eufy HomeBase 3 S380 Guide: How to Upgrade Storage With a Hard Drive or SSD

Your eufy HomeBase 3 can be the center of an entire security system, storing recordings locally and helping you avoid depending entirely on cloud storage. But there is one limitation many owners eventually run into: the built-in storage is only 16GB.

That may be enough when your system is small and records only occasional events. Add more cameras, increase recording activity, or start keeping more footage, however, and that storage can suddenly feel much smaller than expected.

One Upgrade Can Completely Change How Much Footage You Can Keep

Instead of constantly thinking about whether old recordings will be overwritten, you can install a much larger drive inside HomeBase 3 and give your security system substantially more room for locally stored video.

But this is where another problem begins: which drive should you actually buy?

A quick Amazon search brings up laptop hard drives, SATA SSDs, NVMe SSDs, 1TB drives, 2TB drives, 4TB drives and larger models. They may all look like storage upgrades, but that does not mean they are all suitable for HomeBase 3.

HDD or SSD? That Is the First Decision

HomeBase 3 accepts both a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) and a solid-state drive (SSD) using the SATA interface, so you are not locked into one storage technology.

The better choice depends on what matters most to you.

• Choose an HDD for value: you can usually get considerably more storage capacity for your money, making it attractive for several cameras and longer recording retention.
• Choose an SSD for silent operation: an SSD has no moving mechanical parts and can be appealing if you want a quieter, more premium storage upgrade.
• Choose capacity around your system: a small event-recording setup may not need the same drive size as a system with several high-resolution cameras.
• Check compatibility before buying: HomeBase 3 requires a 2.5-inch SATA drive; this is not the same thing as simply buying any SSD advertised for a computer.

This Guide Will Take You From Choosing the Drive to Installing It

We are not going to tell you simply that “both work” and leave you to figure out the rest. This guide is designed to help you make the entire HomeBase 3 storage upgrade correctly from the beginning.

We will compare HDD and SSD storage, explain the capacities that make the most sense, show you what specifications to look for, help you avoid incompatible drives, and walk through how the storage is physically installed and activated inside the eufy app.

If you are already leaning toward an HDD because capacity and value matter most, our guide to the best hard drives for eufy HomeBase 3 compares compatible storage options and helps you choose the right drive for your S380 setup.

By the End, You Will Know:

• Whether an HDD or SSD makes more sense for your HomeBase 3.
• Whether you should buy 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or more.
• Which storage specifications are actually compatible with the S380.
• Which common drive types you should avoid buying.
• How to install the drive correctly inside HomeBase 3.
• How to format and activate the new storage after installation.

If your HomeBase 3 is already collecting recordings from multiple cameras—or you simply want more control over how much local footage you can keep—the storage bay inside the S380 is one of the most useful upgrades you can make.

Let us start with the decision that matters most: should your HomeBase 3 use an HDD or an SSD?

Quick Comparison: HomeBase 3 HDD vs SSD Storage Options

Before opening your HomeBase 3, decide what you want the upgrade to accomplish. For most owners, the real choice is not simply HDD versus SSD—it is whether you want to prioritize more recording capacity for the money or a silent solid-state setup with no moving parts.

The five options below play different roles. The HomeBase 3 S380 is included as the storage platform itself, while the Seagate, fanxiang, WD Blue, and Samsung drives represent different ways to expand it. Use this table to narrow the choice before we examine each option in detail.

Our First Choice for Most HomeBase 3 Owners: Start With an HDD

If your main reason for upgrading is to keep more security recordings locally, an HDD is the logical place to start. Security storage rewards capacity far more than benchmark speed, and the Seagate 1TB HDD gives HomeBase 3 dramatically more room than its built-in storage without requiring you to pay for SSD performance that video recording may never meaningfully use.

This becomes even more important as your eufy system grows. More cameras and more recording activity mean more data. In that situation, spending the budget on additional usable capacity can provide a more noticeable practical benefit than spending it on a drive capable of hundreds of megabytes per second.

When Paying More for an SSD Makes Sense

An SSD becomes more compelling when your priorities change. The fanxiang S101, WD Blue SA510, and Samsung 870 EVO have no spinning platters or mechanical read/write heads, making them attractive for HomeBase units installed in bedrooms, offices, living areas, or other places where storage noise is undesirable.

The three SSDs also target different buyers. The fanxiang S101 is the value-oriented route into solid-state storage, the WD Blue SA510 suits buyers who prefer an established storage brand, while the Samsung 870 EVO is the premium choice for someone willing to pay more for a mature SATA SSD platform and clearly published endurance specifications.

Which Option Fits Your Upgrade?

• Choose the Seagate 1TB HDD if your priority is getting useful recording capacity without paying extra for SSD-level performance.
• Choose the fanxiang S101 1TB if you want silent solid-state storage while keeping the SSD purchase relatively value-focused.
• Choose the WD Blue SA510 1TB if you want an SSD but place additional value on buying from an established storage manufacturer.
• Choose the Samsung 870 EVO 1TB if you want our premium SSD option and value its published endurance specifications, silent operation, and mature SATA platform.

  Not every camera has to depend entirely on centralized storage. If some models in your setup include their own card slot, our guide to microSD cards for security cameras explains how capacity, compatibility, and recording workload should influence the card you choose.

• Choose HomeBase 3 S380 if you have not yet built the storage platform itself and want a eufy hub that can later accept a compatible 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD.

Quick Verdict

For a typical HomeBase 3 owner focused primarily on expanding local recording capacity economically, we would start with the Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB HDD from this group. It matches the 2.5-inch SATA format and puts the purchase budget toward the feature that matters most for stored security footage: capacity.

If you specifically want an SSD, our choice changes. The Samsung 870 EVO 1TB is the premium option, while the fanxiang S101 provides the more budget-oriented route into silent solid-state storage.

Our Strong Recommendation: Seagate 1TB HDD for HomeBase 3

If your main reason for upgrading the eufy HomeBase 3 S380 is simple—you want substantially more room for security recordings without overspending on storage performance you may never use—the Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB HDD is our strongest value-focused choice from this group.

The important advantage is not that this drive is technically impressive on a benchmark. It is that its design fits the job. You get a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive with 1TB of capacity, giving HomeBase 3 far more recording space than its 16GB built-in storage while keeping the upgrade focused on capacity rather than premium SSD speed.

Why the Seagate 1TB HDD Makes Sense Inside HomeBase 3

• 1TB is a major upgrade over the built-in 16GB: instead of relying only on the S380's internal storage, you gain substantially more room for locally stored camera recordings before storage pressure becomes a concern.
• The physical format matches the HomeBase storage bay: the ST1000LM035 is a slim 2.5-inch SATA drive, which is the drive category HomeBase 3 is designed to accept.
• You are paying for capacity rather than unnecessary speed: a security hub does not need the same storage responsiveness as a computer boot drive. The Seagate's mechanical performance is far less glamorous than an SSD benchmark, but that does not make an SSD's extra speed automatically useful for recording camera footage.

  If your storage upgrade is part of expanding your eufy system, our eufyCam S3 Pro vs S330 comparison can help you choose which 4K solar camera belongs in your setup before you decide how much HomeBase 3 storage you actually need.

• It is a sensible starting point for smaller systems: owners running a few eufy cameras can move into expanded local storage without immediately paying for several terabytes they may not need.
• Seagate is an established storage manufacturer: that makes this drive more attractive than choosing an unknown HDD solely because it happens to be inexpensive.

Why We Would Choose Capacity Before SSD Speed

It is easy to look at an SSD advertising more than 500MB/s and assume it must be the better HomeBase upgrade. That comparison misses what the storage is actually doing.

Your drive does not determine whether a eufy camera records in 2K or 4K. It does not improve the camera sensor, make night footage clearer, extend wireless range, or make BionicMind recognition more accurate. Its primary job here is to receive and retain recording data.

Once a drive is sufficiently capable of handling that workload, additional benchmark performance produces diminishing practical value. Recording capacity, on the other hand, has a direct purpose: more space gives the system more room for footage.

1TB Is Good—but Make Sure It Is Enough for Your System

Our recommendation comes with an important qualification. 1TB should not automatically be the capacity every HomeBase 3 owner buys.

A few cameras saving event-triggered clips can create a very different storage workload from several compatible cameras generating frequent recordings or using supported continuous-recording features.

If you expect your eufy system to grow significantly, buying a larger compatible drive from the beginning may be more economical than installing 1TB now and replacing it later because you want longer recording retention.

When We Would Pay More for an SSD Instead

An SSD becomes the better purchase when the characteristics of solid-state storage matter more to you than maximizing capacity value.

For example, if your HomeBase 3 sits on a desk in a quiet office or close to a bedroom, eliminating mechanical drive noise may be worth paying more for. An SSD also removes spinning platters and mechanical read/write heads entirely.

• Choose fanxiang S101 1TB when you want the more value-oriented route into silent SSD storage.
• Choose WD Blue SA510 1TB when you prefer an SSD from an established storage manufacturer.
• Choose Samsung 870 EVO 1TB when you want our premium SSD option with clearly published endurance specifications and are comfortable paying more for it.

Who Should Buy the Seagate ST1000LM035?

We would choose this drive for someone upgrading HomeBase 3 primarily because the existing storage feels too limited—not because they are chasing the fastest storage technology available.

It is particularly compelling if you have a small or moderately sized eufy camera system, want 1TB of local capacity, plan to leave HomeBase stationary, and do not care about the small amount of mechanical noise associated with an HDD.

One Compatibility Check Before You Order

Do not assume that every drive carrying the Seagate name will work simply because this model uses the correct form factor. HomeBase 3 storage should meet eufy's requirements for a 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD, and the specific drive's power requirements should also remain within the limits specified for the S380.

If this exact 1TB configuration fits your capacity needs, it provides a straightforward way to turn HomeBase 3 from a hub with limited built-in storage into a much more useful local recording system.

Which HomeBase 3 Storage Upgrade Should You Choose?

The best drive for your eufy HomeBase 3 S380 is not automatically the fastest or most expensive option. The better decision comes from identifying what you actually want from the upgrade: more recording capacity, lower cost, silent operation, stronger brand confidence, or a premium SSD setup.

Start with your recording needs first. Then choose the storage technology. This prevents one of the easiest mistakes to make with HomeBase 3: paying extra for SSD performance when what your camera system really needed was more capacity.

Choose the Seagate 1TB HDD If You Want the Best Overall Value

This remains our first choice for the typical HomeBase 3 owner in this comparison. The Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB focuses the purchase on the part of a security-storage upgrade that delivers an obvious practical benefit: giving recordings considerably more space.

• You want an affordable jump from the S380's built-in storage.
• You have a small-to-medium eufy camera system.
• Recording capacity matters more than benchmark performance.
• A small amount of mechanical drive noise does not bother you.
• You do not specifically need solid-state storage.

Choose the fanxiang S101 If You Want an Affordable SSD

The fanxiang S101 1TB changes the priorities. Instead of maximizing the value argument of a mechanical drive, it gives you a relatively accessible way to move HomeBase 3 to solid-state storage.

• You specifically want an SSD rather than an HDD.
• Your HomeBase is installed somewhere quiet.
• You want storage with no mechanical moving parts.
• 1TB is enough for your expected recording volume.
• You want to keep the SSD purchase more budget-focused.

Choose the WD Blue SA510 If Brand Confidence Matters More

The WD Blue SA510 1TB makes more sense for someone who likes the SSD approach but would rather choose an established storage manufacturer than make price the primary consideration.

• You want silent 2.5-inch SATA storage.
• You prefer Western Digital over a lesser-known SSD brand.
• You are comfortable paying more for the brand/platform choice.
• Your system does not require several terabytes of recording space.

Choose the Samsung 870 EVO If You Want the Premium SSD Option

The Samsung 870 EVO 1TB is the option we would look at when the buyer has already decided that minimizing purchase price is not the goal.

Its appeal is broader than its advertised speed. You get a mature SATA SSD platform, silent operation, no mechanical components, and clearly published endurance specifications. For the 1TB model,

If you are still deciding how you want your wider security system to store footage, compare outdoor security cameras with free cloud storage as well. Some camera setups can reduce reliance on paid cloud plans, while HomeBase 3 takes a different approach by giving compatible eufy devices expandable centralized local storage.

• You specifically want a premium SATA SSD.
• You value clearly documented endurance specifications.
• You want completely silent storage.
• You prefer Samsung's established SSD platform.
• You are comfortable paying more even though HomeBase does not need SSD-level benchmark speeds.

HDD or SSD? Use Your HomeBase Location as the Tiebreaker

If both technologies provide enough capacity for your cameras, consider where the S380 actually lives.

A HomeBase tucked into a networking cabinet, utility area, or equipment room gives you little reason to pay extra simply to eliminate HDD noise. In that situation, the value argument for an HDD becomes stronger.

If HomeBase sits beside your desk, entertainment equipment, or another quiet living area, the completely silent operation of an SSD becomes easier to justify.

Do You Actually Need More Than 1TB?

This question should come before deciding how much you are willing to spend on SSD technology.

A system saving occasional motion-triggered clips has very different storage demands from a larger setup generating frequent events or using supported continuous recording. As recording volume increases, capacity becomes progressively more valuable.

What If You Are Still Torn Between HDD and SSD?

Ask yourself which outcome would annoy you more six months from now.

If the answer is “I wish I could keep more recordings”, prioritize capacity and HDD value.

If the answer is “I wish I had bought silent storage without moving parts”, choose an SSD from the beginning.

That question is more useful than comparing 140MB/s with 520MB/s or 560MB/s because all of these drives are being considered for a security-storage workload—not as a computer's primary operating-system drive.

Our Final Decision Map

• Best overall value → Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB HDD
  Choose it when economical recording capacity is the priority.
• Best budget SSD → fanxiang S101 1TB
  Choose it when you want silent solid-state storage without starting with the premium SSD option.
• Best established-brand SSD alternative → WD Blue SA510 1TB
  Choose it when manufacturer familiarity is worth paying more for.
• Best premium SSD → Samsung 870 EVO 1TB
  Choose it when published endurance, a mature SSD platform, and silent operation matter more than lowest cost.

Our Pick for Most HomeBase 3 Owners

From these options, we would still start with the Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB HDD for the typical buyer. It keeps the upgrade focused on useful local recording capacity rather than paying a premium for storage speed that HomeBase 3 does not need to deliver better camera footage.

But if silent operation is a requirement rather than a preference, skip the HDD and choose the SSD tier that matches your budget. That is the situation where paying more for solid-state storage solves a real everyday problem rather than simply producing a better benchmark number.

Upgrade Before Your HomeBase 3 Storage Becomes the Weak Point

Storage is easy to ignore when your eufy HomeBase 3 S380 is new and only a few recordings are being created. The problem usually becomes obvious later—after more cameras are added, recording activity increases, and the footage you expected to keep begins competing for limited space.

If you already know that you want more local recording capacity, there is little practical benefit in waiting for the built-in storage to become restrictive before installing a compatible drive. Expanding storage early gives the system more room to build recording history from the start.

The Cost of Waiting Is Not the Drive—It Is the Footage You Cannot Keep Longer

Security recordings become valuable after something happens. A package disappears. A vehicle enters the driveway. Someone approaches a side entrance. Property is damaged. An unusual event happens overnight.

At that point, storage capacity cannot be added retroactively to preserve footage that has already been overwritten. Expanding HomeBase 3 is therefore less about making the hub technically impressive and more about giving your security system additional room before you actually need to look backward through its recording history.

Four Reasons It Makes Sense to Upgrade Earlier

• Your camera system may grow: one or two cameras can become a doorbell, driveway camera, backyard camera, garage camera, and additional indoor coverage. Storage requirements can increase along with the system.
• Busy cameras create more data: a camera facing an active street or entrance can generate substantially more recording activity than one covering a quiet area.
• Higher recording volume makes capacity more valuable: frequent events and supported continuous-recording configurations can make additional storage far more useful than it initially appears.
• The S380 was built to be expandable: buying HomeBase 3 and never considering its internal drive bay can mean leaving one of its most useful long-term storage capabilities unused.

“I Still Have the Built-In 16GB, So Why Upgrade Now?”

You may not need to—not every HomeBase 3 owner should immediately buy a drive.

If you have very little recording activity and the existing storage comfortably meets your needs, waiting is reasonable. But if you are already checking storage frequently, adding cameras, or wanting more recording history, those are signs that the question has changed from “Do I need expansion?” to “Which expansion makes sense?”

That is why we prefer making the decision deliberately now instead of making a rushed purchase later. You can choose the right technology, capacity, and exact compatible model before storage pressure forces the issue.

You Also Don't Need to Overspend to Make the Upgrade Worthwhile

One reason people delay storage upgrades is the assumption that they need a premium SSD. For HomeBase 3, that is not necessarily true.

If your goal is simply to give recordings much more room, the Seagate ST1000LM035 1TB HDD is our preferred starting point from these choices. It keeps the purchase focused on storage capacity rather than charging you for SSD performance that does not improve the underlying camera image.

If you specifically want silence and no moving parts, then spending more on the fanxiang S101, WD Blue SA510, or Samsung 870 EVO can make sense. The important part is paying extra because the SSD solves something you actually care about—not because its benchmark number is larger.

“What If 1TB Is Not Enough Later?”

That is the strongest reason to think about your future system before ordering.

If you already expect several cameras, heavier recording activity, or a strong preference for keeping older footage available longer, buying only 1TB because it is the easiest option today may create another upgrade decision later.

HomeBase 3 supports much larger compatible storage, so buyers expecting substantial recording demands should consider whether 2TB, 4TB, or more better matches the system they are building.

The Best Time to Decide Is While You Still Have a Choice

Waiting until storage feels inadequate can turn a simple upgrade into a rushed decision. Choosing beforehand lets you compare HDD versus SSD, confirm compatibility, select the right capacity, and install the drive on your own schedule.

For most owners represented by this comparison, we would put the money toward useful recording capacity first. That is why the Seagate 1TB HDD remains our top value-focused recommendation.

If its capacity matches your system and you have confirmed the exact drive meets your HomeBase 3 requirements, upgrading now means your S380 can begin using that expanded storage rather than waiting until limited capacity becomes the reason you finally act.

Final Verdict: Upgrade HomeBase 3 for the Storage You’ll Actually Use

The eufy HomeBase 3 S380 gives you something many security hubs do not: the ability to expand local storage with a compatible 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD. The important part is using that flexibility intelligently rather than assuming the most expensive or fastest drive must be the best choice.

For most HomeBase 3 owners, we would prioritize recording capacity, compatibility, and value before raw storage speed. Security footage needs somewhere reliable to be stored; it does not become better footage simply because the drive can reach SSD-level transfer speeds.

Why We Would Start With the Seagate 1TB HDD

The Seagate takes a practical approach to the upgrade. It gives you 1TB of storage in a slim 2.5-inch SATA format while keeping the purchase focused on the reason most people expand HomeBase 3 in the first place: they want more room for recordings.

• Substantial storage expansion: 1TB gives the S380 considerably more recording capacity than relying only on its built-in storage.
• Correct drive category: its 2.5-inch SATA design matches the type of internal storage HomeBase 3 is designed to accept.
• Capacity-focused value: you are not paying primarily for hundreds of megabytes per second of SSD performance that does not improve camera image quality.
• Good starting point: it makes particular sense for a smaller or moderately sized eufy system that does not yet require several terabytes of storage.

But Don't Buy an HDD Just Because It Is Our Top Pick

The Seagate is our recommendation for the typical value-focused buyer, not a universal answer.

If HomeBase 3 sits in a quiet room and you do not want mechanical drive noise, an SSD may be worth the additional expense. If your system generates a large amount of footage, meanwhile, the bigger question may be whether 1TB is enough at all.

One Last Check Before You Order

Do not buy based on capacity alone. Confirm the exact model you intend to install and make sure it satisfies the S380's storage requirements.

• Form factor: 2.5-inch.
• Interface: SATA HDD or SATA SSD.
• Capacity: stay within HomeBase 3's supported storage limit.
• Power: confirm the specific drive remains within eufy's requirements for the S380.
• Do not confuse SATA with NVMe: an M.2/NVMe SSD is not interchangeable with the 2.5-inch SATA drive required here.

Then Install It Correctly

Once you have the right drive, power down HomeBase 3 before working with the internal storage bay. Install and secure the compatible 2.5-inch SATA drive, reassemble the S380, power it back on, and use eufy's storage-management process to prepare the new drive for recording.

After that, the upgrade stops being a specification on a product page and starts doing what you bought it for: giving your security system substantially more room for local footage.

Ready to Expand Your HomeBase 3?

If 1TB fits your expected recording needs and you want the value-focused HDD route, the Seagate ST1000LM035 is the option we would check first.

If silence and solid-state construction matter more, choose one of the SSD alternatives instead. Either way, the goal is the same: match the drive to your HomeBase 3 rather than forcing your HomeBase 3 to fit the wrong drive.

Frequently Asked Questions About eufy HomeBase 3 HDD and SSD Storage