Contents25
- Quick table by use
- NVMe, SATA and hard drive types
- Upgrading an older PC
- CMR and SMR hard drives
- Check it for your setup
- SSD lifespan, capacity and long-term storage
- How many years does an SSD last?
- How big an SSD do I need?
- Backups and long-term storage
- Adding storage to a PS5 or Xbox
- PS5 expansion
- Xbox external drives
- Picks by condition
- OS, apps and games on a PC
- PS5 expansion
- Carrying data around
- Photos and videos inside a PC or NAS
- Backups
- Picks by size
- FAQ
- Should I buy an HDD or an SSD?
- How many years does an SSD last?
- How big an SSD do I need?
- How do I add storage to a PS5?
- Does an SSD lose data if it sits unplugged?
Per the makers’ official specs, put the OS, apps and games on an NVMe SSD, and keep large photo and video collections on a hard drive.
Quick table by use
For an internal drive, check your PC’s connection type and supported size first.
| Use | Best drive type |
|---|---|
| OS and apps | NVMe M.2 SSD |
| PC games | NVMe M.2 SSD |
| PS5 expansion | PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 SSD with heatsink |
| Upgrading an older PC | 2.5-inch SATA SSD |
| Photo and video storage | Hard drive (CMR for a NAS) |
| Backups | External hard drive |
| Carrying data around | Portable SSD |
NVMe, SATA and hard drive types
An SSD stores data on flash chips, and a hard drive (HDD) stores it on spinning disks. NVMe SSDs plug into a slim M.2 slot, and SATA is the connection used by 2.5-inch SSDs and hard drives. External drives connect over USB.
Per SATA-IO and Samsung’s official specs, a SATA 2.5-inch SSD tops out at 600 MB/s (MB/s is how much it can read in a second). Comparing rated maximum read speeds of Samsung 2TB SSDs, the SATA model reads at 560 MB/s and the PCIe 4.0 NVMe model at 7,450 MB/s, a gap of about 13x.
Upgrading an older PC
Per Samsung’s official pages, a PC whose spec sheet lists a 2.5-inch SATA drive can take a 2.5-inch SATA SSD, which also works on older SATA 3Gb/s ports.
CMR and SMR hard drives
SMR is a recording method that overlaps the tracks on the disk, and CMR is the conventional method.
Per Seagate’s and WD’s official specs, for always-on use like a NAS (a disk on your home network), pick a NAS hard drive rated for 180 TB/year. The annual workload is the total amount read and written in a year.
Per Seagate’s official CMR/SMR list, the NAS-oriented IronWolf uses CMR at every capacity, while SMR shows up in desktop BarraCuda drives such as the 4TB and 8TB. The annual workload rating is 180 TB/year for IronWolf and 55 TB/year for BarraCuda.
Check it for your setup
Follow these steps to choose a drive type and capacity.
- For an internal drive, check the spec sheet for the connection type, SATA or NVMe/PCIe, and the size, 2.5-inch or M.2
- Pick your use from the rows of the table
- Check whether each game you play requires an SSD
- Add up the data you’ll store, as Windows shows it. Windows 11’s minimum is 64 GB, and for games, add the free space each one lists on its store page
- Divide the data by 0.8 (that leaves 20% free), then compare the result with how Windows will show the drive. Windows labels sizes “GB” but counts in units of 1024³ bytes, so a drive sold as 1TB shows up as about 931 GB
- For an SSD, estimate how much you write per day for the TBW calculation
HDD or SSD? (use, capacity and how long it lasts)
Pick how you'll use the drive (OS, games, PS5, upgrading an older PC, photo and video storage, backups or carrying files) to see which type fits. From how much data you'll store it works out the capacity, and from how much you write a day it estimates the years to the SSD's TBW rating or compares against a hard drive's annual workload rating. It also shows one product that fits.
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SSD lifespan, capacity and long-term storage
How many years does an SSD last?
An SSD’s TBW rating can’t tell you how many years it will last before it fails.
In this calculation, assuming 10 GB to 200 GB written a day, the 5-year warranty ends before the TBW rating is reached. That covers two Samsung drives: a 2TB model rated 1,200 TBW and a 1TB model rated 600 TBW. That model line’s 250GB and 500GB sizes are rated lower, at 150 TBW and 300 TBW, and at 200 GB a day they reach the TBW in under 5 years.
Per Samsung’s warranty terms, TBW is the total amount of writing the maker’s warranty covers. It isn’t the point where the drive dies, and the warranty ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first.
In this calculation, the warranty (5 years) ends before the TBW is reached in every row.
| Written per day (assumed) | Years to reach the TBW (2TB, 1,200 TBW) | Years to reach the TBW (1TB, 600 TBW) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 GB | about 328 years | about 164 years |
| 50 GB | about 65 years | about 32 years |
| 200 GB | about 16 years | about 8 years |
How big an SSD do I need?
With 25% left free, a 1TB SSD holds up to 698 GB as Windows shows it.
The steps leave 20% free; this limit uses 25%.
Pick the smallest size that is bigger than your data plus the free space. Leaving 25% free, data up to 698 GB as Windows shows it fits on 1TB, and up to 1,396 GB fits on 2TB. In the makers’ label units, those limits are 750 GB and 1,500 GB.
Per the system requirements on Steam, Starfield, for example, requires an SSD and 125 GB of free space.
Backups and long-term storage
Among the models checked in October 2026, an external hard drive is a candidate for backups. None of the external drives checked state their recording technology.
Per Dell’s support article, which cites JEDEC, an SSD written to its rated limit must hold data for at least three months unpowered, stored at up to 40°C. Dell advises powering a drive that holds data about every 2.5 months for at least 3 weeks. If you leave an SSD sitting, keep a copy on another drive too.
Adding storage to a PS5 or Xbox
PS5 expansion
Per PlayStation’s official support page, the PS5 takes a PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD from 250 GB to 8 TB, in sizes 2230 to 22110. 5,500 MB/s or faster sequential read is recommended, and it needs a heatsink or similar cooling. With the heatsink on, the SSD can be at most 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm high.
PS5 games moved to USB extended storage have to be copied back to the console or an M.2 SSD before you can play them.
Xbox external drives
Per the Xbox Wire comparison table (September 2020), the Xbox Series X|S can play Xbox One-era games straight from a USB 3.1 drive. Games optimized for Series X|S need the internal SSD or the Storage Expansion Card.
Picks by condition
One listing per use, chosen from Amazon.com listings checked in October 2026 against these conditions:
- The maker’s official page lists the specs
- Sold by Amazon.com
- At least 100 ratings and 4 stars or more
Each pick was listed new when checked. Check prices on the store.
OS, apps and games on a PC
It is PCIe 4.0 without a heatsink.
PS5 expansion
The maker states PS5 compatibility, and it reads at 5,500 MB/s or faster.
Carrying data around
It is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD that weighs 98 g and passed a 3 m drop in Samsung’s own test.
Photos and videos inside a PC or NAS
It is a 3.5-inch internal hard drive listed as CMR, rated 180 TB/year. For USB, pick an external drive.
Backups
The maker leaves recording technology blank in its spec table, so it is not a NAS pick.
Picks by size
Other sizes, picked the same way.
| Type | Size | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD | 500GB | SanDisk Optimus 5100 500GB |
| PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD | 1TB | WD_BLACK SN7100 1TB |
| PS5-compatible M.2 SSD with heatsink | 1TB | Samsung 990 PRO with Heatsink 1TB |
| 2.5-inch SATA SSD | 500GB | PNY CS900 500GB |
| 2.5-inch SATA SSD | 2TB | Samsung 870 EVO 2TB |
| Portable SSD | 1TB | Samsung T7 1TB |
| NAS hard drive (CMR) | 2TB | WD Red Plus 2TB |
| External hard drive | 2TB | WD Elements Portable 2TB |
FAQ
Should I buy an HDD or an SSD?
Per the makers’ official specs, put the OS, apps and games on an NVMe SSD, and keep large photo and video collections on a hard drive.
How many years does an SSD last?
An SSD’s TBW rating can’t tell you how many years it will last before it fails. In this calculation, assuming 10 GB to 200 GB written a day, the 5-year warranty ends before the TBW rating is reached.
That covers two Samsung drives: a 2TB model rated 1,200 TBW and a 1TB model rated 600 TBW. That model line’s 250GB and 500GB sizes are rated lower, at 150 TBW and 300 TBW, and at 200 GB a day they reach the TBW in under 5 years.
How big an SSD do I need?
In this calculation, leaving 25% free, data up to 698 GB as Windows shows it fits on 1TB, and up to 1,396 GB fits on 2TB. In the makers’ label units, those limits are 750 GB and 1,500 GB.
How do I add storage to a PS5?
Per PlayStation’s official support page, the PS5 takes a PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD from 250 GB to 8 TB, in sizes 2230 to 22110. 5,500 MB/s or faster sequential read is recommended, and it needs a heatsink or similar cooling.
With the heatsink on, the SSD can be at most 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm high.
Does an SSD lose data if it sits unplugged?
Per Dell’s support article, which cites JEDEC, an SSD written to its rated limit must hold data for at least three months unpowered, stored at up to 40°C. Dell advises powering a drive that holds data about every 2.5 months for at least 3 weeks.
If you leave an SSD sitting, keep a copy on another drive too.
Data and formulas used (for verification)
How this was checked: Worked out from the makers’ official pages as of October 2026. No drive was tested. The Amazon.com heatsink 990 PRO is the C model (MZ-V9P2T0CW), and Samsung’s US page for it shows PS5 Compatible.
Sources: SATA-IO ／ Samsung 990 PRO ／ Samsung 870 EVO ／ PlayStation M.2 SSD ／ Xbox Wire ／ Seagate CMR/SMR list ／ Dell article on SSD data retention
Method
- Years until an SSD reaches its TBW = TBW × 1000 ÷ (GB written per day × 365). Daily writing is an assumption, checked across 10 GB to 200 GB a day
- A hard drive’s yearly reads and writes (TB) = GB read and written per day × 365 ÷ 1000. Assumed 20 GB to 400 GB a day, compared with the annual workload rating (reads plus writes combined)
- Capacity needed = data to store ÷ (1 − share of space left free). Data is measured the way Windows shows it (1 GB = 1024³ bytes), so it is converted to the label’s units (1 GB = 1 billion bytes) before dividing. The 1TB cutoff is 698 GB as Windows shows it = floor(1000 × 0.75 ÷ 1.073741824), and the 2TB cutoff is 1,396 GB = floor(2000 × 0.75 ÷ 1.073741824); in label units they are 750 GB and 1,500 GB. Free space was checked across 10% to 25%, and the smallest capacity at or above the result was picked
- Not examined: hard drive speed and lifespan, PCIe 5.0 or real-world SSD speed gains and game load times, how long a hard drive keeps data unpowered, and whether recording TV needs CMR. The Amazon.com heatsink 990 PRO is the C model (MZ-V9P2T0CW), and Samsung’s US page for that model carries the PS5 Compatible label. Its TBW is not used because Samsung’s pages disagree
- Speed ratio = 990 PRO 2TB read ÷ 870 EVO 2TB read (both are the makers’ rated maximums, rounded down)
- No drive was tested in person. Values come from published pages and documents of the makers, PlayStation, Xbox Wire, Steam, Microsoft and Dell (checked 2026-10-09)
Assumptions
- How much is written to the SSD per day. The makers publish no standard figure, so this is an assumption of this article: 10 GB is office and browsing, 50 GB is typical use including game updates and photo sorting, and 200 GB is heavy use such as video editing or swapping large games: 50 (10–200)
- A drive filled to the brim is said to slow down and wear faster, but no official figure was found. This article assumes 20% of the space is left free (checked from 10% to 25%). It is only a margin for the capacity math, not a maker recommendation: 0.2 (0.1–0.25)
- Assumed GB a hard drive reads and writes per day, to compare with its annual workload rating (reads plus writes). There is no official standard figure, so this is an assumption of this article, modeled on a household using an external drive for backups, photos and recordings: 100 (20–400)
Official values used
| Item | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| SATA 3.0 link speed (bits) | 6 Gb/s | sata-io.org | 2026-10-09 |
| SATA 6Gb/s ceiling | 600 MB/s | sata-io.org | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB sequential read (max) | 7450 MB/s | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB sequential write (max) | 6900 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Write Up to 6,900 MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB warranted endurance | 1200 TBW | samsung.com Warranty: 5-Year Limited Warranty or 1200 TBW Limited Warranty（2TB） | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO warranty length | 5 years | samsung.com 5-Year Limited Warranty or 1200 TBW | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO MTBF | 1,500,000 hours | samsung.com Reliability (MTBF): 1.5 Million Hours | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB average power | 5.5 W | samsung.com Average Power Consumption (system level): Average 5.5 W, Maximum 8.5 W (Burst mo | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB weight (max) | 9 g | samsung.com Weight: Max 9.0g | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 PRO shock rating (0.5 ms) | 1500 G | samsung.com Shock: 1,500 G & 0.5 ms (Half sine) | 2026-10-09 |
| 990 PRO with heatsink 2TB (MZ-V9P2T0CW) weight (max) | 28 g | samsung.com 990 PRO with Heatsink 2TB MZ-V9P2T0CW: Weight Max 28.0g, 80 x 24.3 x 8.2 mm | 2026-10-09 |
| 990 PRO heatsink: G and C model pages disagree on TBW | Samsung US page for MZ-V9P2T0GW (990 PRO with Heatsink 2TB) lists 5-Year Limited Warranty or 600 TBW and 1GB cache, while the Singapore MZ-V9P2T0CW page lists 1200 TBW and the US MZ-V9P2T0CW page lists 600 TBW; the pages disagree | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| 990 PRO with heatsink (G model): PS5 support and speed | MZ-V9P2T0GW (990 PRO w/ Heatsink 2TB): PS5 Compatible; 7,450MB/s Read, 6,900MB/s Write; PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| 990 PRO with heatsink C model (MZ-V9P2T0CW, US page): PS5 support and speed | MZ-V9P2T0CW (990 PRO w/ Heatsink 2TB, Samsung US page): PS5 Compatible; 7,450MB/s Read, 6,900MB/s Write; PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2, 2280 | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| 990 PRO with heatsink C model (MZ-V9P2T0CW) thickness | 8.2 mm | samsung.com MZ-V9P2T0CW: 80 x 24.3 x 8.2 mm (with heatsink) | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB sequential read (max) | 7250 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Read Up to 7,250 MB/s（2TB） | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB sequential write (max) | 6300 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Write Up to 6,300 MB/s（2TB） | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB warranted endurance | 1200 TBW | samsung.com 5-year Limited Warranty or 1200 TBW Limited Warranty（2TB） | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus interface | PCIe 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2, NVMe 2.0 | samsung.com Interface: PCIe® 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 NVMe™ 2.0 | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB sequential read (max) | 7300 MB/s | sandisk.com | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB sequential write (max) | 6600 MB/s | sandisk.com Sequential Write 6600MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB TBW | 1200 TBW | sandisk.com Endurance (TBW) 1200、Warranty 5-Year Limited Warranty、Weight 7.5gms | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB sequential read (max) | 14900 MB/s | sandisk.com | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB sequential write (max) | 14000 MB/s | sandisk.com Sequential Write 14000MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB TBW | 1200 TBW | sandisk.com Endurance (TBW) 1200、Warranty 5-Year Limited Warranty | 2026-10-09 |
| WD_BLACK SN8100 2TB with heatsink weight | 31.2 g | sandisk.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB sequential read (max) | 14700 MB/s | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB sequential write (max) | 13400 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Write Up to 13,400 MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB warranted endurance | 1200 TBW | samsung.com 5-year Limited Warranty or 1,200TBW Limited Warranty | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB average power (read) | 8.1 W | samsung.com Average Power Consumption (system level): Read 8.1 W / Write 7.9 W | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO 2TB sequential read (max) | 560 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Read Up to 560 MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO 2TB sequential write (max) | 530 MB/s | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO 2TB warranted endurance | 1200 TBW | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO 1TB warranted endurance | 600 TBW | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO warranty length | 5 years | samsung.com 5 Years Limited Warranty or 1,200 TBW | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO MTBF | 1,500,000 hours | samsung.com Reliability (MTBF): 1.5 Million Hours | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO 2TB average power | 2.5 W | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO 2TB weight | 46 g | samsung.com Weight: Approx. 46.0g | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung 870 EVO shock rating (0.5 ms) | 1500 G | samsung.com Shock: 1,500 G & 0.5 ms (Half sine) | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung T7 Shield 2TB sequential read (max) | 1050 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Read: Up to 1,050MB/s, Sequential Write: Up to 1,000 MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung T7 Shield 2TB sequential write (max) | 1000 MB/s | samsung.com Sequential Write: Up to 1,000 MB/s | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung T7 Shield warranty length (US page) | 3 years | samsung.com Warranty: Limited 3-year | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung T7 Shield weight | 98 g | samsung.com Weight: 98g (The exact weight of the product may vary by capacity)、59 x 88 x 13m | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung T7 Shield drop test height | 3 m | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 2TB (SDSSDE61) read (max) | 1050 MB/s | sandisk.com | 2026-10-09 |
| SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD warranty length | 5 years | sandisk.com 5-Year Limited Warranty | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus 4TB recording technology | CMR | westerndigital.com WD40EFPX: Recording Technology CMR、5400 RPM、Cache 256MB | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus annual workload rating | 180 TB/year | westerndigital.com Rated for 180TB/year workload and 1M hours MTBF | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus MTBF | 1,000,000 hours | westerndigital.com 1M hours MTBF | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus warranty length | 3 years | westerndigital.com 3-Year Limited Warranty | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus 4TB (WD40EFPX) weight | 570 g | westerndigital.com WD40EFPX: Weight 570gms | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus 4TB model numbers (cache variants) | 4TB 256MB: WD40EFPX; 4TB 128MB: WD40EFZZ (both CMR, 5400 RPM class) | westerndigital.com Model Numbers: 4TB, 256MB: WD40EFPX / 4TB, 128MB: WD40EFZZ | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Red Plus 8TB (WD80EFPX) specs | WD80EFPX (8TB): CMR, workload rate 180 TB/year, 3-year limited warranty, MTBF 1,000,000 hours | documents.westerndigital.com | 2026-10-09 |
| WD Elements Portable 4TB (WDBU6Y0040BBK-WESN) specs | WDBU6Y0040BBK-WESN (WD Elements Portable 4TB): USB 3.2 Gen 1 / USB 3.0 / USB 2.0, 2-Year Limited Warranty, 0.51 lbs; recording technology left blank on the spec table | westerndigital.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Samsung T7 Shield interface | USB 3.2 Gen.2 (10Gbps) | samsung.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate IronWolf 4TB (ST4000VN006) recording technology | CMR | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate IronWolf annual workload rating | 180 TB/year | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate IronWolf warranty length (Japan page) | 3 years | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate IronWolf MTBF | 1,000,000 hours | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate BarraCuda 4TB (ST4000DM004) recording technology | SMR | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate BarraCuda annual workload rating | 55 TB/year | seagate.com Rated workload: Average annualized workload rating: 55 TB/year | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate capacities that use SMR (BarraCuda, FireCuda) | 3.5-inch BarraCuda: SMR 4TB and 8TB (CMR 12/16/20/24TB); 2.5-inch BarraCuda: SMR 2TB and 4TB; 2.5-inch FireCuda: SMR 1TB and 2TB | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate largest CMR HDD (Exos, HAMR) | 32 TB | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate Expansion Desktop product weight | 1.176 kg | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Seagate Expansion Desktop 4TB warranty by region | Limited warranty by region: AMER 1 year, EMEA 2 years, APAC 3 years (model STKP4000400) | seagate.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Buffalo HD-AD4U3 weight (approx.) | 900 g | buffalo.jp | 2026-10-09 |
| Buffalo HD-AD4U3 warranty length | 1 year | buffalo.jp | 2026-10-09 |
| Buffalo HD-AD4U3 TV recording support listing | Buffalo official page (HD-AD4U3, Japan-only model): works with compatible TVs and recorders for recording and playback; recording technology (CMR/SMR) is not stated | buffalo.jp | 2026-10-09 |
| PS5 M.2 SSD recommended sequential read | 5500 MB/s | playstation.com Sequential read speed 5,500MB/s or faster is recommended | 2026-10-09 |
| PS5 M.2 SSD supported capacity | 250GB to 8TB | playstation.com Capacity 250 GB - 8 TB | 2026-10-09 |
| PS5 M.2 SSD requirements (interface, size, cooling) | PCI-Express Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M); sizes 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, 22110; heatsink or equivalent cooling required; total size up to 25mm wide and 11.25mm high | playstation.com PCI-Express Gen4x4 supported M.2 NVMe SSD (Key M)、effective heat dissipation wit | 2026-10-09 |
| PS5 games on USB extended storage | PS5 games stored on USB extended storage must be copied back to console storage or M.2 SSD storage to be played; PS5 games can be played directly from an M.2 SSD | playstation.com USB Extended Storage vs M.2 SSD Storage | 2026-10-09 |
| Xbox external USB storage and games | External USB 3.1 HDD/SSD: play Xbox One games including backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games directly from it; Xbox Series X／S optimized games can be stored on USB 3.1 storage for quick transfer but not played from it (comparison table: Plays games optimized for Xbox Series X／S - No); they need the internal SSD or the Storage Expansion Card | news.xbox.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Windows 11 minimum storage | 64 GB | microsoft.com Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device | 2026-10-09 |
| DirectStorage requirement | DirectStorage requires an NVMe SSD to store and run games that use the Standard NVM Express Controller driver and a DirectX12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support | microsoft.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Starfield required free space (SSD required) | 125 GB | store.steampowered.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Baldur’s Gate 3 required free space (SSD required) | 150 GB | store.steampowered.com Storage 150 GB available space, Additional Notes: SSD required | 2026-10-09 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 required free space (SSD required) | 70 GB | store.steampowered.com Storage 70 GB available space, Additional Notes: SSD required | 2026-10-09 |
| Monster Hunter Wilds required free space (SSD required) | 75 GB | store.steampowered.com Storage 75 GB available space, Additional Notes: SSD required | 2026-10-09 |
| Hogwarts Legacy required free space (HDD supported at minimum) | 85 GB | store.steampowered.com | 2026-10-09 |
| How capacity is labeled (1 GB = 1 billion bytes) | 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes and 1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes on the label; the capacity the OS shows is less | samsung.com Capacity: 2,000GB (1GB=1 Billion byte by IDEMA) * Actual usable capacity may be | 2026-10-09 |
| Unpowered SSD retention (Dell article citing JEDEC) | Dell’s support article, citing JEDEC JESD218/JESD219, says SSD/NVMe drives must retain data for a minimum of three months powered off at the maximum rated endurance, stored at no more than 40C; Dell advises powering drives that hold user data about every 2.5 months for at least 3 weeks | dell.com | 2026-10-09 |
| Crucial consumer business exit announcement | Micron announced on 2025-12-03 that it will exit the Crucial consumer business; Crucial consumer products ship through the consumer channel until the end of fiscal Q2 (February 2026), with warranty service and support continuing | investors.micron.com | 2026-10-09 |
HDD or SSD? (use, capacity and how long it lasts): quick reference
The calculator in this article shows the result for your own settings. Settings can be set in the URL; each link below opens the calculator with those settings.
| Settings | Result | Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| OS and apps, 250GB, 20GB | ✓ NVMe M.2 SSD, 500GB. A PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD reads at up to 7,450 MB/s (Samsung 990 PRO 2TB), far past the SATA ceiling of 600 MB/s. Windows 11 needs at least 64 GB, and updates can need more over time. Capacity needed: 250GB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 336GB → 500GB. A 500GB label shows up as about 465 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. A 2TB SSD rated for 1,200 TBW, written at 20 GB a day, reaches its TBW in about 164.3 years. The 5-year warranty runs out before the TBW does (it ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first). TBW is the total writing the maker’s warranty covers, not the point where the drive dies. Smaller drives have lower TBW (the Samsung 870 EVO is rated 600 TBW at 1TB and 300 TBW at 500GB). The years above use the 2TB figure, so redo it with the TBW of the size you buy | Open with these settings |
| PC games, 500GB, 50GB | ✓ NVMe M.2 SSD, 1TB. A PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD reads at up to 7,450 MB/s (Samsung 990 PRO 2TB), far past the SATA ceiling of 600 MB/s. Some big games list an SSD as required on Steam (Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and others). Capacity needed: 500GB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 672GB → 1TB. A 1TB label shows up as about 931 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. A 2TB SSD rated for 1,200 TBW, written at 50 GB a day, reaches its TBW in about 65.7 years. The 5-year warranty runs out before the TBW does (it ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first). TBW is the total writing the maker’s warranty covers, not the point where the drive dies. Smaller drives have lower TBW (the Samsung 870 EVO is rated 600 TBW at 1TB and 300 TBW at 500GB). The years above use the 2TB figure, so redo it with the TBW of the size you buy | Open with these settings |
| PC games, 1TB, 200GB | ✓ NVMe M.2 SSD, 2TB. A PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD reads at up to 7,450 MB/s (Samsung 990 PRO 2TB), far past the SATA ceiling of 600 MB/s. Some big games list an SSD as required on Steam (Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and others). Capacity needed: 1TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 1.343TB → 2TB. A 2TB label shows up as about 1862 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. The suggested drive (2TB, 1,200 TBW), written at 200 GB a day, reaches its TBW in about 16.4 years. The 5-year warranty runs out before the TBW does (it ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first). TBW is the total writing the maker’s warranty covers, not the point where the drive dies | Open with these settings |
| PC games, 1.5TB, 50GB | ✓ NVMe M.2 SSD, 4TB. A PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD reads at up to 7,450 MB/s (Samsung 990 PRO 2TB), far past the SATA ceiling of 600 MB/s. Some big games list an SSD as required on Steam (Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and others). Capacity needed: 1.5TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 2.014TB → 4TB. A 4TB label shows up as about 3725 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. A 2TB SSD rated for 1,200 TBW, written at 50 GB a day, reaches its TBW in about 65.7 years. The 5-year warranty runs out before the TBW does (it ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first). TBW is the total writing the maker’s warranty covers, not the point where the drive dies | Open with these settings |
| PS5 expansion, 1TB | ✓ PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 SSD with heatsink, 2TB. The PS5 takes a PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD, with 5,500 MB/s or faster read recommended. It needs a heatsink or similar cooling, and the SSD with its heatsink can be at most 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm high. The PS5 supports 250GB to 8TB. PS5 games moved to USB storage have to be copied back to the console or an M.2 SSD before you can play them. Capacity needed: 1TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 1.343TB → 2TB. A 2TB label shows up as about 1862 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes | Open with these settings |
| PS5 expansion, 1.5TB | ✓ PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 SSD with heatsink, 4TB. The PS5 takes a PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD, with 5,500 MB/s or faster read recommended. It needs a heatsink or similar cooling, and the SSD with its heatsink can be at most 25 mm wide and 11.25 mm high. The PS5 supports 250GB to 8TB. PS5 games moved to USB storage have to be copied back to the console or an M.2 SSD before you can play them. Capacity needed: 1.5TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 2.014TB → 4TB. A 4TB label shows up as about 3725 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes | Open with these settings |
| Older PC upgrade, 250GB, 10GB | ✓ 2.5-inch SATA SSD, 500GB. First check the PC’s spec sheet for the supported interface (SATA or NVMe/PCIe) and size (2.5-inch, or the M.2 length). If it lists a 2.5-inch SATA drive, a SATA SSD tops out at the SATA ceiling of 600 MB/s, and it works on older SATA 3Gb/s ports too. Capacity needed: 250GB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 336GB → 500GB. A 500GB label shows up as about 465 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. The suggested drive (500GB, 200 TBW), written at 10 GB a day, reaches its TBW in about 54.7 years. The 3-year warranty runs out before the TBW does (it ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first). TBW is the total writing the maker’s warranty covers, not the point where the drive dies | Open with these settings |
| Older PC upgrade, 750GB, 50GB | ✓ 2.5-inch SATA SSD, 2TB. First check the PC’s spec sheet for the supported interface (SATA or NVMe/PCIe) and size (2.5-inch, or the M.2 length). If it lists a 2.5-inch SATA drive, a SATA SSD tops out at the SATA ceiling of 600 MB/s, and it works on older SATA 3Gb/s ports too. Capacity needed: 750GB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 1.007TB → 2TB. A 2TB label shows up as about 1862 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. The suggested drive (2TB, 1,200 TBW), written at 50 GB a day, reaches its TBW in about 65.7 years. The 5-year warranty runs out before the TBW does (it ends at the years or the TBW, whichever comes first). TBW is the total writing the maker’s warranty covers, not the point where the drive dies | Open with these settings |
| Photos and video, 2TB, 50GB | ✓ Hard drive (CMR for a NAS), 4TB. Hard drives suit large piles of photos and video. For a NAS that reads and writes all the time, pick a NAS drive rated for 180 TB/year. In Seagate’s list, the NAS IronWolf line is CMR at every size, while SMR shows up in desktop BarraCuda drives such as the 4TB and 8TB. Capacity needed: 2TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 2.685TB → 4TB. A 4TB label shows up as about 3725 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. 50 GB read and written a day is 18.25 TB a year. That’s inside the 180 TB/year workload rating of NAS CMR drives (WD Red Plus, IronWolf) | Open with these settings |
| Photos and video, 2.5TB, 400GB | ✓ Hard drive (CMR for a NAS), 4TB. Hard drives suit large piles of photos and video. For a NAS that reads and writes all the time, pick a NAS drive rated for 180 TB/year. In Seagate’s list, the NAS IronWolf line is CMR at every size, while SMR shows up in desktop BarraCuda drives such as the 4TB and 8TB. Capacity needed: 2.5TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 3.356TB → 4TB. A 4TB label shows up as about 3725 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes. 400 GB read and written a day is 146 TB a year. That’s inside the 180 TB/year workload rating of NAS CMR drives (WD Red Plus, IronWolf). It’s over the 55 TB/year rating of the SMR BarraCuda, so pick a NAS drive with a higher workload rating | Open with these settings |
| Backups, 1TB | ✓ External hard drive, 2TB. None of the external hard drives checked state their recording technology. For a NAS that reads and writes all the time, use an internal NAS drive rated for 180 TB/year. Per JEDEC’s requirement (as cited by Dell), an SSD written to its rated limit only has to hold data unpowered for 3 months, stored at up to 40°C. If you leave an SSD sitting, keep a copy on another drive too. Capacity needed: 1TB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 1.343TB → 2TB. A 2TB label shows up as about 1862 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes | Open with these settings |
| Carry around, 500GB | ✓ Portable SSD, 1TB. The suggested drive (1TB) weighs about 72 g (maker rating). Capacity needed: 500GB of data (as Windows shows it), converted to label units, ÷ (1 − 20% free) = 672GB → 1TB. A 1TB label shows up as about 931 GB when counted in units of 1024³ bytes | Open with these settings |
