We all know that SSDs are significantly faster than traditional mechanical hard drives, but that doesn't mean you should completely disregard HDDs in 2025. Considering SSDs have become very affordable over the past decade, it makes sense why you'd want to ditch HDDs altogether. After all, they're sluggish for your primary OS drive or launching modern AAA games, so many people may struggle to justify their existence in modern PCs.

However, there are a few areas where HDDs still shine in a market that's dominated by blazing-fast NVMe SSDs. Whether you're archiving massive media libraries, backing up critical data, or simply looking to stretch your storage dollars, a mechanical drive may still be worth considering. So, let's discuss the various scenarios where a traditional HDD can still add meaningful value to your modern PC, even if they're too slow for performance-oriented workflows.

4 Terabytes of storage for cheap

SSDs just can't compete with HDDs in terms of cost per TB

There's no doubt that SSDs have become affordable, but they still cost a lot more than traditional HDDs. If you only need 1TB or 2TB of storage space, opting for an SSD makes more sense, as you'll find one for $20-$30 less than a mechanical drive. However, SSD prices go up exponentially for higher storage space. For instance, you can find a decent 8TB HDD for around $150, but a comparable NVMe SSD will set you back around $600.

Think of HDDs as digital warehouses; they're perfect for storing massive amounts of data that you don't regularly access. An HDD can provide all the storage space you need to maintain your extensive photo and video library for a fraction of the cost of modern SSDs. Overall, terabyte for terabyte, HDDs remain significantly cheaper, making them the practical choice for bulk storage.

3 Reliable long-term storage for archiving

HDDs are generally better at data retention

Although SSDs offer blazing-fast read and write speeds, they use flash memory, which relies on electrical charges to store and retrieve data. If your SSD receives no power for extended periods, these electrical charges can slowly dissipate, leading to data corruption or loss. HDDs, on the other hand, use magnetic storage, physically imprinting data onto spinning disks. This allows them to retain data reliably for 5-10 years without significant degradation.

So, if you want a drive for storing valuable data that will remain untouched for years, such as your family photos or important documents, you should consider getting an HDD. An SSD risks data loss after a couple of years without power, especially if it has limited write cycles. More importantly, HDDs are better at giving warning signs before failure, like clicking and grinding noises, slow transfer speeds, and errors due to bad sectors, so that you can be prepared before it's too late. SSDs, however, tend to abruptly fail once you exceed their rated write cycles or due to controller issues.

2 Ideal for surveillance or continuous recording

SSDs aren't designed for continuous writing over long periods

If you need storage for your home or office surveillance setup, an HDD will be a safer long-term investment. Remember that surveillance systems operate 24/7, continuously writing large video files, which SSDs aren't designed for. They're great at rapid read and write operations, but constantly overwriting large volumes of data can take a toll on their endurance. HDDs, though, are specifically optimized for sustained workloads and can easily handle recording video feeds day and night.

Just make sure to buy surveillance-grade HDDs, such as the WD Purple or Seagate SkyHawk, which feature RV sensors to minimize the impact of external vibrations. This makes them well-suited for 24/7 workloads. These HDDs have a workload rating that's three times that of traditional desktop hard drives to manage heavy sequential writes over a long period of time. A PCIe SSD will be much faster, but it's not nearly as reliable for these workloads in the long term — it will quickly overheat and throttle its performance as well.

1 Adequate for your media server or NAS

You don't need an SSD for streaming media, even at 4K resolution

HDDs are still the preferred choice for home media servers and NAS devices because, unlike gaming or running operating systems, media streaming is far less demanding in terms of drive performance. Once a video starts streaming, the sequential read speeds of mechanical hard drives are more than adequate to maintain smooth playback, even at higher resolutions like 4K. You won't benefit much from having an SSD that can read data much faster, so what's the point of spending hundreds of dollars on a 4TB or 8TB SSD?

Moreover, the slower read speed is a non-issue for most streaming workloads, as network speeds typically bottleneck performance before HDD speeds do. Platforms such as Plex and Jellyfin optimize data delivery by buffering and preloading content, so your HDD's slower read speed is the last thing you'd need to worry about. And lastly, don't forget that you can expand storage space as your media library grows without breaking the bank if you opt for HDDs.

HDDs are still relevant for some specific use cases

In 2025, it's pretty hard to recommend getting a mechanical drive, but it's not obsolete just yet. Even though SSDs have become cheaper, traditional HDDs still have a place in today's PC setups, especially when you want absurd amounts of storage space. They're not only cheap but also pretty durable for specific 24/7 workloads. So, instead of disregarding HDDs completely, why not leverage them for the tasks they're suited for?

For most people, I recommend using a 2TB PCIe SSD as your primary drive for the operating system, games, and professional applications, and having a secondary HDD to store all your media and other valuable documents that you'll need in the long term. Having multiple SSDs for storing data you rarely access doesn't make much sense from a cost-effective standpoint.