3 Best Surveillance Hard Drives for CCTV

Security cameras have long been a way for business owners and regular people to keep track of everything that happens on their property.

Recently, with the popularity of home security increasing and a demand for quick access to video, new products have been popping up all over the place.

In order for a security camera to store the video it collects, a hard drive needs to be connected to the system. Gone are the days of VHS and videotape.

If you own one of these security systems, you’re probably wondering what’s the best hard drive for a security DVR or NVR.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more!

Who Should Get This

If you have a security camera system in place at your home, business, or any other location, it really isn’t all that useful unless you have a way to properly store the footage you collect.

Sure, a camera itself can be a deterrent for thieves and trespassers, but if they actually cause damage or take your property, you need video footage to prove it happened. A surveillance hard drive for your security DVR or NVR becomes essential in that regard.

The following hard drives are designed differently than an external drive you might use for your computer. They fit right into your DVR video system and are not intended to be stand-alone units.

If you don’t already have a CCTV camera system, then you won’t need this type of hard drive.

Best Surveillance Hard Drive: Top Picks

Here’s a list of our top recommendations, along with a quick review of each product so you get to know its pros and cons before making a decision on which one to buy.

1. WD Purple Surveillance Hard Drive

For a hard drive that’s fully designed for surveillance and capable of reliable performance, you can’t do better than the WD Purple Surveillance Hard Drive.

This option utilizes Allframe technology that improves performance by reducing frame loss and optimizing the HDD drive.

It is also compatible with a wide range of different enclosures and chipsets. That makes it versatile and able to plug into your existing setup with ease.

This hard drive is available in many different sizes, ranging from a standard 1TB all the way up to 14TB for extremely large storage situations.

It can support up to 64 HD cameras and is engineered to operate effectively in high-temperature environments.

It also comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty so you can rest easy that you’ll have support in case anything goes wrong.

Pros:

• Designed for surveillance purposes
• Allframe technology improves performance
• Good compatibility
• Multiple storage size options
• Supports up to 64 HD cameras
• 3-year warranty

Cons:

• Some users report unresponsive device after months of use

2. MaxDigitalMedia Internal Surveillance DVR Hard Drive

The MaxDigitalMedia Internal Surveillance DVR Hard Drive is another top-notch option for your security needs. This is a smaller size drive that’s both reliable and affordable.

The 500GB storage size allows for roughly 15 days of continuous recording and the device also features a low power consumption, quiet operation, and cool running temperature.

Bottom line: this is a good option for those on a budget or with smaller recording needs.

Pros:

• Affordable
• 15 days of continuous recording
• Low power consumption
• Quiet operation
• Quality 2-year warranty

Cons:

• 500GB is not a lot of storage

3. Seagate Skyhawk Surveillance Internal Hard Drive

Another great hard drive option for a security DVR is the Seagate Skyhawk Surveillance. This drive has the ability to support up to a 180TB workload per year, which means it can fully support 64 cameras.

It’s available in storage sizes ranging from 1TB to 14TB and also utilizes built-in RV sensors that help support multi-bay systems. A low power consumption helps to increase performance as well.

Pros:

• Quality hard drive built for surveillance
• Can support up to 64 cameras
• Multiple storage size options
• Built-in RV sensors
• Low power consumption
• 3-year warranty

Cons:

• Larger storage sizes are pretty expensive

How to Choose a Surveillance Hard Drive for CCTV

When you are about to purchase a hard drive like this, make sure to take these factors into consideration. They’ll help you narrow down the choices without spending too much time.

Storage Size

An important initial consideration for a hard drive is storage size. There are many options available, and they range from 500GB all the way up to over 10TB. Depending on how much video footage you want to record or how many cameras you have set up, you will want to match your storage size to meet this.

If you only have a single camera, 500GB to 1TB of storage can be plenty. If you have multiple cameras set up and want to document every moment, you will want something in the 10TB or more range.

Storage size does have a direct relationship to price, however, with larger sizes being more expensive. Take that into account and know that if you eat up all of your storage you will need to erase previous footage.

Compatibility

You want to make sure that the hard drive you purchase is fully compatible with the security DVR you’re going to get. If it’s not compatible, you will not be able to record anything at all.

The options you’ll find here are designed to be compatible with most security DVR systems. Each has an easy-to-install design that you can put in or remove with relative ease.

Low Power Consumption

Security systems often run nonstop. That means they are constantly using power to stay operational, and it makes a hard drive with low power consumption a nice thing to have.

That feature can save you money on your electrical bill and ensure you don’t have any glitches or issues as well. A hard drive with low power consumption tends to be more reliable as well.

Useful Tips & Resources

If you’re installing a video security system for the first time at your home or business, it can take some time to get everything right. You can always hire a company to set things up for you, but that can cost quite a bit.

You can also install things yourself, but if you do you want to be sure that the cameras are up and running correctly. Take a look at this video to help you learn how to install the hard drive in your DVR.

Final Thoughts

A home security system with a DVR and cameras can give you peace of mind when you have to leave town or when you’re home at night.

The technologies within these systems have come a long way over the years and they are now quite easy to use. As long as you pick one of the above models you’ll be able to record whatever you need.

Do you have a CCTV security system? What cameras and hard drives do you use? Let us know in the comments below!