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Synology HAT3300-4T 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 Synology HAT3300-4T at 6.7/10.

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

They score the same on recording technology and noise and power.

The biggest difference is reliability ratings, where the Synology HAT5300-12T scores 9/10 to the Synology HAT3300-4T's 6/10.

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

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

CriterionWeightSynology HAT3300-4TSynology HAT5300-12T
Reliability ratings25%6/109/10
Recording technology20%9/109/10
Warranty20%6/109/10
Performance20%7/108/10
Noise and power15%5/105/10
Overall6.7/108.2/10

Specifications

SpecSynology HAT3300-4TSynology HAT5300-12T
Capacity4 TB12 TB
Spindle speed5,400 rpm7200
Cache256 MB256 MB
Recording (CMR/SMR)CMR (conventional magnetic recording)CMR
Workload rating180 TB/year550 TB per year
MTBFup to 1.2 million hours (manufacturer page; datasheet MTBF row conflicts at 1.0M/1.2M)2.5 million hours
Warranty3 years5 years

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

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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