Best Internal Hard Drives for Desktop of 2026
* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Internal hard drives for desktop computers are essential components that provide ample storage space for all your digital files. With capacities ranging from a few hundred gigabytes to several terabytes, these hard drives offer plenty of room for your documents, photos, videos, and other data. Designed to be installed inside the computer case, they ensure fast and reliable access to your files, improving overall system performance. Whether you need to upgrade your existing storage or build a new desktop computer, internal hard drives are a reliable and convenient solution.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
#TOP 1
9.8
#TOP 2
9.7
#TOP 3
9.5
Top 8 Internal Hard Drives for Desktop
Seagate BarraCuda 8TB HDD
The Seagate BarraCuda HDD offers a reliable storage solution for your computer needs. With its ample 8TB capacity, you can store a vast amount of files, from music and videos to photos and game data. Its fast performance, with a sustained transfer rate of 190MB/s, allows you to access your data quickly, enhancing your computing experience. Backed by 20 years of innovation, this hard drive ensures dependable technology that you can trust. Plus, the frustration-free packaging means you can get started right away, without the hassle of finding additional cables or boxes.
Western Digital WD Red Plus 10TB NAS HDD
The Western Digital NAS Drive is designed to handle demanding storage needs with capacities from 1TB up to 14TB, making it easy for you to choose the right size for your business or personal NAS setup. It supports fast data transfers at 6Gbps, which means you can move large files quickly and efficiently. This drive is built to handle a heavy workload of up to 180TB per year, ensuring reliable performance even under constant use. Plus, it comes with NASware firmware to ensure compatibility and smooth operation in NAS systems, giving you peace of mind that your data storage will run smoothly and reliably.
Seagate BarraCuda 5TB Internal Hard Drive HDD
The Seagate BarraCuda Internal Hard Drive HDD offers a reliable and fast storage solution for any PC application. With a variety of capacities and form factors, users can build a powerful desktop setup or gaming computer. The drive boasts a 128MB cache, 2.5 inch SATA 6Gb/s interface, and 5400 RPM speed, allowing for faster data transfer and computing. With 20 years of innovation, users can confidently rely on the proven reliability of BarraCuda internal hard drives.
Seagate BarraCuda Pro 12TB Internal HDD
The Seagate BarraCuda Pro HDD offers a massive 12TB storage capacity, giving you plenty of space to store large files, games, and multimedia. It spins at a fast 7200 RPM, which means quicker access to your data and smoother performance. With a 256MB cache, the drive can handle data more efficiently, speeding up your everyday tasks. The drive supports fast data transfer rates, up to 6Gb/s, so you can move files quickly between devices. This makes the Seagate BarraCuda Pro HDD a solid choice for desktop users, creative professionals, or anyone needing reliable and fast storage.
Western Digital 8TB WD_Black HDD
The WD_Black 8TB Hard Drive is designed for gamers, system builders, and creative professionals who need reliable performance. With a high-speed 7200 RPM, it offers quick access to your files, enhancing your gaming and creative experiences. The SATA 6 Gb/s interface ensures fast data transfer, allowing you to load games and applications without delays. Additionally, the 256 MB cache helps improve overall efficiency by storing frequently accessed data for quicker retrieval. Western Digital's StableTrac and Dynamic Cache Technology further enhance the drive's reliability and performance, giving you peace of mind as you work or play.
Seagate BarraCuda 2TB Internal Hard Drive HDD
The Seagate BarraCuda Internal Hard Drive HDD offers reliable storage with a 2TB capacity and 128MB cache, perfect for desktop PCs, gaming setups, and various applications. With 20 years of innovation, this SATA hard drive is the go-to solution for fast computing and confident storage.
Seagate BarraCuda 5TB Internal HDD
The Seagate BarraCuda Drive offers a large 5TB storage capacity, letting you save over a million songs or hundreds of hours of HD video, perfect for heavy media users. Designed with a 15mm height, it fits desktop PCs only, so it won’t work with laptops or gaming consoles. The drive features QuietStep Ramp Load technology, which ensures very quiet operation when loading and unloading, creating a peaceful environment for your workspace. With transfer speeds up to 140MB/s, a 128MB cache, and a 5400RPM spindle speed, this drive delivers reliable performance for everyday computing tasks and storage needs.
Seagate BarraCuda 8TB Internal Hard Drive
The Seagate BarraCuda Internal Hard Drive is a cost-effective 5400 RPM upgrade for your laptop or desktop computer allowing you to store all your media with ease. It provides optimized burst performance with its SATA 6Gb/s interface and hardware-based data security. The hard drive is best suited for desktop or all-in-one PCs, home servers, and entry-level direct-attached storage devices (DAS).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is HDD or SSD better for desktop?
SSDs are faster, more durable, more compact, quieter, and consume less energy. HDDs are more affordable and may offer easier data recovery in the event of damage. As long as price isn't the determining factor, SSDs come out on top — especially since modern SSDs are just about as reliable as HDDs.
2. What kind of hard drive do I need for desktop?
For PCs: Any hard drive will work as long as you know the form factor of the hard drive bays in your case and the connection types on your motherboard. Again, it's most likely 3.5-inch for desktops and 2.5-inch for laptops and most likely SATA connections.
3. What is PC internal hard drive?
An internal hard drive is the primary storage device located inside a computer system. It usually contains pre-installed software applications, the operating system and other files. Most desktop computers have several internal hard drives, allowing them to provide greater data storage.
During our internal hard drive for desktop research, we found 24 internal hard drive for desktop products and shortlisted 8 quality products. We collected and analyzed 734,076 customer reviews through our big data system to write the internal hard drives for desktop list. We found that most customers choose internal hard drives for desktop with an average price of $232.07.
The internal hard drives for desktop are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of internal hard drives for desktop, including Seagate, Western Digital, WD. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 384 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.
Mike Davis is a professionally trained electrician with six years of working experience in the electronics industry. He has written an array of web and mobile-based articles for e-magazines and blogs. He loves trying out some novel and popular gadgets and his expertise is in the areas of electronics and computers which is built over many years of working and personal experiences.