The Best Hard Drives For Plex Servers In 2023

While trying to choose the best NAS for your Plex setup or customising a compact PC, it is essential to know how crucial hard drives are for storing your valuable media content smoothly. Upgrading from generic desktop hard drives to a purpose-built NAS version can greatly enhance your streaming experience and improve your PC. To make the right choice, you should carefully select a hard drive that meets your specific needs.

Some Key Insights To Plex Server

Plex servers have emerged as a big innovation in the world of media streaming. These devices transform your desktop computers or NAS systems into powerful media hubs. As a centralised storage device, these servers allow you to effortlessly organise, access, and stream your media library across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and much more. Here we have curated a list of some of the best hard drives for Plex servers. So, let’s explore them and see how we can take our media streaming experience to the next level.

 

Western Digital Red Pro Series

 

Technical Specifications:

• Capacity Range: 2TB - 18TB
• Form Factor: 3.5"
• Interface: SATA 6Gb/s
• Spindle Speed: 7200 RPM
• Cache: 128MB - 512MB
• Data Transfer Rate (Buffer to Host): Up to 256MB/s
• Data Transfer Rate (Host to/from Drive): Up to 250MB/s
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 1.2 million hours
• Workload Rate Limit (TB/Year): 300TB/year

The WD Red Pro Series is a line of high-performance hard drives specifically designed for professional NAS (Network-Attached storage) systems. These drives are optimised for 24/7 operation and can handle high workloads, making them ideal for small to medium businesses. With seamless integration into multi-bay NAS setups, the WD Red Pro drives provide scalable storage solutions, ranging from 2TB to 18TB capacities, catering to businesses of all sizes. Equipped with NASware 3.0 technology, these drives ensure optimised performance, improved data protection, and reduced downtime. The 24/7 reliability and durability, with a mean time between failures (MTBF) of up to 1 million hours, guarantee uninterrupted operations. With an impressive workload rate of up to 300 TB per year and the power of 7200 RPM motors, the WD Red Pro drives deliver robust and dependable storage solutions.

One notable model within the WD Red Pro series is the WD6002FFWX-68TZ4N0, a reliable and high-performance hard drive with a capacity of 6TB. This particular model boasts the same exceptional features as the rest of the Red Pro series, including its 24/7 reliability, robust workload rate of up to 300 TB per year, and the power of a 7200 RPM motor, ensuring smooth and dependable storage operations for professional NAS systems.

 

Here's the some top hard drives from the WD Red Pro hard drives series:

Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Cache Size	Workload Rate
WD6003FFBX	6TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year
WD8003FFBX	8TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year
WD101KFBX	10TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year
WD121KFBX	12TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year
WD141KFGX	14TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	512MB	300TB/year
WD181KFGX	18TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	512MB	550TB/year

 

 

Western Digital Red Plus Series

 

Technical Specification:

• Capacity Range: 1TB - 14TB
• Form Factor: 3.5"
• Interface: SATA 6Gb/s
• Spindle Speed: 5400 RPM
• Cache: 64MB - 256MB
• Data Transfer Rate (Buffer to Host): Up to 180MB/s
• Data Transfer Rate (Host to/from Drive): Up to 210MB/s
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 1 million hours
• Workload Rate Limit (TB/Year): 180TB/year

When it comes to server storage, The Western Digital Red Plus series stands out as a top-tier option for businesses and individuals seeking reliability and performance in a single hard drive.  It presents a wide range of hard drives with varying capacities, ranging from 1TB to 14 TB. Additionally, it transfers data at a speed of  180 - 210 MB/s, holding a workload rate of 180 Tb/yr. If you need minimal storage space, the 1TB drive is the best suite for your needs. However, it may cost a few bucks, but it is justifiable by considering the notable benefits it brings in terms of enhanced reliability and additional features.

One notable inclusion in each drive in this series is the implementation of Western Digital's NASware 3.0 technology. It is worth mentioning that the package does not include mounting brackets or screws, and the speed and support are limited to a maximum of eight bays. Without a doubt, when it comes to fulfilling the diverse storage needs of users, the Red Plus series goes above and beyond expectations.

Among the impressive lineup of hard drives within the Red Plus series, the WD80EFRX model shines as a reliable storage solution, offering a spacious capacity of 8TB. With its excellent data transfer speeds of 180-210 MB/s and a workload rate of 180 Tb/yr, the WD80EFRX delivers optimal performance and efficiency for Plex servers and other demanding applications. By incorporating Western Digital's NASware 3.0 technology, this drive ensures enhanced compatibility and reliability, making it a valuable choice for users seeking reliable and high-performing storage solutions.

 

Here's the some top hard drives from the WD Red Plus hard drives series:

Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Cache Size	Workload Rate	MTBF
WD40EFRX	4TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	64MB	300TB/year	Up to 1 million hours
WD100EFAX-68LHPN0	10TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	Up to 1 million hours
WD60EFRX	6TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	64MB	300TB/year	Up to 1 million hours
WD80EFAX	8TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	Up to 1 million hours
WD120EFAX	12TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	Up to 1 million hours

 

 

Seagate IronWolf Series

 

Technical Specification:

• Capacity Range: 1TB - 18TB
• Form Factor: 3.5"
• Interface: SATA 6Gb/s
• Spindle Speed: 5400 RPM (IronWolf), 7200 RPM (IronWolf Pro)
• Cache: 64MB - 256MB (IronWolf), 128MB - 256MB (IronWolf Pro)
• Data Transfer Rate (Buffer to Host): Up to 180MB/s (IronWolf), Up to 214MB/s (IronWolf Pro)
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 1 million hours (IronWolf), 1.2 million hours (IronWolf Pro)
• Workload Rate Limit (TB/Year): 180TB/year (IronWolf), 300TB/year (IronWolf Pro)

The Seagate IronWolf Series is a family of hard drives designed for NAS (network-attached storage) devices. They are similar to the Red Series to some extent. The hard drive series offers diverse capacities to cater to various storage requirements. Ranging from 1TB to 14TB, the IronWolf lineup includes options such as 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 7TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, and 14TB drives. Featuring a 7200 RPM spindle speed, 256 MB of cache, a 180 TB/yr workload rate, and a SATA 6Gb/s interface. If affordability is a priority, the 1TB drive presents an enticing option, as it is available at an accessible price. Additionally, the impressive mean time between failures (MTBF) of one million hours boasts exceptional longevity, ensuring a prolonged lifespan for your Plex or other storage endeavours. However, it's important to note that the installation of more than eight IronWolf drives within a NAS is not supported, and thus careful consideration should be taken when planning your storage configuration.

The ST10000VN0014 is an outstanding addition to the IronWolf series, offering a spacious 10TB capacity that provides ample storage for your Plex server and other NAS applications. With its 7200 RPM spindle speed, 256MB cache, and SATA 6Gb/s interface, this hard drive delivers exceptional performance, ensuring smooth data transfers and quick access to your media files. The ST10000VN0014 drive's impressive mean time between failures (MTBF) of one million hours guarantees long-term reliability, allowing you to confidently store and access your valuable content. It's a reliable and high-capacity solution that perfectly suits the needs of storage enthusiasts and professionals alike.

 

Here's the some top hard drives from the Seagate IronWolf hard drives series:

Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Cache Size	Workload Rate	MTBF
ST6000VN0033	6TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	1.2 million hours
ST12000VN0008	12TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	1.2 million hours
ST16000VN001	16TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	1.2 million hours
ST14000VN0008	14TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	1.2 million hours
ST6000VN001	6TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	1.2 million hours
ST12000VN0007	12TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	300TB/year	1.2 million hours

 

 

Seagate Barracuda Pro Series

 

Technical Specifications:

• Capacity Range: 2TB - 18TB
• Form Factor: 3.5"
• Interface: SATA 6Gb/s
• Spindle Speed: 7200 RPM
• Cache: 64MB - 256MB
• Data Transfer Rate (Buffer to Host): Up to 220MB/s
• Data Transfer Rate (Host to/from Drive): Up to 250MB/s
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 1.2 million hours
• Workload Rate Limit (TB/Year): 300TB/year

The Seagate Barracuda Pro Series is a line of high-performance, high-capacity server hard drives that offer the ultimate in reliability and performance for demanding workloads. With capacities of up to 14TB, the Barracuda Pro Series can handle even the most data-intensive applications. The Barracuda Pro Series from Seagate offers an array of impressive features and benefits. The generous storage capacities ranging from 2 TB to 14 terabytes ensure ample space for data-intensive applications and multimedia content. Leveraging rotational speeds of up to 7200 RPM, they ensure swift data access and rapid file transfers, enhancing productivity and reducing latency. 

The series also employs multi-tier caching, including NAND flash memory and Seagate's Adaptive Memory technology, intelligently storing frequently accessed data for rapid retrieval. Moreover, the Barracuda Pro drive prioritises power efficiency, minimising energy consumption while delivering exceptional performance, thus reducing operating costs and promoting a greener server infrastructure. The series offers scalable solutions, accommodating changing storage needs with a range of capacities and support for single drives or RAID configurations.

The ST4000DX002  is a notable inclusion in the Barracuda Pro series, offering a generous storage capacity of 4TB for demanding workloads and data-intensive applications. With its impressive rotational speed of up to 7200 RPM, this hard drive ensures swift access to your data, enabling faster file transfers and enhancing overall productivity. The ST4000DX002 drive also leverages Seagate's advanced multi-tier caching technology, including NAND flash memory and Adaptive Memory, to intelligently optimise data retrieval, resulting in improved performance and responsiveness. Moreover, its power-efficient design promotes energy savings and contributes to a more eco-friendly server infrastructure. The ST4000DX002 is a reliable and high-performance storage solution that seamlessly meets the diverse needs of professionals and enthusiasts alike.

 

Here's the some top hard drives from the Seagate Barracuda Pro hard drives series:

Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Cache Size	Workload Rate	MTBF
ST2000DM009	2TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	55TB/year	1 million hours
ST4000DM006	4TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	55TB/year	1 million hours
ST6000DM004	6TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	55TB/year	1 million hours
ST10000DM0004	10TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	55TB/year	1.5 million hours
ST12000DM0007	12TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	55TB/year	1.5 million hours
ST8000DM004	8TB	5400	SATA 6Gb/s	256MB	55TB/year	1.5 million hours

 

 

Toshiba MG07ACA Series

 

Technical Specifications:

• Capacity Range: 12TB - 18TB
• Form Factor: 3.5"
• Interface: SATA 6Gb/s
• Spindle Speed: 7200 RPM
• Cache: 256MB
• Data Transfer Rate (Buffer to Host): Up to 260MB/s
• Data Transfer Rate (Host to/from Drive): Up to 249MB/s
• MTTF (Mean Time to Failure): 2.5 million hours

The Toshiba MG07ACA Series is a line of 14TB enterprise capacity SATA hard drives that offer superior performance, reliability, and efficiency for cloud-scale and software-defined data centre infrastructure. The drives feature a 9-disk helium-sealed design that reduces aerodynamic drag and delivers a lower operational power profile, helping to achieve TCO objectives. The drives also feature CMR recording technology for optimum compatibility and data reliability. The MG07ACA Series is available in a variety of capacities and form factors to meet the needs of a wide range of applications.

The adoption of Advanced Format technology improves data storage efficiency, data integrity, reliability, and compatibility with modern operating systems. As a result, the hard drive can transfer 248 MB of data per second and handle 550 Tb/yr of workload without facing overheating or other technical issues. Integrated advanced error correction technology minimises the risk of data corruption, ensuring the integrity of stored information, particularly important in demanding server environments. Additionally, the MG07ACA Series exhibits industry-leading reliability with a mean time between failures (MTBF) rating of up to 2.5 million hours, ensuring extended operational lifespan and minimal downtime, critical for uninterrupted server performance.

The MG04ACA400NY  is a notable inclusion in the MG07ACA Series, offering a generous storage capacity of 4TB and superior performance for cloud-scale and software-defined data centre infrastructures. With its 9-disk helium-sealed design, this hard drive not only reduces aerodynamic drag but also delivers a lower operational power profile, aligning with TCO objectives. The MG04ACA400NY utilises CMR recording technology, ensuring optimum compatibility and data reliability. With its adoption of Advanced Format technology, this hard drive enhances data storage efficiency, integrity, and compatibility with modern operating systems. It offers impressive data transfer speeds of up to 248 MB/s and a workload rate of 550 Tb/yr, providing reliable and efficient performance for demanding server environments. Furthermore, the MG04ACA400NY boasts industry-leading reliability with a mean time between failures (MTBF) rating of up to 2.5 million hours, ensuring extended operational lifespan and minimal downtime, making it an excellent choice for data-intensive applications and enterprise-level storage solutions.

 

Here's the some top hard drives from the Toshiba MG07ACA Series hard drives series:

Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Form Factor	MTBF
MG07ACA14TA	14TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
MG07ACA14TE	14TB	7200	SAS 12Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
MG07ACA12TE	12TB	7200	SAS 12Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
MG07ACA14TA	14TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
MG07ACA12TA	12TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours

 

 

Seagate Exos Series

 

Technical Specifications:

• Capacity Range: 1TB - 18TB
• Form Factor: 3.5" (Some models are also available in 2.5" form factor)
• Interface: SAS 12Gb/s or SATA 6Gb/s
• Spindle Speed: 7200 RPM
• Cache: 128MB - 256MB
• Data Transfer Rate (Buffer to Host): Up to 261MB/s
• Data Transfer Rate (Host to/from Drive): Up to 249MB/s
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 2.5 million hours
• Workload Rate Limit (TB/Year): Up to 550TB/year

The Seagate Exos Series enterprise hard drives are designed for high-capacity storage and reliability in demanding workloads. With capacities of up to 20TB, the Exos X Series drives are ideal for cloud and hyper-scale applications. Moreover, the Exos E Series drives offer up to 10TB of capacity for heavy and archive storage. These drives are optimised for data centres, cloud storage, and other server applications, prioritising speed, capacity, and reliability. With spindle speeds of up to 72,00 RPM and lightning-fast sequential read/write speeds, data transfers are rapid, resulting in faster application response times and improved server performance.

Built with enterprise-grade components, these drives deliver unrivalled reliability, boasting an impressive Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) and rotational vibration tolerance technology for consistent performance in multi-drive server environments. While the options for secure erase and self-encrypting drives (SED) help Exos Series offer robust data security and protect sensitive information, complying with industry regulations. Seamlessly integrating with various server platforms and interfaces such as SAS and SATA, these drives minimise implementation complexity and provide compatibility with a wide range of servers and storage systems, making them the ideal choice for both existing infrastructures and new deployments. Experience exceptional performance, scalability, reliability, and security with the Seagate Exos Series, revolutionising your server storage solutions.

The ST12000NM0007 is a standout model in the Exos Series, offering a massive storage capacity of 12TB, making it an excellent choice for data-intensive applications and large-scale storage environments. With its enterprise-grade components and advanced technology, this hard drive delivers exceptional reliability and performance, ensuring uninterrupted operations in demanding server environments. The rotational vibration tolerance technology and high Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) further enhance its reliability, minimising the risk of data loss and downtime. Additionally, the ST12000NM0007 supports secure erase and self-encrypting drive (SED) options, providing robust data security and compliance with industry standards. With seamless integration across SAS and SATA interfaces, this drive offers versatility and compatibility with a wide range of server platforms and storage systems. Experience the power of the Exos Series with the ST12000NM0007, and elevate your server storage to new heights of performance, scalability, and reliability.

 

Here's a specification table for the Seagate Exos Series hard drives series:

Model	Capacity	RPM	Interface	Form Factor	MTBF
ST10000NM0086	10TB	7200	SAS 12Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
ST8000NM0055	8TB	7200	SAS 12Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
ST6000NM0055	6TB	7200	SAS 12Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
ST10000NM0096	10TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours
ST8000NM0075	8TB	7200	SATA 6Gb/s	3.5-inch	Up to 2.5 million hours

 

Which Is The Best Hard Drive?

Selecting the best hard drive for your Plex server is a critical decision that can greatly impact your media streaming and overall system performance. When choosing a hard drive for the Plex server, you need to consider storage, capacity, speed, and reliability. Some of the best hard drives include the WD Red Pro Series, Seagate IronWolf Series, Western Digital Red Plus Series, Seagate Barracuda Pro Series, Toshiba MG07ACA Series, and Seagate Exos Series. These hard drives offer a good balance of features and performance, making them ideal for storing and streaming large media libraries.

So carefully, evaluate your options and invest in a reliable hard drive to create a Plex server that delivers exceptional streaming quality, uninterrupted playback, and an enjoyable experience for you and your audience.