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Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive vs Synology HAT3300-4T

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against NAS hard drives at a similar price

The Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive scores 7.0/10 overall, ahead of the Synology HAT3300-4T at 6.7/10.

The Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive leads on warranty and noise and power.

The Synology HAT3300-4T leads on performance.

They score the same on reliability ratings and recording technology.

Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive

Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive

7.0/10verdict: buy

The Seagate IronWolf 4TB is for people building or expanding a small NAS of up to eight bays who want CMR recording and a 3-year warranty. It suits bulk storage, backups and media libraries where low noise and power draw matter more than raw speed. Buyers need to check which of the two model numbers they are getting, because speed, cache and noise figures differ.

Typically about £183.58 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Synology HAT3300-4T

Synology HAT3300-4T

6.7/10verdict: good, not the best

The Synology HAT3300-4T is a 4TB CMR drive for people filling a NAS with Plus Series disks. It suits buyers who want a 180TB/year workload rating, a 3-year warranty and good RAID 5 speeds. It is a less comfortable fit if the NAS sits in a quiet room, because owners report that it is audible.

Typically about £215 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightSeagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard driveSynology HAT3300-4T
Reliability ratings25%6/106/10
Recording technology20%9/109/10
Warranty20%7/106/10
Performance20%6/107/10
Noise and power15%7/105/10
Overall7.0/106.7/10

Specifications

SpecSeagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard driveSynology HAT3300-4T
Capacity4TB4 TB
Spindle speedST4000VN006: 5400 RPM; ST4000VN008: 5900 RPM5,400 rpm
CacheST4000VN006: 256MB; ST4000VN008: 64MB256 MB
Recording (CMR/SMR)CMRCMR (conventional magnetic recording)
Workload rating180TB/year (rated workload, both models)180 TB/year
MTBF1,000,000 hoursup to 1.2 million hours (manufacturer page; datasheet MTBF row conflicts at 1.0M/1.2M)
Rated for bays1-8 Baysnot listed
Warranty3 years limited3 years

Strengths and weaknesses

Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive

  • + CMR recording on both models
  • + Rated 23 dBA idle noise and 4.8W average power
  • + Warranty and Rescue recovery praised by owners
  • − Three independent reports of dead or faulty units
  • − Sustained speed tops out at 202MB/s
  • − Owners report mixed noise on the 5,400rpm model

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need sustained transfer rates above 202MB/s
  • People putting a NAS in a very quiet room who are wary of the 5,400rpm model's mixed noise reports
  • Anyone outside a region where Seagate's Rescue recovery is available and who is relying on it
Read the full Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive review ›

Synology HAT3300-4T

  • + CMR recording, stated as 100% across the Plus Series
  • + 202 MB/s typical maximum sustained transfer rate
  • + Owners report fast RAID 5 performance
  • − Owners report it is louder than earlier WD Red Plus drives
  • − Warranty is 3 years, with no data recovery mentioned
  • − MTBF figure varies between 1.0M and 1.2M hours

Skip it if:

  • Buyers putting a NAS in a quiet bedroom or living space
  • Anyone who wants a data recovery service bundled with the warranty
  • Users planning very heavy write workloads above 180TB per year
Read the full Synology HAT3300-4T review ›

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