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Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive vs Synology HAT5300-12T

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

all judged against NAS hard drives at a similar price

The Synology HAT5300-12T scores 8.2/10 overall, ahead of the Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive at 7.0/10.

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

The Synology HAT5300-12T leads on reliability ratings, warranty and performance.

They score the same on recording technology.

The biggest difference is reliability ratings, where the Synology HAT5300-12T scores 9/10 to the Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive's 6/10.

Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive

Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive

7.0/10verdict: good, not the best

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 HAT5300-12T

Synology HAT5300-12T

8.2/10verdict: buy

The Synology HAT5300-12T is a 12TB, 7,200rpm CMR drive for people building or expanding a Synology NAS. It suits buyers who want a high workload rating and a five-year warranty. It is less suited to anyone whose main concern is a silent NAS.

Typically about £510 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 HAT5300-12T
Reliability ratings25%6/109/10
Recording technology20%9/109/10
Warranty20%7/109/10
Performance20%6/108/10
Noise and power15%7/105/10
Overall7.0/108.2/10

Specifications

SpecSeagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard driveSynology HAT5300-12T
Capacity4TB12 TB
Spindle speedST4000VN006: 5400 RPM; ST4000VN008: 5900 RPM7200
CacheST4000VN006: 256MB; ST4000VN008: 64MB256 MB
Recording (CMR/SMR)CMRCMR
Workload rating180TB/year (rated workload, both models)550 TB per year
MTBF1,000,000 hours2.5 million hours
Rated for bays1-8 Baysnot listed
Warranty3 years limited5 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 HAT5300-12T

  • + Rated for 550TB per year with 2.5 million hours MTBF
  • + Five-year warranty counted from the purchase date
  • + Owners report cool running and consistent speed
  • − Owners disagree on noise; some find it loud on seek
  • − Reports of noise during array reorganisation or rebuild
  • − Owners say long-term reliability is still unproven

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need a near-silent NAS in a living space
  • Anyone running a lightly used archive who doesn't need a 550TB per year rating
  • Buyers who want data recovery cover included with the warranty
Read the full Synology HAT5300-12T review ›

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