Storage / Surveillance Hard Drives — Complete Detailed List

Usage

Entry-level storage for a small DVR or NVR — typically a 4-camera system that needs a few days of retention.

How it works

A 3.5" SATA hard drive refurbished by Seagate or a certified partner. It slots into the recorder's internal drive bay, connects with SATA data and power, then the recorder formats it and starts writing footage. The 1 TB capacity gives roughly a week of continuous recording on a small 4-camera 2 MP system.

What's special

• Lowest per-unit cost to get a 1 TB drive
• 3.5" SATA — fits most Hikvision and third-party recorders
• Refurbished and tested before repackaging
• Good capacity-to-cost ratio for small installs

Usage

Small DVR or NVR storage where you'd rather have a WD Purple-series drive than a generic desktop drive.

How it works

The WD10PURX model belongs to Western Digital's Purple line — drives built specifically for surveillance recorders. The -78 suffix denotes a particular firmware revision. It fits the recorder's 3.5" SATA bay, and the recorder formats and manages it once installed.

What's special

• WD Purple-series firmware tuned for 24/7 surveillance writes
• 3.5" SATA — compatible with Hikvision and third-party recorders
• Refurbished and tested
• Lower cost per unit than a new Purple drive

Usage

Adding 1 TB of storage to a Hikvision DVR or NVR — especially when you want the mounting hardware included in the same box.

How it works

A 1 TB 3.5" SATA drive from Hikvision's V300 surveillance line, supplied with the metal bracket used to fix the drive into the recorder's chassis. Install the bracket, slide the drive into the SATA bay, connect data and power, then format the drive in the recorder's menu.

What's special

• Bracket included — nothing extra to source
• Hikvision V300 surveillance series (1 TB = 1024 GB)
• Designed for continuous 24/7 recording workloads
• Plug-and-play with Hikvision DVRs and NVRs

Usage

The most common capacity for small-to-medium systems — a 4 to 8 camera DVR or NVR with one HDD bay that needs roughly a week or two of retention.

How it works

A 3.5" SATA hard drive with surveillance-grade firmware. Continuous recording workloads put a very different demand on a drive than desktop use — surveillance drives are tuned to keep writing reliably for years. Once installed, the recorder formats the drive and starts filling it with footage, overwriting the oldest when it fills.

What's special

• Double the retention of a 1 TB drive on the same system
• Surveillance-tuned firmware for 24/7 writes
• Standard 3.5" SATA — fits most DVRs and NVRs
• Sweet spot for most home and small-business installs

Usage

2 TB of storage specifically for Hikvision DVRs and NVRs — usually chosen when you want the drive brand to match the recorder.

How it works

The DS20HKVS-VX1 is a 2 TB 3.5" SATA drive from the Hikvision-branded surveillance storage line. It goes into the recorder's internal bay, is formatted from the recorder's menu, and from there behaves like any other surveillance drive — continuous writes, oldest footage overwritten first.

What's special

• Hikvision-branded surveillance drive
• 2 TB capacity for longer retention
• Matches Hikvision DVRs/NVRs by brand
• Standard 3.5" SATA connection

Usage

Bigger storage pool at a lower cost per TB — for systems that need weeks or months of retention rather than days.

How it works

A 4 TB 3.5" SATA drive refurbished by Western Digital or a certified partner, tested and repackaged. Installed the same way as any other drive — bracket, SATA bay, format in the recorder. The 4 TB capacity typically gives several weeks of continuous recording on a mid-sized system.

What's special

• 4 TB of storage at a lower cost than a new drive
• Refurbished and tested before repackaging
• Standard 3.5" SATA — fits most DVRs and NVRs
• Best value per TB for larger retention targets

Usage

Larger systems that want a brand-new surveillance drive with a full manufacturer warranty rather than a refurbished unit — mid-sized DVRs and NVRs with one or two HDD bays.

How it works

WD Purple is Western Digital's dedicated surveillance line. The drive is engineered for 24/7 recording and includes AllFrame technology, which reduces video frame loss when several streams are writing at once. It fits a standard 3.5" SATA bay and is formatted by the recorder on first use.

What's special

• Brand new — not refurbished
• WD Purple surveillance firmware with AllFrame technology
• Rated for 24/7 continuous recording in multi-drive enclosures
• 4 TB capacity for extended retention
• Full manufacturer warranty