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Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive vs WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX)

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

both judged against NAS hard drives at a similar price

The WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX) scores 7.9/10 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 WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX) leads on reliability ratings, warranty and performance.

They score the same on recording technology.

The biggest difference is reliability ratings, where the WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX) scores 9/10 to the Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive's 6/10.

Seagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard drive

7.0/10verdict: wait for deal

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

WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX)

WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX)

7.9/10verdict: buy

The WD Red Pro 4TB suits people building a multi-bay NAS or RAID array who want a drive rated for heavy workloads. It lists CMR recording, a 5-year warranty and a 550TB/year workload rating. Buyers who want a quiet, low-power drive or included data recovery should look at the trade-offs first.

Typically about £259.99 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 driveWD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX)
Reliability ratings25%6/109/10
Recording technology20%9/109/10
Warranty20%7/109/10
Performance20%6/107/10
Noise and power15%7/104/10
Overall7.0/107.9/10

Specifications

SpecSeagate IronWolf 4TB NAS hard driveWD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX)
Capacity4TB4TB
Spindle speedST4000VN006: 5400 RPM; ST4000VN008: 5900 RPM7200 RPM
CacheST4000VN006: 256MB; ST4000VN008: 64MB256MB
Recording (CMR/SMR)CMRCMR
Workload rating180TB/year (rated workload, both models)550TB/year
MTBF1,000,000 hours2.5 million hours
Rated for bays1-8 BaysUnlimited (RAID-optimized NAS systems with unlimited # of bays; no numeric count)
Warranty3 years limited5 years limited

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 ›

WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX)

  • + CMR recording, listed on the spec table
  • + 550TB/year workload and 2.5 million hour MTBF
  • + Five-year limited warranty
  • − 7200 RPM spindle speed; no noise or power figures listed
  • − Data recovery is not included
  • − Rated for up to 217MB/s sustained

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need a quiet, low-power drive for a bedroom or living room
  • Buyers who expect data recovery to be included in the price
  • Anyone who wants independent speed or noise measurements for this exact model
Read the full WD Red Pro 4TB NAS Hard Drive (WD4005FFBX) review ›

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