Are you looking for the best hard drive for gaming? If so, we have got you back. Here, you will learn about some of the best HDDs.
After carrying out thorough research, we have found that the best hard drive for gaming is definitely the Seagate Firecuda (2TB).
Seagate Firecuda (2TB) has been designed with hybrid technology that offers users HDD capacity and SSD speed. Now, what more can one ask for? In this review, we have curated the eight best HDDs for gaming.
These hard drives cater to every situation and need while going the extra mile. They vary in budget choices and storage solutions, ranging from 500GB to 14TB. So, let’s look at the best HDD for gaming without further delay.
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1. Seagate Firecuda (2TB)
When it comes to HDDs, you can rely on Seagate. This Firecuda HDD is the best hard drive for gaming due to its essential features: capacity and speed. Seagate Firecuda is a hybrid storage way out. This SSHD has been designed to include both the features of an HDD and an SSD.
Seagate Firecuda equips with a NAND solid-state memory of 8GB. The hard drive offers lightning-fast loading times while offering a total space of 2TB. So, it is the ultimate solution for gaming storage.
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Pros
- Best for laptops and consoles
- Sufficient storage space
- Faster HDD
Cons
- Not great speed
2. Western Digital Ultrastar HDD (14TB)
Western Digital is the ideal option for 4k video editors and regular streamers. This storage device has been designed especially for NAS but works great as a large-capacity HDD for all.
People who edit 4k files regularly can understand the significance of having a lot of space on storage devices.
Western Digital Ultrastar HDD is 7200RPM and arrives with a 512MB cache. Its 14TB storage space makes Western Digital more efficient and great than other storage devices. Undoubtedly, it is the best HDD for gaming.
Pros
- Enormous capacity
- Robust-built quality
- Great for streamers and editors
Cons
- Costly
3. Seagate Barracuda (3TB)
Seagate Barracuda HDD comes with a storage space of 3TB. This storage space is sufficient to accommodate all of your media files, steam games, and other important files. Seagate Barracuda makes a perfect storage solution while leaving you with a ton of space.
So, if you are looking for a gaming HDD that is both large and fast, then Seagate Barracuda is the best HDD for gaming. It can store heavy games in huge numbers with quite ease. Seagate Barracuda is undoubtedly great for gaming storage.
Pros
- Great storage capacity
- Fit up to 120 games (25GB each)
Cons
- Not Hybrid
- Not for laptops and consoles
4. WD Blue Hard Disk Drive (500GB)
If you are running on a tight budget and need some storage space, WD Blue HDD is your go-to-go option. Here, you have 320GB of space with a speed of about 7200 RPM.
This storage space makes sure you enjoy an upright performance as compared to other options available for the same price range.
Additionally, Western Digital shares a great name due to its durable and quality storage devices. Although this storage device offers 500GB storage space, this HDD model is 7200RPM. This makes it faster than other hard drives. Overall, it is the best HDD for gaming to get started with!
Pros
- Offer 7200RPM
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Limited storage space
5. Seagate FireCuda (1TB)
Just like Seagate Firecuda (1TB), this storage device offers both storage capacity and speed. Its 1TB storage space allows enough space to store all of the primary AAA games with quite an ease. In addition to this, Seagate Firecuda (1TB) offers luxury loading times and boot speeds.
This HDD is way better than the regular hard drives available in the market. Moreover, it is far more efficient as compared to others. If you could not go with Seagate FireCuda (2TB), this storage device is the next great option.
It works exactly like the 2TB version but comprises half of the capacity. So, you should go with this best hard drive for gaming.
Pros
- Value for money
- Good intermediate storage
- Work for consoles
Cons
- Less storage capacity
6. Fantom Drives PS4 HDD
When you want storage for the PlayStation 4, Fantom Drives PS4 HDD will do the work for you. This kit from Fantom comprises everything you require to upgrade the PlayStation 4 console memory. Hence, you are free to download more games and digital content on your console.
Fantom Drives PS4 HDD offers a Seagate FireCuda (2TB) that comes with multi-tier and flash-accelerated technology. In the end, you enjoy more games on the console by saving and accessing them five times faster than normal hard drives.
Additionally, this hard drive kit even includes a USB flash drive (16GB) with the technology USB 3.0. Thus, you get extra storage memory. Fantom Drives PS4 HDD works best with PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles.
The best part about this kit is that it comes with a warranty of five years. Definitely, you can call this HDD kit the best HDD for gaming.
Pros
- Great storage space
- Quite faster
- Perfect for consoles
Cons
- Costly
7. Silicon Power Rugged Armor A80 (2TB)
When it comes to portability, Silicon Power Rugged Armor is the best hard drive for gaming. Not just that, but this hard drive is also the strongest one.
Silicon Power Rugged Armor is a tiny yet tough HDD. Gamers who are always on the move will love the military-grade shockproof design of Silicon Power HDD.
The storage device has been engineered with IPX7 water protection to secure the device if you accidentally spill water over it. The Rugged Armor hard drives measure 5.5×0.94×3.4 inches.
Also, the device is made with a robust aluminum case that comes with higher pressure resistance. It can withstand a force of more than 650 pounds. Hence, this HDD is crushproof.
One can connect Silicon Power Rugged Armor HDD through USB 3.0 6 to ensure fast data transfers and connectivity. The product comes with a three-year warranty.
Pros
- Strong-built Construction
- Portable
Cons
- Less speedy
8. Toshiba X300 (5TB)
Toshiba X300 is a great option for people who like to enjoy quick access to their games with no buffering issues. This hard drive offers a 128MB data buffer and 7200RPM speed, which deliver exceptional performance for all gamers. With this HDD, players can dive immediately into the game.
The best hard drive for gaming equips buffer management and cache algorithm on the board. It optimizes cache distribution along with reading and writing cycles for faster access. This even helps in the storage allocation of various dense programs and games.
Toshiba X300 has been engineered with ramp loading machinery and in-built shock sensors for stability. It even assists in detecting an impact. The HDD also includes a protected motor shaft so as to secure it against system vibrations. On top of that, you enjoy a two-year warranty on this hard drive.
Pros
- Huge storage capacity
- Offer 7200RPM
- Great performance
Cons
- Pricey
How to Pick the Best HDD for Gaming?
Today, modern games continue to become much more demanding. That’s why we carried out extensive research to ensure the items that we recommend are the best HDD for gaming.
As you all know, SSDs are great when we talk about speeds. Thus, you will find products in this review within the boundaries of SSHD and HDD.
Here, we have even taken the help of our associate professionals to have a deeper understanding of the HDD features. Instead of picking out random cool and colorful hard drives that you find online, it is best to check benchmarks, forums, and reviews online.
Also, you can even take a look at feedback from manufacturers like Toshiba, Western Digital, Seagate, etc. This is how we have arrived at the list of the best hard drive for gaming. We have personally checked out all of these hard drives to arrive at results and benchmarks.
So, you can pick up the best HDD for gaming out of the options that we have listed. If you are still confused, have a look at the features you need to check while choosing the perfect hard drive below!
Things to Consider When Buying the Best HDD for Gaming
Let’s have a look at some important points that you need to consider before settling on a hard drive!
Storage Needs
In the first place, you need to address the storage requirements. If you are truly enthusiastic about games and play countless games on a daily basis, you should consider getting larger HDDs.
It becomes kind of important when you begin employing game recording software such as Shadowplay. This software generates raw video files on the HDD to deal with.
Today, games are continuing to become bulkier and bulkier. This means that you have to invest in a good storage device with no less than 1TB of storage space.
On the other hand, if you do not play each and every game, you can do away with a smaller HDD. Gamers can fully employ the 1TB SSHD to store their games and no media files mainly.
One can go with Western Digital HDD if you are tight on a budget. Meanwhile, we suggest you upgrade the storage in the future. So, settle on a product depending on your storage needs.
Hybrid Options
Hybrid hard drives are amazing combinations of HDD storage and SSD speed. These drives are what work best for compromising people. In case you like to enjoy the ultimate performance in your gaming, an SSD (2TB) would do a great job. However, SSDs cost more than HDDs. Also, it is not feasible to space all games on the SSDs for all.
Meanwhile, an HDD (2TB) offers enough space to store all of your media and games. But, these drives tend to offer slow loading times. That’s the reason you should go with hybrid drives, as they balance out the benefits of both kinds of storage devices.
Company
It is really important to pay attention to brands while you decide on a hard drive. Certainly, Seagate and Western Digital are the best manufacturers of HDDs in the market. These manufacturers share robust-built quality and high reviews.
In case you make a decision to purchase a hard drive that is not on this list, ensure that you are purchasing it from a trustworthy manufacturer. Some of the other good manufacturers of HDDs include Samsung and Toshiba.
SSDs
In the market, you will still find SSDs. These storage devices help you install the OS, some games, and programs with quick response and loading times. They come up with great user-experience updates that you enjoy on your system.
SSDs are for those who are willing to sacrifice storage capacity for speed. So, go with an SSD to enjoy some of your well-admired games and OS. Also, purchase an HDD to store media files and other heavy games. However, this option would not work for gaming consoles and laptops.
Which Hard Drive is Best for You?
If you are a hardcore gamer, you should consider Seagate FireCuda (2TB). It is the best HDD for gaming, which shares the characteristics of an HDD and an SSD. You can even go with Seagate FireCuda (1TB), but the 2TB version offers much space for other components.
Meanwhile, Barracuda is also great but does not include hybrid features. Here, you enjoy more space and fine speed to enjoy a premium gaming experience. Seagate FireCuda (1TB) is ideal for casual gamers.
Western Digital Ultrastar (14TB) is a perfect choice for gamers who perform a lot of streaming and video editing. It boasts a huge storage space and a 512MB cache, which works great for overall usage. This HDD is even good for setting up NAS. All of these features make it a powerful and efficient HDD solution.
Lastly, if you are looking for something solely for gaming consoles, Fantom Drives PS4 HDD kit is what you need. Silicon Power Rugged Armor HDD wins the race in terms of portability and sturdy building. It is tough and waterproof, which makes it a good choice.
Go with Toshiba X300 hard drive to enjoy a smooth gaming experience. It comes with a 4TB storage space, which is enough to save your games and media files.
Ultimately, you have to decide on the best HDD for gaming for yourself, depending on your requirements and budget. All of these hard drive options are great. If you want more storage space, go with ones with more than a 2TB capacity.
In case you do not want to spend much, then it is better to compromise a bit with storage. Hopefully, this article will help you a bit in deciding on the best hard drive for gaming!