8 Best HDDs for Gaming in 2024

If you are into serious gaming, you need to have a strong PC, which means collecting as many top-quality components as you can find. That also includes hard drives, and you need to make sure to get the best HDD for gaming in 2024 in order to have the best experience. Of course, hard drives have passed their peak some time ago, but there is still quite high demand for them, thanks to the gaming community. They offer a lot of storage space, and they are not that expensive these days, which is why they remain popular. So, if you need a new HDD, here are some of our top picks for best HDDs for gaming.

Best HDDs for Gaming

1. SEAGATE EXPANSION PORTABLE EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

First, we have another portable external HDD, this time by Seagate. This one offers quite a bit of storage space, as well as a pretty affordable price. This model does not come with a lot of fancy features, but it is still more than capable of providing extremely fast performance.

It features UDB 3.0 connectivity, just like our previous entry. It also comes in a few variants, featuring different capacities. You can pick between 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB. Now, read/write speeds are not exceptional like the ones mentioned in our other top picks, but that is to be expected, considering that it is an external model. It offers 120Mbps, which is still pretty decent, and among the best in external HDD class.

You can use it for Mac and Windows alike, and all you need to do is plug it, and you will be good to go. As for the warranty, it only lasts for 1 year, which is not too reassuring, but other than that, we don’t have much to criticize here.

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2. Seagate FireCuda 2TB

If you are looking for the best gaming storage solution out there, our money is on Seagate FireCura 2TB. At first, this hard drive doesn’t look that impressive or special. In fact, it looks like a pretty typical mechanical drive.

However, on deeper inspection, you will discover that this is actually a hybrid storage device, which offers the capacity of a strong HDD, but speeds of an SSD. In other words, FireCuda 2TB takes the best of both worlds, providing an ultimate solution in the process.

This is possible due to its 8GB NAND solid-state memory, which allows increased loading and boot times, and you will really be able to tell the difference. And, as the name suggests, its total capacity is 2TB, which is more than fitting for any gaming PC. We are not surprised by these results of the tests, as Seagate usually tends to deliver exceptional, high-quality storage devices.

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3. WD BLACK HDD

Our third choice is WD Black hard drive, which is definitely an excellent solution for serious gamers. It is capable of delivering top-quality performance, This HDD is highčy-reliable, which is confirmed by the fact that it offers a 5-year warranty. Not to mention that it delivers enhanced performance due to its use of StableTrac and Dynamic Cache tech.

Basically, if you are a gamer and you have a task for this hard drive — it will complete it quickly and efficiently, without any issues.

WD Black HDD features a rotational speed of 7200 rpm, in addition to either 256MB (4TB-6TB) or 64MB (500GB-2TB) of the cache. Of course, it also features the regular SATA3 connectivity. By looking at this, you might not think that it is particularly impressive. However, its true value lies in its reading/writing speed, which is 180Mbps on average. If pushed, it can rise all the way up to 281,9Mbps, which is a much more impressive feature, and perfect for reading large files.

It also offers a dual-core processor, and it is FIT tested, which is something it has in common with data center hard drives. Basically, you can be sure that it will never just abandon you when you need it most, and that kind of reliability is what every gamer needs.

The only real downside that we have found with it is that it can get quite hot, but that is something that you can control with a good cooling system, so we are not taking this as a particularly damning issue.

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4. Seagate 3TB BarraCuda

For our next pick, we go back to Seagate, this time choosing its 3TB BarraCuda. It is a rather decent-sized HDD, and it offers quite superior performance. Not only that, but it also offers excellent multifunctionality, with a rotational speed of 7200 rpm, and 256MB (4TB-14TB) or 64MB (500GB-3TB) of cache.

It is highly efficient thanks to the use of Multi-Tier Caching Technology, which makes this hard drive one of the best performers out there, and an excellent choice for any gamer. In addition, just like our previous entry — it is more than capable of achieving read/write speeds that go beyond 200Mbps.

It is a great hard drive for anyone who is looking for a dependable solution, although you might achieve even better results if you pair it with a good SSD. That way, you would have an extremely large and fast storage, and as such, it could serve you well as a primary drive, too.

Now, there is one downside to it — a bad reputation of one of the previous Seagate models (ST3000DM001). If you have trouble believing that this one will work better than one of the infamous drives in HDD history — we can assure you that it will. Seagate learned from its mistake and has done wonders with this model, as well as the previously mentioned FireCuda. Apart from that, there is nothing much to criticize, apart from the fact that its warranty only lasts for 2 years, which is a bit modest when compared to some other models, but nothing of real concern, as far as we have seen.

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6. WD Blue

Next on our list, we have Western Digital Blue. Now, WD hard drives are among the most popular, so it is not surprising that we have their Blue model so quickly after featuring Black. After all, WD HDDs are well-rounded, they offer balanced power consumption, decent speeds, and pretty good storage capacity. This is true for 2.5-inch Blue HDDs as well.

We like a lot of things about this model, such as the fact that it is very affordable, so you don’t have to worry about large prices if you are on the budget. It is also very quiet, meaning that you are unlikely to be disturbed by it, even if you don’t plan on using a silent case, and it also makes it great for laptops.

The low noise comes due to its NoTouch technology, which prevents its read head from ever truly making contact with disks. This is also something that increases its lifespan, and it will last you for years to come. Even so, we admit that this is not the most durable HDD out there, although they will still serve you just as well when it comes to gaming.

The only real downside with them is that it is very hard to find a high-capacity model. Simply put, they have limited storage, and there is not much that can be done about that. In the end, it all depends on your own needs, and what you plan to use it for.

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7. TOSHIBA X300 HDD

Finally, Stepping away from WD and Seagate for a moment — we have Toshiba X300 hard drive, which is one of the best options for extreme performance. It also offers quite a lot in terms of storage capacity. Not as much as Ultrastar, but it is not far behind either, with its capabilities going between 4TB and 10TB.

With it, you will definitely get to enjoy more than a few games. Besides, it doesn’t only offer a huge storage capacity — it also features excellent read/write speeds, which can also go beyond 200Mbps. As such, it is capable of going shoulder to shoulder with FireCuda, and don’t forget that FireCuda is a hybrid between HDD and SSD. In other words, X300 will bring you fluidity, top performance, and more than enough space to keep your favorite games installed.

This HDD is also pretty quiet compared to most others, even during a heavy performance. Meanwhile, the data integrity is ensured by a dual-stage actuator and an internal shock sensor. In terms of connectivity — it features SATA3, as you might have expected, with the rotational speed sitting at 7200 rpm. In other words, it is quite capable of satisfying modern standards. On the other hand, its cache comes in two versions — 128MB and 256MB — which help it stand out even more.

In other words, it is as good as modern HDDs can get, and the only real downside that we can criticize is a short warranty, which only lasts for 2 years. Other than that, it is a great solution, and we are convinced that it will serve you excellently.

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8. WD 14TB Ultrastar HDD0

On the other hand, if you are looking for a massive capacity HDD, we have great news for you, as WD also offers one of the best large-capacity hard drives out there — their 14TB Ultrastar HDD.

Make no mistake — this is a solution specially designed for serious gamers, streamers, and video editors. We are talking 4K gaming on regular basis here. This is why Ultrastar is a go-to model if you need a huge storage capacity. It simply beats all competition without issues when it comes to storage size.

Ultrastar was originally created with NAS in mind, but we still feel that it deserves its place on the list. As technology continues to evolve, we will undoubtedly have 8k gaming to deal with, and new solutions will need to be invented. For now, however, Ultrastar gets to keep its crown, with 7200 rpm and 512MB cache, which is why it is our choice for the best large storage hard drive.

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Best HDDs for Gaming Conclusion

And, there you have it — our top picks when it comes to HDDs. There are quite a few of them that we were satisfied with, so you can browse a number of different models, depending on what you are looking for in a hard drive.

All of them are more than capable of handling serious gaming, and we don’t have real issues with any of them. So, take your pick, check it out thoroughly, and enjoy years of quality gaming.