How to choose All HDDs without overspending in SA

Quick Answer

For bulk storage, a 4TB 3.5-inch HDD around R1,600 offers the best cost per terabyte for media, backups and game libraries you do not need to load instantly. Buy a NAS or surveillance-rated drive for always-on use; reserve an SSD for your OS and frequently played titles.

Match the HDD to the job

HDDs still win on capacity per rand for archives, photo libraries, recordings and rarely played games. For a desktop bulk drive, a standard 7200rpm 3.5-inch model is fine. For a NAS or always-on system, choose a drive rated for 24/7 operation, which handles vibration and continuous duty far better than a desktop unit.

Capacity and reliability sizing

Buy more capacity than you need today, since cost per terabyte improves with size up to a point; 4TB and 8TB are sweet spots. Keep a separate backup, because a single HDD is not a backup. For anything you load often, an SSD's speed is worth the higher per-terabyte cost.

Backup discipline with mechanical drives

Because any single HDD can fail, keep a second copy of irreplaceable files on another drive or in the cloud. For media and archives, a 7200rpm drive is fine; for a NAS, choose a 24/7-rated model that tolerates vibration. Pair the HDD with an SSD for the OS so the system stays fast while the HDD handles bulk.

FAQ

What size HDD gives the best value?

4TB and 8TB models usually offer the lowest cost per terabyte for desktop storage. Going larger helps for big media archives if the price per terabyte holds.

NAS drive or desktop drive?

Choose a NAS or 24/7-rated drive for always-on systems and multi-drive enclosures. A standard desktop drive suits a single, occasionally used bulk disk.

Should games go on an HDD or SSD?

Put frequently played games on an SSD for fast loading and use an HDD for large, rarely launched titles and media you do not need instantly.