Quick Answer: The best NVR hard drive for most users is the WD Purple 8TB (WD85PURZ) 360TB/year workload , AllFrame technology , and support for 64 cameras , it handles demanding 24/7 surveillance reliably. For budget systems, Seagate SkyHawk 8TB (~$139) is excellent with included Rescue Data Recovery. For AI-enabled NVRs, upgrade to WD Purple Pro or SkyHawk AI .
Best Overall NVR Drive WD Purple 8TB (WD85PURZ) 8TB Capacity | 5640 RPM | 256MB Cache | CMR | 360TB/year Workload | Up to 64 Cameras | 3-Year Warranty
$239 ($30/TB)
Check Price Choosing the right hard drive for your NVR (Network Video Recorder) or DVR (Digital Video Recorder) is critical for reliable security footage. Unlike desktop drives, NVR hard drives must handle continuous 24/7 recording, multiple simultaneous camera streams, and demanding write operations — all while maintaining the reliability you need when footage matters most.
This guide covers everything you need to know about selecting, installing, and maintaining NVR hard drives for home and business security systems.
Why NVR-Specific Drives Matter Standard desktop drives (WD Blue, Seagate Barracuda) are not designed for surveillance workloads:
Feature Surveillance Drives Desktop Drives 24/7 Operation ✓ Designed for continuous use ✗ 8-12 hours/day typical Workload Rating 180-550TB/year 55TB/year Video Firmware AllFrame/ImagePerfect (no dropped frames) General purpose (frame drops) Camera Support Up to 64 HD streams Not optimized Recording Technology CMR (consistent writes)Often SMR (write slowdowns) Multi-Bay Support RV sensors, tarnish-resistant Standard components Expected Life 3-5 years in 24/7 use 6-18 months in 24/7 use
Bottom line: Using desktop drives in NVRs causes premature failures, dropped frames, and lost footage. The 10-20% savings isn’t worth the risk.
Best NVR Hard Drives Browse all surveillance drives with current pricing:
Product Capacity Price $ / TB Price Drop Brand Interface MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MDD (MDD18TS25672CCTV) 18TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 18.00 TB $289.99 $16.11 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD (MDD18TSATA25672DVR) 18TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty 18.00 TB $309.99 $17.22 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MDD 16TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for Surveillance Storage (MD16TGSA25672DVR) - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 16.00 TB $289.99 $18.12 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD (MDD16TSATA25672DVR) 16TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 16.00 TB $289.99 $18.12 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA (MDD16TSATA25672DVR 16TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 16.00 TB $299.99 $18.75 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MDD 16TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for Surveillance Storage (MD16TGSA25672DVR) - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 16.00 TB $299.99 $18.75 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD (MDD12TSATA25672DVR) 12TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 12.00 TB $229.99 $19.17 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA 12TB 7200 RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for Surveillance Storage (MD12TBGSA25672DVR) - 3 Years Warranty 12.00 TB $239.99 $20.00 +4% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD (MDD10TSATA25672DVR) 10TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 10.00 TB $199.99 $20.00 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MaxDigitalData 2021 8TB 7200 RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for Surveillance (Renewed) 8.00 TB $159.99 $20.00 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA - 8TB 7200RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6Gb/s 3.5inch Enterprise Hard Drive (NAS, Surveillance, RAID) (Renewed) 8.00 TB $159.99 $20.00 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD 8TB 7200RPM 128MB Cache SATA 6Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive (for Surveillance Storage) (Renewed) 8.00 TB $169.99 $21.25 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MDD (MDD8TSATA12872DVR) 8TB 7200RPM 128MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive - 3 Years Warranty (Renewed) 8.00 TB $169.99 $21.25 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA 8TB 7200 RPM 256MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for Surveillance (MD8000GSA25672DVR) (Renewed) 8.00 TB $169.99 $21.25 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA WL 4TB 64MB Cache 5400RPM SATA III (6.0Gb/s) 3.5" Internal Surveillance DVR Hard Drive - w/ 1 Year Warranty 4.00 TB $89.50 $22.38 +0% GoHardDrive SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MaxDigitalData 4TB 64MB Cache 7200PM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5'' Internal Surveillance CCTV DVR Hard Drive (MD4000GSA6472DVR) - w/ 2 Year Warranty (Renewed) 4.00 TB $89.99 $22.50 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA MaxDigitalData 4TB 64MB Cache 5900PM SATA 6Gbps 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance Hard Drive (MD4000GSA6459DVR) (Renewed) 4.00 TB $89.99 $22.50 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA Seagate SkyHawk 10TB Surveillance Hard Drive - SATA 6Gb/s 256MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Drive (ST10000VX0004) 10.00 TB $230.00 $23.00 -45% Seagate SATA WD Purple 8TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 128MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD80PURZ (Renewed) 8.00 TB $189.00 $23.63 +0% Western Digital SATA MDD MAXDIGITALDATA 3TB 32MB Cache 5700PM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5'' Internal Surveillance CCTV DVR Hard Drive (MD3000GSA3257DVR) (Renewed) 3.00 TB $73.95 $24.65 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA Western Digital 6TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 128 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD62PURZ (Renewed) 6.00 TB $149.99 $25.00 +0% Western Digital SATA Western Digital 6TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD63PURZ (Renewed) 6.00 TB $149.99 $25.00 +0% Western Digital SATA MaxDigitalData 4TB 64MB Cache 7200PM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5in Internal Surveillance CCTV DVR Hard Drive (MD4000GSA6472DVR) - w/ 2 Year Warranty, Mechanical Hard Disk 4.00 TB $99.99 $25.00 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA Seagate - ST8000VX004 Skyhawk ST8000VX004 8 TB Hard Drive - 3.5 Internal - SATA (SATA/600) - Video Surveillance System, Network Video Recorder Device Supported - 256 MB Buffer 8.00 TB $224.36 $28.05 +0% Seagate SATA Western Digital 12TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD121PURZ (Renewed) 12.00 TB $351.00 $29.25 +0% Western Digital SATA Western Digital 8TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD82PURZ 8.00 TB $239.91 $29.99 +0% Western Digital SATA Seagate Exos 7E10 ST10000NM017B 10 TB Hard Drive - Internal - SATA (SATA/600) - Storage System, Video Surveillance System Device Supported - 7200rpm (Renewed) 10.00 TB $304.00 $30.40 +0% Seagate SATA WD Purple 8TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 128MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD80PURZ 8.00 TB $243.78 $30.47 +0% Western Digital SATA Western Digital 8TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive - SATA 6 Gb/s, , 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD81PURZ (Old Version) 8.00 TB $243.95 $30.49 +0% Western Digital SATA Western Digital 6TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 128 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD62PURZ 6.00 TB $182.99 $30.50 +0% Western Digital SATA Western Digital 3TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 128 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD34PURZ 3.00 TB $94.99 $31.66 +0% Western Digital SATA WL 2TB 64MB Cache 5400RPM SATA III (6.0Gb/s) 3.5" Internal Surveillance DVR Hard Drive - w/ 1 Year Warranty 2.00 TB $63.99 $32.00 +0% GoHardDrive SATA Western Digital 3TB WD Purple Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 256 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD33PURZ 3.00 TB $109.99 $36.66 +16% Western Digital SATA WD Purple 3 TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive, Intellipower 3.5 Inch SATA 6 Gb/s 64 MB Cache 5400 RPM - FFP Option 3.00 TB $129.00 $43.00 +0% Western Digital SATA C-HDD4000-VX Skyhawk Surveillance 4TB 3.5" Hard Drive; SATA 6Gb/s; 64MB Cache; Up to 64 Cameras; 190MB/s Transfer Rate; 24/7 Reliability 4.00 TB $181.14 $45.29 +0% Generic SATA Western Digital AV-GP WD10EURX 1TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6Gb/s 3.5in Internal Hard Drive (for Surveillance) - 2 Years Warranty (Renewed) 1.00 TB $47.75 $47.75 +4% Western Digital SATA WD Purple 3TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive -5400 RPM Class SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch Model WD30PURX 3.00 TB $144.99 $48.33 +0% Western Digital SATA MaxDigitalData 1TB 32MB Cache 7200PM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5inch Internal Surveillance CCTV DVR Hard Drive (MD1000GSA3272DVR) (Renewed) 1.00 TB $49.99 $49.99 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA MaxDigitalData 1TB 64MB Cache 5900PM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Surveillance CCTV DVR Hard Drive (MD1000GSA6459DVR) - w/ 2 Year Warranty (Renewed) 1.00 TB $49.99 $49.99 +0% MDD MAXDIGITALDATA SATA Seagate SV35 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6-Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive for Video Surveillance ST2000VX000 (Renewed) 2.00 TB $99.99 $50.00 +0% Seagate SATA Seagate SkyHawk 2TB Surveillance Hard Drive - SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Drive (ST2000VX008), Silver (Renewed) 2.00 TB $106.00 $53.00 +0% Seagate SATA Seagate Pipeline HD (ST1000VM002) 1TB 5900RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5inch Surveillance Hard Drive - 2 Year Warranty (Renewed) 1.00 TB $53.00 $53.00 +0% Seagate SATA C-HDD2000-VX 2TB Skyhawk Surveillance Hard Drive; 3.5" SATA; 64MB Cache; 24×7 Video Recording; Optimized for DVR/NVR Systems; Reliable AV Storage 2.00 TB $111.19 $55.60 +0% Generic SATA Seagate SkyHawk 3TB Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch Sata 6Gb/s 256MB Cache for DVR NVR Security Camera System with Drive Health Management (ST3000VX010) 3.00 TB $199.00 $66.33 +0% Seagate SATA WD Purple 2TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive - 5400 RPM Class SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD20PURZ (Renewed) 2.00 TB $135.00 $67.50 +0% Western Digital SATA C-HDD12T-PUR Pro 12TB Surveillance HDD – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 256MB Cache, 550TB/year Workload, TLER & ATA Streaming, Optimized for High-Camera Count NVR Systems 12.00 TB $1,104.00 $92.00 +0% Generic SATA SEAGATE Skyhawk 1TB Hard Drive, SATA III, 6 Gbit/s, Cache 256MB, 5400RPM, 3.5 Inches, Video Surveillance 1.00 TB $100.00 $100.00 +0% Seagate SATA Seagate SkyHawk 1TB Surveillance Hard Drive - Sata 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Drive (ST1000VX005) 1.00 TB $108.00 $108.00 +0% Seagate SATA C-HDD8000-PUR 8TB Surveillance Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 5400 RPM, 64MB Cache, 180TB/year Workload, TLER & ATA Streaming, Optimized for Write-Intensive Security Systems 8.00 TB $922.00 $115.25 +0% Generic SATA 2TB 3.5" Surveillance Hard Drive, 5400 RPM, 64MB Cache, SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.00 TB $239.00 $119.50 +0% Generic SATA C-HDD6200-PUR 6TB Surveillance Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 128MB Cache, 180TB/year Workload, AV Optimized, TLER & ATA Streaming Support, Tarnish-Resistant, 3-Year Warranty 6.00 TB $727.00 $121.17 +0% Generic SATA C-HDD3000-PUR 3TB Surveillance Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 5400 RPM, 64MB Cache, Engineered for Write-Intensive Surveillance Workloads, TLER & ATA Streaming Support, 180TB/year Workload 3.00 TB $368.00 $122.67 +0% Generic SATA C-HDD4000-PUR 4TB Surveillance Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 5400 RPM, 64MB Cache, Optimized for Write-Intensive Surveillance Workloads, TLER & ATA Streaming Support 4.00 TB $569.00 $142.25 +0% Generic SATA C-HDD2000-PUR 2TB Surveillance Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 5400 RPM, 64MB Cache, Engineered for Write-Intensive Surveillance Workloads, TLER & ATA Streaming Support, 180TB/year Workload 2.00 TB $334.00 $167.00 +0% Generic SATA C-HDD1000-PUR 1TB Surveillance Hard Drive – 3.5" SATA 6Gb/s, 5400 RPM, 64MB Cache, Engineered for Write-Intensive Surveillance Workloads, TLER & ATA Streaming Support, 180TB/year Workload 1.00 TB $290.00 $290.00 +0% Generic SATA
Top Recommendations by Use Case Best Overall: WD Purple 8TB Best Overall NVR Drive WD Purple 8TB (WD85PURZ) 8TB Capacity | 5640 RPM | 256MB Cache | CMR | 360TB/year Workload | Up to 64 Cameras | 3-Year Warranty
$239 ($30/TB)
Check Price Why WD Purple 8TB:
360TB/year workload — double SkyHawk’s 180TBAllFrame technology — optimized for video streamingCMR recording — no SMR write penaltiesBroad compatibility — works with all major NVR brandsProven reliability — millions installed worldwideBest Budget: Seagate SkyHawk 8TB Best Value Seagate SkyHawk 8TB (ST8000VX010) 8TB | 180TB/year | 64 Cameras | CMR | 3-Year Warranty + Rescue
$205.49 ($22.65/TB)
Check Price Why SkyHawk 8TB:
Lower price — typically $5-10 cheaper than PurpleRescue Data Recovery included — valuable for business footageSkyHawk Health Management — integrates with Hikvision/DahuaImagePerfect firmware — zero dropped framesBest for AI NVRs: WD Purple Pro 18TB Best for AI WD Purple Pro 18TB (WD181PURP) 18TB | 550TB/year | 64+32 AI Streams | 7200 RPM | 2.5M MTBF | 5-Year Warranty
$389.99 ($21.11/TB)
Check Price Why Purple Pro for AI:
550TB/year workload — handles constant AI read/write7200 RPM — faster random access for AI queries2.5M hour MTBF — highest reliability in class32 AI streams — dedicated capacity for analyticsBest Budget Entry: Toshiba S300 4TB Budget Option Toshiba S300 4TB (HDWT140UZSVA) 4TB | 180TB/year | 64 Cameras | CMR | 3-Year Warranty
$112.99 ($28.25/TB)
Check Price Why Toshiba S300:
Lowest price — 10-20% below WD/SeagateProper surveillance specs — CMR, 24/7 ratedAdequate for small systems — 4-8 camerasNVR Compatibility Guide Surveillance drives work with all major NVR and DVR brands:
Fully Compatible Brands Brand WD Purple SkyHawk Toshiba S300 Notes Hikvision ✓ ✓ (SHM) ✓ SkyHawk Health Management integration Dahua ✓ ✓ (SHM) ✓ SkyHawk Health Management integration Lorex ✓ ✓ ✓ All drives compatible Reolink ✓ ✓ ✓ All drives compatible Amcrest ✓ ✓ ✓ All drives compatible Swann ✓ ✓ ✓ All drives compatible Synology ✓ ✓ ✓ On compatibility list QNAP ✓ ✓ ✓ On compatibility list Ubiquiti UniFi ✓ ✓ ✓ All drives compatible
Note: All surveillance drives use standard SATA interfaces. Any NVR/DVR accepting 3.5″ SATA drives will work with these recommendations.
Capacity Planning Guide Storage Requirements by System Size System Cameras Resolution 30-Day Storage Recommended Home Basic 2-4 1080p ~1TB 2-4TB Home Standard 4-8 1080p ~2-4TB 4-8TB Home Advanced 8-16 1080p ~4-8TB 8-12TB Small Business 8-16 4K ~8-16TB 12-14TB Medium Business 16-32 4K ~16-32TB Multiple drives Enterprise 32-64 4K + AI 32TB+ RAID array
Estimates based on H.265 compression, 15fps, continuous recording. Motion-only recording reduces needs by 50-70%.
Quick Calculation Per camera, per day (continuous, 1080p, H.265): ~15-20GB
Per camera, per day (continuous, 4K, H.265): ~40-60GB
Example: 8 cameras × 20GB × 30 days = 4.8TB for 30-day retention
Installation Guide Before You Start Power off your NVR completelyGround yourself to prevent static dischargeCheck compatibility — verify max drive capacity supportedGather tools — Phillips screwdriver typically neededInstallation Steps Remove NVR cover — usually 2-4 screws on back/sidesLocate drive bay — typically bottom of unitConnect SATA data cable to driveConnect SATA power cable to driveSecure drive with mounting screws (use all 4)Replace cover and reconnect NVRPower on and initialize drive in NVR menuPost-Installation Format drive through NVR interface (not PC)Configure recording — continuous vs motion-triggeredSet overwrite policy — enable automatic cyclingVerify recording — check each camera is saving footageMonitor temperature — ensure adequate ventilationOptimizing NVR Performance Recording Settings Use H.265 — saves ~40% storage vs H.26415fps is sufficient — 30fps doubles storage needsMotion-triggered — reduces storage 50-70%Sub-streams for live view — reduces bandwidthDrive Longevity Tips Adequate ventilation — keep temps below 45°CStable power — use UPS if possibleDon’t overfill — keep 10-15% free spaceMonitor SMART data — catch issues earlyWhen to Upgrade Your NVR Drive Signs You Need More Storage Footage retention is too short Drive is constantly near capacity Adding more cameras Upgrading to higher resolution cameras Signs Your Drive May Be Failing Missing or corrupted footage Slow playback or stuttering SMART warnings in NVR interface Unusual clicking or grinding sounds Drive older than 4-5 years NVR Hard Drive Comparison Drive Capacity Workload Price Best For WD Purple 2-14TB 180-360TB/yr $59-249 Most NVR systems SkyHawk 2-12TB 180TB/yr $59-199 Budget + Data Recovery Toshiba S300 2-10TB 110-180TB/yr $55-199 Budget home systems WD Purple Pro 8-26TB 550TB/yr $199-570 AI NVRs, Enterprise SkyHawk AI 8-24TB 550TB/yr $189-449 AI NVRs + Rescue
Frequently Asked Questions What size hard drive do I need for my NVR? For 8 cameras at 1080p with 30-day retention , plan for 4-8TB. Use H.265 compression and motion-triggered recording to maximize storage. The WD Purple 8TB is the sweet spot for most home and small business systems.
Can I use a regular hard drive in my NVR? Not recommended. Desktop drives (WD Blue, Barracuda) aren’t designed for 24/7 operation and typically fail within 6-18 months in NVR use. They also cause dropped frames due to general-purpose firmware. Spend the extra 10-20% for a proper surveillance drive.
Is WD Purple or Seagate SkyHawk better? Both are excellent. WD Purple 8TB+ has a higher workload rating (360TB vs 180TB/year). SkyHawk includes Rescue Data Recovery and integrates with Hikvision/Dahua health monitoring. Choose based on features you value most.
How long do NVR hard drives last? With proper cooling and within workload ratings, surveillance drives typically last 3-5 years in 24/7 NVR use. Monitor SMART data for early warning signs. Plan proactive replacement after 3-4 years for critical systems.
Do I need a special hard drive for 4K cameras? Standard surveillance drives handle 4K fine, but you need more capacity (4K uses 2-3x more storage than 1080p). For systems with many 4K cameras or AI analytics, consider higher-capacity drives or WD Purple Pro for the increased workload.
Can I add a second hard drive to my NVR? If your NVR has multiple drive bays, yes — simply install additional drives and configure them in the NVR menu. Some NVRs support RAID; others just span storage. Check your NVR’s specifications for maximum supported drives and capacities.
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Last updated: February 2026. Prices and compatibility verified with current NVR systems.
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