When choosing a hard disk drive (HDD) for gaming, there are a few key factors to consider: capacity, speed, form factor, and budget. The best gaming HDD provides ample storage space for large game files and loads games quickly, while fitting within your PC case and budget.
Quick Summary
For most gamers, a 1TB or 2TB 7200 RPM HDD from reputable brands like Western Digital or Seagate provides the best balance of price, capacity, and speed. Higher RPM drives offer faster speeds but come at a premium. Large capacity 4TB+ drives are only needed for hardcore gamers with huge game libraries.
Capacity – How Much Space Do You Need?
When choosing a gaming HDD, the first consideration is drive capacity. Modern game install sizes range from 25GB up to 100GB+ for the very largest titles. Here are some general guidelines for HDD capacity:
- 250GB – 500GB HDD: Good for light gaming with just a handful of smaller indie titles installed. Will fill up quickly.
- 1TB HDD: The sweet spot for most gamers. Allows installing 10-20 average sized games.
- 2TB HDD: Provides ample room for a large gaming library of 25+ titles.
- 4TB+ HDDs: Only needed for hardcore gamers with huge collections or those who also use their drive for media storage.
1TB and 2TB HDDs provide the best balance of capacity and value for most gaming setups. 500GB is too small for most users today while 4TB monsters come at a significant price premium.
Example HDD Capacities
| Capacity | Game Installs |
| 250GB | 2-6 |
| 500GB | 5-10 |
| 1TB | 10-20 |
| 2TB | 25-50 |
| 4TB | 50-100 |
RPM Speed – Faster is Better
The rotation speed of the HDD platter measured in RPM (revolutions per minute) directly impacts how fast the drive can load and access data. Faster drives improve game level load times and texture streaming.
For gaming, a good minimum speed is 7200RPM. While 5400RPM drives are cheaper, they are too slow for optimal gaming performance. Here are the common HDD speed tiers:
- 5400RPM – Slowest, cheapest drives. Performance lags for gaming.
- 7200RPM – The recommended standard speed for gaming. Provides good performance at affordable prices.
- 10,000RPM – Faster, pricier drives. Offer slightly snappier load times over 7200RPM models.
- 15,000RPM – Top-tier enterprise-class drives. Expensive overkill for gaming needs.
For most gamers, a 7200RPM HDD represents the best blend of speed and value. Stepping up to a 10,000RPM+ drive generally isn’t worth the significant price premium solely for slightly faster game loads.
HDD Rotation Speed Comparison
| RPM | Performance | Price |
| 5400 | Slow | Cheap |
| 7200 | Good | Affordable |
| 10,000 | Faster | Premium |
| 15,000 | Very Fast | Expensive |
Form Factors – HDD vs SSD
Gaming HDDs come in two physical sizes:
- 3.5″ desktop drives – The traditional and most common HDD form factor. Offer the highest capacities (up to 10TB+) and lowest cost per TB. Designed to be installed in PC cases.
- 2.5″ laptop drives – Smaller drives designed for laptops. Top out at 2TB capacity. Can be used in desktop PCs with a mounting adapter.
For gaming desktops, a 3.5″ HDD is recommended as they provide greater capacity for less money compared to 2.5″ drives. However, 2.5″ drives allow more flexible installation if space is limited.
In addition to classic spinning HDDs, super-fast SSDs (solid state drives) are also an option. SSDs have no moving parts and excel at delivering ultra-quick game load times. However, their very high cost per gigabyte makes large 2TB+ SSDs unrealistic for most gamers currently. A dual drive setup with a smaller 250GB+ SSD for the OS and key games paired with a larger 1-2TB HDD for bulk storage is a popular compromise.
HDD vs SSD Comparison
| HDD | SSD | |
| Speed | Slower | Much Faster |
| Capacity | Up to 10TB | Up to 4TB |
| Price Per GB | Cheap | Expensive |
Budget – Cost Considerations
As a baseline, 1TB 7200RPM HDDs from major brands like Seagate and Western Digital can readily be found under $50. Sales and rebates can drive this even lower. Higher capacity 2TB and 4TB models range from $60-$100+. Higher RPM and specialized enthusiast drives get progressively more expensive.
Setting a budget around $50-75 will allow most gamers to get a quality 1TB or 2TB 7200RPM drive from a top brand that should cover the majority of needs. Here are some tips for maximizing value:
- Look for sales and rebates on drives from major brands
- Avoid cheap generic/no-name drives which may sacrifice quality and reliability
- Consider lower capacities like 500GB if on a very tight budget
- Split budget between a smaller SSD and larger HDD if budget allows
With terabyte drives readily available at affordable prices, there is no reason to settle for an undersized or slow HDD that will limit gaming. By carefully watching for deals and sales, you can likely grab a fast 1TB or 2TB drive for $50-75 which hits the sweet spot of price versus performance.
Our Recommended Gaming HDD
Based on the criteria above, we recommend the following as a great all-around gaming hard drive for most users:
- Capacity: 1TB or 2TB
- RPM: 7200
- Form factor: 3.5″ Desktop drive
- Preferred brands: Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba
- Price: Around $50-75 for 1TB, $60-100 for 2TB
This represents a balance of favorable specs – enough capacity for a sizable game library, fast 7200RPM speed, standard desktop size, and a budget-friendly price that avoids excesses or compromises.
As a more specific recommendation, the Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB is an excellent choice that routinely sells for under $50. It has a proven track record of reliability and performance. Or for more capacity, the 2TB version provides ample space for just a few dollars more.
Benchmarks
To demonstrate the real-world performance difference HDD speeds make, here are sample benchmarks from Puget Systems comparing game load times across drives:
PUBG Loading Time in Seconds
| WD Black 750 (7200 RPM) | 27.2 |
| Seagate Barracuda Compute (5400 RPM) | 39.3 |
| Samsung 870 EVO (SSD) | 25.1 |
The faster 7200RPM drive booted the game 12 seconds quicker compared to the 5400RPM model – a significant difference. However, the SSD was only marginally faster, indicating the sweet spot 7200RPM HDD provides excellent real-world gaming speeds at a much lower cost per GB.
Total War: Warhammer 2 Loading Time in Seconds
| WD Black 750 (7200 RPM) | 31.8 |
| Seagate Barracuda Compute (5400 RPM) | 52.1 |
| Samsung 870 EVO (SSD) | 11.8 |
Again the 7200RPM drive loaded 20 seconds faster than the 5400RPM model. The SSD provided a significant boost but at a much higher price. This demonstrates why a dual SSD + HDD setup can provide the best of both worlds.
Conclusion
When choosing the right gaming HDD, key considerations include:
- Capacity – 1TB or 2TB is recommended for most gamers
- RPM Speed – 7200RPM offers the best balance of speed and value
- Form Factor – Standard 3.5″ desktop drives provide greater capacities for less cost compared to 2.5″ laptop drives
- Budget – Quality 1TB drives can readily be found for $50 or less, with 2TB models ranging from $60-100
Based on these criteria, a 7200RPM 1TB or 2TB HDD from a major brand like Western Digital or Seagate represents the overall best buy for the majority of gamers. Models like the WD Caviar Blue offer an unbeatable combination of performance, capacity, and affordability. While SSDs are much faster, HDDs still deliver good speeds at a fraction of the SSD cost per gigabyte.
By choosing the right gaming-focused HDD that avoids compromises and bottlenecks, you can build an optimal PC storage solution that provides great game performance and ample room to install your entire library.