Question Western Digital Red Plus 4TB WD40EFPX : is it suitable for regular PC use ?

[EmmaDobozi]

I would very soon need another HDD to be used in a PC running WIN.
I can afford 4TB size ones.
Some reviews state that the Western Digital Red Plus is more robust / has additional safety features (like sensors) / has better handling of heat
than the Blue family.
However, they say that the cache is optimized for NAS -- this might be a hindrance when used in a conventional PC.
I would be grateful for some additional info.

I can get this WD 4TB WD40EFPX with a 36-month warranty at a price level below WD 4T Blue WD40EZAX, with only a 24-month warranty.
Another option might be Skyhawk 4TB ST4000VX016 with 36-month warranty, with a price level 20 % lower than the Western Digital Red Plus.

 

[COLGeek]

What sort of files/apps will you have on the 4TB HDD?

For the most part, from a user perspective, you'll see no appreciable difference among any of these three HDDs.

 

[EmmaDobozi]

The WIN system runs from a SATA SSD.
The new HDD is meant mostly for archiving / torrent downloads.

 

[COLGeek]

The WIN system runs from a SATA SSD.
The new HDD is meant mostly for archiving / torrent downloads.

Any of these will be fine for that.

Public Service Announcement (PSA): Torrenting is often associated with pirated content. Tom's Hardware does NOT support any form of software piracy. None. Period

 

[fzabkar]

I would buy the Red. It's cheaper, has longer warranty, and has much the same specs as the Blue.

https://documents.westerndigital.co...duct-brief-western-digital-wd-blue-pc-hdd.pdf

https://documents.westerndigital.co...uct-brief-western-digital-wd-red-plus-hdd.pdf

That said, some of the specs are questionable. For example, why does the NAS drive, presumably with rotational vibration sensors, have the same shock specs as the blue?

 

[EmmaDobozi]

I tried to read reviews (but didn't fully understand them) to make an informed decision ; I got somehow confused by some of the seemingly conflicting charts and, after reading their conclusions, I feel unsure about how to decide.
One reviewer makes the statement (actually, on this very site)
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/wd-red-plus-12tb-hdd-review
"wd red-plus is a drive that should not be used singly or for general storage use"

Some of the reviews I was able to read (but not fully understand) are older, benchmarking older generation of HDDs.
It seems now that Skyhawk 4TB ST4000VX016 might be indeed a poorer decision to use in a regular PC.

So I would be grateful if you can help me with some more guidance regarding this WD 4TB WD40EFPX with a 36-month warranty and WD 4T Blue WD40EZAX, with only a 24-month warranty. Their prices are about the same.

 

[COLGeek]

I tried to read reviews (but didn't fully understand them) to make an informed decision ; I got somehow confused by some of the seemingly conflicting charts and, after reading their conclusions, I feel unsure about how to decide.
One reviewer makes the statement (actually, on this very site)
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/wd-red-plus-12tb-hdd-review
"wd red-plus is a drive that should not be used singly or for general storage use"

Some of the reviews I was able to read (but not fully understand) are older, benchmarking older generation of HDDs.
It seems now that Skyhawk 4TB ST4000VX016 might be indeed a poorer decision to use in a regular PC.

So I would be grateful if you can help me with some more guidance regarding this WD 4TB WD40EFPX with a 36-month warranty and WD 4T Blue WD40EZAX, with only a 24-month warranty. Their prices are about the same.

Get the one with the longer warranty. For your stated purposes, you'll see no difference between the these HDDs.