Our Top Picks of Internal and External Hard Drives for Video Games

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In recent years, especially with the current game systems on the market, video games are demanding higher performance from storage. Being the storage industry leader, we’re often asked whether it’s possible to use our internal hard drives on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One or Nintendo Wii U to replace the default hard drive included with the system to increase storage capacity.

The short answer is “yes.”

Below are our recommendations for each of the three video game consoles and PC that will keep you “evolving,” fighting the fight on the “hardline” and keeping the “light from dying.”

Sony’s PlayStation 4
Sony allows you to upgrade the PS4 hard drive without violating the warranty. You can easily replace the default drive with a solid-state drive, currently the fastest type of drive on the market. However, SSD capacities are smaller when compared to other hard drives and if you’re a hardcore gamer, you’ll fill that space pretty quickly.

For the triple threat of speed, capacity and price, we recommend a Solid State Hybrid Drive. For under $120, you’ll get 1TB of space – perfect for all your games and other digital downloads like movies or music.

When the console first released, Tested did this comparison video to highlight the differences in a PlayStation 4 between the HDD, SSD and SSHD.

Installing the drive is simple. A Google search will give you a number of results, but the folks at IGN created this how-to video that will have you up and running in about twenty minutes. Once installed and after conducting a few system boots while playing, you should quickly notice a difference in performance.

Microsoft’s Xbox One
The Xbox One handles storage a bit differently. Any modding of the hardware itself will void the warranty — this includes the Xbox hard drive. However, the console supports two external storage devices simultaneously. The only additional note when shopping for an external hard drive is that it must support USB3.0. As such, we recommend the following:

Nintendo’s Wii U
Still an integral part of the gaming market with a dedicated and loyal following, the Nintendo Wii U is similar to the Xbox One also supporting external storage.   The company doesn’t specifically mention the need for USB 3.0 support so while the drives we recommend for Xbox One will work. We also recommend the following:

It’s important to note is that the Wii U does not recommend using an SSD or SSHD as an external storage solution, but an HDD with an external power source.  The size of the drive you do select, however, should be determined by your gaming style and how active you are in downloading content.

PC
Whether you’re already gaming on a desktop or a laptop or are looking to build a gaming PC, the Seagate SSHD is the only drive you’ll need. It’s the best choice currently on the market to give you the speed you want combined with the capacity you need at a price you can afford.

Now you’re ready! Whichever platform you prefer, Seagate is creating space making the right product that will keep you in the game from this console generation to the next.

2015-02-13T23:19:57+00:00

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