WD Red Plus 8TB WD80EFPX NAS Hard Drive: features, specs and who it suits

The Western Digital WD Red Plus 8TB (WD80EFPX) is a 3.5-inch internal hard drive made for network-attached storage (NAS) systems. It is designed for devices that run around the clock, from home NAS boxes to small business servers. Here is what its specs mean and what to check before putting it in an enclosure.

What makes it a NAS drive

A NAS drive is built for continuous use, usually alongside other drives in a RAID array. Western Digital says the WD Red Plus is built and tested for NAS systems of up to eight bays, in 24x7 operation, and lists NASware firmware for compatibility. The line is offered in capacities from 1TB to 14TB. Western Digital describes it as suited to archiving, sharing and RAID rebuilds on systems using ZFS and other file systems.

CMR, 5640 RPM and the cache

The listing names CMR, or conventional magnetic recording. With CMR, tracks on the disc do not overlap, which generally gives steadier write performance than shingled recording (SMR), particularly during RAID rebuilds. That is why many NAS owners look for it specifically.

The drive spins at 5640 RPM, which typically means lower noise, heat and power use than a 7200 RPM drive, though with somewhat lower peak speeds. It has a 256MB cache for buffering data, and the interface is SATA 6 Gb/s, the standard connection in most NAS units.

Workload limit

The listing says the drive supports a workload rate of up to 180 TB per year. That is the total amount of data read and written annually. For most home and small-office use, that is a lot of headroom, but heavy business workloads should check their own figures. Western Digital also notes that actual usable capacity may be less than the labelled 8TB, because the manufacturer counts 1TB as one trillion bytes and the operating system, formatting and RAID setup all take their share.

Warranty and size

It comes with a three-year limited warranty, and Western Digital notes that regional terms vary, so check its official site. The drive is a standard 3.5-inch size and weighs about 1.6 lb (0.7 kg).

Who it suits

It suits owners of NAS units with two to eight bays who want a quiet, always-on drive for backups, media libraries and shared files. It is also meant for small and medium business setups. Because it is a NAS drive, it is not specifically designed for a gaming PC where fast loading is the priority, though it will work in a desktop.

What to check before you buy

• NAS compatibility: check your NAS maker's compatibility list for this model.
• Bay count: the drive is rated for up to eight bays; larger arrays may need a different line.
• Capacity planning: RAID levels reduce usable space, so work out what you will actually get.
• Backups: RAID protects against a drive failure, not against deletion or fire, so keep separate backups.
• Noise and space: check that your enclosure has room for 3.5-inch drives and adequate airflow.

The short version

• An 8TB, 3.5-inch internal hard drive for NAS systems of up to eight bays.
• CMR recording, 5640 RPM, 256MB cache, SATA 6 Gb/s.
• Rated for up to 180 TB per year, with NASware firmware.
• Three-year limited warranty.
• Check your NAS maker's compatibility list before buying.

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