Description
Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 4 TB |
| Model / Series | Seagate Exos 7E8, model ST4000NM002A |
| Interface | SATA 6 Gb/s (SATA III) |
| Form factor | 3.5-inch internal |
| Rotational speed | 7,200 RPM |
| Cache (Buffer) | 256 MB |
| Latency (average) | 4.16 ms |
| Internal (sustained) data rate | 226 MB/s |
| MTBF / Reliability | 2,000,000 hours MTBF; failure rate (AFR) 0.44% in full 24×7 operation |
| Annual workload rating | 550 TB/year (suitable for nearline / bulk data use) |
| Physical size / Dimensions | Depth 147 mm; width 101.85 mm; height 26.1 mm; weight 649 g |
| Operating temperature range | 5°C to +60°C |
| Warranty | 5 years limited warranty (enterprise class) |
Strengths / Advantages
-
High reliability / enterprise-grade: Designed for 24×7 workloads, with good MTBF and low AFR. Better suited for RAID arrays, servers, bulk storage etc. than typical desktop drives.
-
Good performance: 7,200 RPM + large cache helps with throughput; better random access than lower RPM or “green” drives. Useful for heavy I/O tasks.
-
Capacity: 4 TB is reasonable density; for many enterprise-bulk or storage pool uses it’s a good mid-size.
-
Features for enterprise use: It supports vibration resistance, error checking, data integrity technologies, etc.
-
Long warranty: 5 years gives confidence for long-term deployment.
Weaknesses / Considerations
-
Power consumption and heat / noise: Enterprise 7200 RPM drives typically consume more power (especially under load) and may run hotter and louder compared to desktop/NAS drives optimized for low power. If used in a small PC case, these factors need consideration. (Some users report frequent head parking / noise with Exos line in PC usage.)
-
Cost: Being enterprise grade, cost per TB is higher than many consumer / NAS drives. Also, given age / product cycles, purchasing might be harder / more expensive depending on availability.
-
Overkill for light usage: If your usage is light (few writes, low IOPS, backup / media storage only), a cheaper NAS-oriented or desktop drive might suffice and be more power-efficient.
-
Head parking and idle behavior: Some reports by users indicate the drive parks heads often (which could increase wear in environments with frequent power cycles).
-
Weight / size: Heavier / longer than many consumer drives; installation might need appropriate mounting and vibration control.
Suitability / Typical Use-Cases
This HDD is well-suited for:
-
Data centers / servers / storage arrays / JBODs / bulk storage.
-
Backup servers / cold or warm storage (not necessarily hot transactional loads).
-
Surveillance systems storing lots of video.
-
Users who need reliability, long warranty, and 24×7 uptime.
Less ideal for:
-
Laptops, or small portable systems.
-
Desktop PC with low capacity needs or where power draw / noise are crucial concerns.
- Systems where bursts of random performance are very critical (SSDs still better there).
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.