Buy WD for Data

[Alex Georgiou]

Hello.

I want to buy a new WD 4TB to save my data (Video, Photo Documents) and I am between WD Blue vs WD Red. What are the differences between them?

Also, I saw on website WD that they have stuff WD Red like (Red, Red Pro and Red Plus). What are the differences between them?

Finally, I looked on website newegg about WD Blue model WD60EZAZ vs WD60EZRZ that they have got difference cache but the model WD60EZAZ has got $128.99 and other WD60EZRZ has got $145.57? Why the WD60EZAZ has got low price?

[Electronics Wizardy]

For a desktop hdd use, they will be about the same, the red has some nas features, but won't be needed in a desktop.

 

THe red pro is 7200, the red plus is cmr.

 

Id also look at the seagate barracuda drives, there about the smae

 

4 minutes ago, Alex Georgiou said:

Why the WD60EZAZ has got low price?

Cause its smr, so its much slower in extended random writes, probably won't affect you here, but can be very slow in a raid rebuilt

 

 

[Oshino Shinobu]

For standard data storage, a Blue is fine. Red drives are designed for NAS operating where they're on 24/7 in a server next to other drives. They have extra protection against vibrations and features like TLER which helps with some specific use cases in RAID.

 

Standard Red drives are 5400 RPM, while Pro drives are 7200 RPM. Standard Red drives are also SMR, while Plus and Pro are CMR.

 

WD60EZRZ is EoL. NewEgg is a marketplace, so the prices don't necessarily reflect RRP or the real value of the drives.

[Alex Georgiou]

13 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

For a desktop hdd use, they will be about the same, the red has some nas features, but won't be needed in a desktop.

 

THe red pro is 7200, the red plus is cmr.

 

Id also look at the seagate barracuda drives, there about the smae

 

Cause its smr, so its much slower in extended random writes, probably won't affect you here, but can be very slow in a raid rebuilt

 

 

Okay. What is CMR and SMR? Can you show me for example?

 

10 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

For standard data storage, a Blue is fine. Red drives are designed for NAS operating where they're on 24/7 in a server next to other drives. They have extra protection against vibrations and features like TLER which helps with some specific use cases in RAID.

 

Standard Red drives are 5400 RPM, while Pro drives are 7200 RPM. Standard Red drives are also SMR, while Plus and Pro are CMR.

 

WD60EZRZ is EoL. NewEgg is a marketplace, so the prices don't necessarily reflect RRP or the real value of the drives.

Okay. Thank you. And what do you mean EoL? Maybe, you mean End of Life?

Also, that's great that it has got extra protection for vibration.

[Oshino Shinobu]

5 minutes ago, Alex Georgiou said:

Okay. What is CMR and SMR? Can you show me for example?

 

Okay. Thank you. And what do you mean EoL? Maybe, you mean End of Life?

SMR (shingled magnetic recording) and CMR (conventional magnetic recording) are different ways in which the write heads of the drive operate. For reads, both are fine, but SMR drives suffer from comparatively poor write speeds. It's difficult to explain it in a short post, so here's some resources if you want more info. 

 

https://www.securedatarecovery.com/blog/choosing-cmr-smr-technology-hard-drives

https://www.reichelt.com/magazin/en/smr-cmr-which-hard-drive-is-best-for-which-purpose/

 

It's come to people's attention recently as WD has been called out on using SMR on some of their Red drives without being upfront about it, which they have now admitted and state which of their drives are SMR and CMR on the WD Red product info pages.

 

EoL means end of life, yes. The WD60EZAZ is the replacement for the WD60EZRZ, which WD no longer produces. 

 

[Alex Georgiou]

9 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

SMR (shingled magnetic recording) and CMR (conventional magnetic recording) are different ways in which the write heads of the drive operate. For reads, both are fine, but SMR drives suffer from comparatively poor write speeds. It's difficult to explain it in a short post, so here's some resources if you want more info. 

 

https://www.securedatarecovery.com/blog/choosing-cmr-smr-technology-hard-drives

https://www.reichelt.com/magazin/en/smr-cmr-which-hard-drive-is-best-for-which-purpose/

 

It's come to people's attention recently as WD has been called out on using SMR on some of their Red drives without being upfront about it, which they have now admitted and state which of their drives are SMR and CMR on the WD Red product info pages.

 

EoL means end of life, yes. The WD60EZAZ is the replacement for the WD60EZRZ, which WD no longer produces. 

 

Okay. Thank you very mch.