Overview
PlayStation
Desktop & Laptop
Xbox
Nintendo Switch
Handheld
Streaming

GAMING

Our Best SSDs for Gameplay Streaming

Gameplay Streaming & Data Storage 101

Stream your gameplay.

Video capture tools like OBS (Open Broadcasting Software) let you capture content from different sources so you can stream them on other streaming platforms.

Record your streams.

Using OBS, select your connected SSD as Output under Settings so you can save your streams directly to your device for archiving, backup, and export.

Share your recordings.

From your storage device, you can cut, edit, and prep clips from your streams for sharing on social media or posting to other video platforms.

DAS vs. NAS for Gameplay Streaming Storage

Ready to start streaming and want to know which data storage device is right for you? First off, you’ll need to know how DAS drives and NAS systems fit into your streaming workflow.

Internal SSDs

  • Storage devices like SSDs that connect directly to your computer.
  • Internal drives attach to your motherboard via interfaces like PCIe® or SATA.
  • External drives attach to the outside of your device via cables, connectors, and ports like USB-C™.
  • Capable of recording streams directly from video capture tools like OBS.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

  • Storage devices that can house SSDs in enclosures with an internet connection.
  • Allows you to access content saved to the system anywhere you have internet access and with multiple users.
  • Capable of housing multiple drives for immense capacity — ideal for heavy-duty streamers.
  • Can’t record directly from OBS but can ingest exports from your DAS drive(s) for editing and sharing.
Learn more about NAS solutions

Get Started with Streaming Storage for Gamers

If you’re new to streaming or just stream casually, DAS drives are a great way to record your streams from OBS, back them up for future use, and keep them on hand for editing and sharing to your favorite platforms.

Try solid state drives (SSDs) for their ultra-fast speeds so you can record streams in high quality without tearing.

WD_BLACK D30 SSD Game Drive

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Total load screen liberation.

  • Optimized speeds up to 900MB/s
  • Crush load times and get in the game faster

Keep your games at the ready.

  • Up to 2TB capacity
  • Space for 50 games3

More capacity, more convenience.

  • Rugged WD_BLACK style
  • Works with PS5: archive PS5 games
  • Works with PS4: play and store PS4 games

Quick WD_BLACK D30 Game Drive SSD Unboxing #Shorts

WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe™ SSD

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The ultimate X factor.

  • Internal NVMe drive for laptops or desktops
  • Insane speeds up to 7300 MB/s1
  • Optional heatsink with RGB lighting2
  • Up to 8TB3 capacity

WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe SSD

Build Your Multimedia Streaming Workstation

Frequent streamers and professionals need serious power and capacity behind their workflow.

 

NAS systems are an ideal way to save recordings for the kind of content clipping, editing, and sharing that your audience expects. And, so long as you have an internet connection, you can access your recordings anywhere your work takes you, so the workflow never has to stop.

 

Just remember: video capture tools like OBS can’t save directly to NAS in real time, so you’ll need to export your recordings from your DAS drive to your NAS system to begin editing.

WD Red SN700 NVMe™ SSD

  • Our fastest-caching SSD boosts system responsiveness and improves I/0 performance
  • Up to 5100 TBW, or terabytes written, for exceptional reliability and endurance
  • Available in capacities of 250GB-4TB
  • 5-year limited warranty

WD Red SA500 NAS SATA SSD 2.5”/7mm Cased

  • Fast-caching SSD boosts system responsiveness and improves I/0 performance
  • Up to 2500 TBW for exceptional reliability and endurance
  • Available in capacities of 500GB-4TB
  • 5-year limited warranty

WD Red SA500 NAS SATA SSD M.2 2280 

  • Fast-caching SSD boosts system responsiveness and improves I/0 performance
  • Up to 2500 TBW for exceptional reliability and endurance
  • Available in capacities of 500GB-4TB
  • 5-year limited warranty

Streaming Storage for Gamers FAQs

When you’re streaming content with tools like OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), the type of storage you use can have an impact on your streaming quality and workflow. However, it’s important to note that other factors like your CPU, GPU, RAM, and internet connection are major factors for streamers.

However, SSDs do offer several advantages:

Faster Load Times: If you’re streaming a game or using software that’s installed on your storage drive, an SSD can reduce load times. This can result in a smoother and more efficient streaming experience.

Simultaneous Tasks: If you’re streaming, recording, and perhaps running a game all from the same device, an SSD can handle these tasks more effectively. The faster data access speed of SSDs allows for smoother multitasking, which is beneficial when running multiple heavy applications simultaneously.

Reliability and Durability: SSDs are generally more durable and reliable. They have no moving parts and are less likely to fail over time, which is essential for consistent, high-quality streaming.

Noise Levels: SSDs operate silently, while HDDs can sometimes produce a small amount of noise due to their moving parts. While this noise is usually minor, in a streaming environment where audio clarity is crucial, the silent operation of SSDs can be beneficial.

Disclosures
1. 1GB = 1 billion bytes and 1TB = 1 trillion bytes. Actual user capacity may be less depending on operating environment.
2. Based on read speed. 1 MB/s = 1 million bytes per second. Based on internal testing; performance may vary depending upon host device, usage conditions, drive capacity, and other factors.
3. Requires the WD_BLACK Dashboard (Windows® only)
4. Workload Rate is defined as the amount of user data transferred to or from the hard drive. Workload Rate is annualized (TB transferred ✕ (8760 / recorded power-on hours)). Workload Rate will vary depending on your hardware and software components and configurations.