power outlet then to your computer using the 3.0 or 2.O USB ports. However, if you are using a Mac, you will need to reformat them in order to be fully compatible.
If you are a game hoarder like me, then you will appreciate the value this expansion hard disk brings. I really find it hard to delete games even when it's necessary, but with an extra 4TB I can keep my collection of games and check them out whenever I am not in the mood for playing the usual.
Pros
- Adequate space
- Easy setup
- Fast USB 3.0 interface
Cons
- A little bulky
Choosing the Best Hard Drive
So, we just gave you the best hard drives but how do you really end up concluding that this is the most suited drive for your gaming needs? Follow along as we tell you everything you need to know before purchasing as your pc gaming hard drive. We will begin by answering the one question that no one seems to agree on.
Which is better between SSD and HDD?
Well, no one can argue that SSD is considerably faster than the HDD. This is because unlike the HDD which stores data by manipulating magnetic fields created by spinning metal plates, the SSD uses flash memory similar to that of a USB flash drive which is much faster to read and write on.
The HDD, on the other hand, is considered to be more long-lasting and is without doubt, cheaper than SSD per Gigabyte. You will be surprised to learn that it might cost you more to purchase a 500GB SSD than it would if you are buying a 4TB HDD.
So, to answer the question, I will say that it depends on what you are really after. Personally, I recommend the HDD since as much as it is slower than the SSD, it's not extremely slow, and it's something you can easily compromise especially considering the amount of money you will be saving.
What factors to consider while buying a Hard Disk?
Following factors should be considered:
- External vs. Internal HDD
- Size of the disk
- Rotation Speed
- Cache Memory
- Manufacturer
Here are more details:
To avoid disappointments after buying the hard disk, you need to ask yourself some few questions and also familiarize yourself with some of the important features of the hard drives. This way you have a better understanding of what you are really getting. Which are these factors?
- External vs. Internal HDD
The main advantage of the external hard disks is their portability. Which also makes them perfect backups in case your PC is compromised. Desktop PCs allow you room to add extra hard disks, but if you are using a laptop or other gaming device, you will have to replace your existing hard drive.
- Size of the disk
I am assuming the main reason you are buying the hard disk is so that you eliminate the need to have to delete some files when you want to install a new game or add modifications. Also, at a time when a single game can take up to 100GB, Call of Duty WWII is 90GB; it only makes sense that you select the hard disk that will allow you sufficient storage.
- Rotation Speed
The hard drives store information on spinning magnetic plates. Right? Now, the faster these plates spin then, the faster the load and access time. The rotation is measured in RPM (Rotations per Minute), and although we recommend hard disks with 7200RPM, you can still make do with 5400RPM.
- Cache Memory
This functions very much like Computer RAM Memory by storing important files temporarily so that it takes less time to access this data on the disk.
Generally, the larger the Cache size, the faster the hard disk will be. However, the difference is not major, and as such, this should not be the biggest determiner.
- Manufacturer
With so many hard disk brands, it’s comforting to know that your hard disk is from a trusted brand that has been tested and proven not to disappoint. For instance, you will notice that our list has been dominated by certain brands. Of course, there is no guarantee that a hard disk will not die on you but it’s better safe than sorry.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. The 7 best gaming hard drives you can buy. We have tried to be as flexible as possible giving you our top recommendation for each use case. Thus, regardless of whether you do your gaming on a desktop, laptop or gaming consoles, you will definitely find the most suitable hard disk for you. Enjoy your gaming.
Here is a list of Top 7 Hard Drives for Gaming along with popular specs and reason they are chosen:
| Product Name | Capacity | RPM | Cache | Warranty | Reason Chosen | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Samsung 860 EVO | 250GB | 500GB |1TB | 2TB | 4TB | N/A | N/A | 5 year | Best Internal SSD Hard Drive | Check Price |
WD Black | 250GB | 320GB | 500GB | 750GB | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB | 6TB | 7200RPM | 32MB | 5 year | Best Internal HDD for Laptops | Check Price |
Seagate FireCuda SSHD | 1TB | 2TB | 7200RPM | 64MB | 2 Years | Best Hybrid HDD | Check Price |
Seagate Game Drive | 500GB | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB | 8TB | 7200RPM | 64MB | 2 Years | Best for Xbox | Check Price |
WD Caviar Blue | 320GB | 7200RPM | 8MB | 1 Years | Best Budget | Check Price |
Toshiba P300 | 500GB | 1TB | 2TB | 3TB | 7200RPM | 64MB | 2 Years | Best Hard Drive for Desktop PC | Check Price |
Seagate External Hard drive | 3TB | 4TB | 6TB | 8TB | 5900 | 128MB | 2 Years | Best External Hard Drive | Check Price |
