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Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive vs Toshiba N300 12TB

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

all judged against NAS hard drives at a similar price

The Toshiba N300 12TB scores 7.1/10 overall, ahead of the Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive at 7.0/10.

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

The Toshiba N300 12TB leads on reliability ratings and performance.

They score the same on recording technology.

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

Toshiba N300 12TB

Toshiba N300 12TB

7.1/10verdict: buy

The Toshiba N300 12TB is a NAS drive for people building small to mid-sized RAID arrays. It suits buyers who want CMR recording and a solid sustained transfer rate. It is less suited to anyone who puts warranty length or near-silent running first.

Typically about £384.08 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 driveToshiba N300 12TB
Reliability ratings25%6/107/10
Recording technology20%9/109/10
Warranty20%7/106/10
Performance20%6/108/10
Noise and power15%7/105/10
Overall7.0/107.1/10

Specifications

SpecSeagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard driveToshiba N300 12TB
Capacity4TB12 TB
Spindle speedST4000VN006: 5400 RPM; ST4000VN008: 5900 RPM7200 RPM
CacheST4000VN006: 256MB; ST4000VN008: 64MB256 MB
Recording (CMR/SMR)CMRCMR
Workload rating180TB/year (rated workload, both models)Up to 180 TB/yr
MTBF1,000,000 hours1.2 million hours MTTF
Rated for bays1-8 BaysUp to 12
Warranty3 years limitedLimited warranty: 3 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 ›

Toshiba N300 12TB

  • + CMR recording suits RAID arrays
  • + Rated up to 253MB/s sustained on the 12TB model
  • + Rated for up to 12 bays at 180TB/year
  • − Three-year warranty draws owner complaints
  • − 7,200 rpm; one owner finds it a bit noisy
  • − No data recovery service listed

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want the longest possible warranty on a 12TB drive
  • Anyone placing a NAS in a bedroom or quiet office where noise matters
  • People who need data recovery cover bundled with the drive
Read the full Toshiba N300 12TB review ›

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