Surveillance hard drives are internal HDDs built for CCTV recorders, DVRs, NVRs and network video systems that write footage around the clock. They suit home owners, installers and businesses replacing or expanding recorder storage. Our range runs from 320 GB to 20 TB and includes Toshiba, Western Digital, Seagate and AXIS.
How to choose a surveillance hard drive
Capacity. Work out storage from the number of cameras, their resolution, the recording mode and how many days of footage you must keep. Continuous recording from higher-resolution cameras fills a disk much faster than motion-triggered recording. Our range includes 2 TB, 4 TB, 8 TB, 16 TB and 20 TB drives, so there is room to size the disk to the system rather than overbuy.
Built for constant writing. A recorder writes video all day and night, which is a different load from a desktop PC that mostly reads files. Surveillance drives are tuned for many simultaneous video streams and long running hours. Sustained transfer rates in our range are typically 180 MiB/s or 260 MiB/s, and buffer sizes go up to 512 MB on larger models. Buffer and transfer rate matter most when a recorder handles many cameras at once.
Reliability and temperature. Recorders often sit in cupboards, cabinets or garages where the air gets warm. Check the stated operating temperature: drives here are listed for 0 to 60 °C or 0 to 65 °C. The mean time between failures is quoted at 1,000,000 or 2,000,000 hours on the models that list it. Treat it as a guide to the drive class, since it is not a guarantee for a single disk.
Interface and power. Most drives in our range use Serial ATA III, which works with almost all current recorders, NAS units and PCs. Idle power draw is listed at around 2.5 to 3.5 W on several models, which matters if the recorder runs on a small power supply or has many bays. Always check your recorder's manual for the maximum capacity it supports before buying a very large disk.
Surveillance drive brands we carry
- Toshiba: one of the three remaining makers of hard disks, with a long record in high-capacity drives, and it has the most surveillance models in our range.
- Western Digital (WD): known for drives designed around always-on video recording, and widely fitted in home and small-business recorders.
- Seagate: a major hard disk maker that offers a dedicated surveillance line spanning small to very large capacities.
- AXIS: a Swedish company known for network cameras and video systems, so its drives are aimed at use alongside its own surveillance equipment.
Surveillance hard drives: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a surveillance drive and a normal hard drive?
A surveillance drive is designed to write video continuously for long periods, often from many cameras at once. A desktop drive is built for shorter, mixed read and write use and can struggle or wear faster in a recorder. For a DVR or NVR, a surveillance model is the safer match.
Can I use a surveillance hard drive in a PC or NAS?
Yes, as long as it has a Serial ATA connection, which the drives in our range use. It works as ordinary storage in a PC. For a NAS, check that the unit is happy with the drive, because some NAS models prefer drives designed for NAS workloads.
How much storage do I need for CCTV?
It depends on camera count, resolution, frame rate, recording mode and how many days you want to keep. Four cameras recording motion only need far less than eight cameras recording continuously in high resolution. Many recorder makers and online calculators let you estimate the figure before you choose between 2 TB and 20 TB.
How long does a surveillance hard drive last?
Lifespan varies with temperature, workload and how well the drive is ventilated. Many last several years in a recorder, but none lasts forever. The listed MTBF figures of 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 hours indicate the drive class, so for important footage keep a backup or replace disks on a schedule.
