Inquiry Regarding WD Black HDDs – CMR vs. SMR and Use Case Considerations

[GBS]

Hi Robbie and Eddie,

First, thank you for the comparison chart for CMR/SMR. It really helped me narrow down my HDD-related inquiry regarding which models use SMR and which use CMR.
I noticed that on your page, you state the following:

Which WD Black drives are CMR?
All drives are CMR except for the 1TB model in the 2.5-inch range.

The spec sheet also confirms this, but I still have some trust issues when it comes to WD and a few other HDD manufacturers. For the sake of clarity, is the 10TB WD Black (model WD102FZBX, 512MB cache) truly a CMR drive? I see that the 256MB cache model (WD101FZBX) is listed as CMR, but I want to confirm if the same applies to the 512MB version.

My main question relates to moving away from RAID setups. I had the best experience with HTPC setups in the past and am looking to return to that approach. Initially, I considered WD Reds and Golds for my backup drives, but I want to use separate, independent drives for different media types (e.g., one for audio, one for games, one for software, etc.).

However, since WD Reds, Golds, and UltraStar drives have TLER (due to being RAID-optimized), I was hesitant to go in that direction. In my research, I discovered that WD Black drives previously had TLER enabled before WD disabled it—likely to push consumers toward more expensive enterprise drives.

I’m now considering using WD Blacks as independent drives that may run 24/7 for accessing specific media. Many forums recommend NAS drives for such use cases, but in the past, and possibly still today, some people have successfully used desktop/consumer HDDs for continuous operation.

Would the WD Black be a good choice for this purpose, or should I consider a different model? Additionally, regarding my earlier question about the 10TB WD102FZBX (512MB cache)—I noticed that both the 256MB and 512MB cache versions are on sale. Would the extra cache (512MB vs. 256MB) make a significant difference for my use case, or would having more system RAM for disk reads be a better priority? My thought process was to go for the 512MB version since it’s at the same price as the 256MB version, but I want to ensure that the 512MB model is indeed CMR and not SMR due to a potential spec sheet typo.

I appreciate any insights you can provide on my inquiry (or, rather, inquiries).

   

[ed]

1. WD Black 10TB (WD102FZBX) – CMR vs. SMR
Yes, the WD Black 10TB (WD102FZBX) with 512MB cache is definitely a CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) drive. The 256MB cache model (WD101FZBX) is also CMR, so there’s no issue with either version being SMR. WD Black drives are geared more towards high-performance gaming setups, so they’re optimized for speed and gaming workloads, but they are still solid for your use case.

2. WD Black for 24/7 Use
WD Black drives are designed for performance, not necessarily for 24/7 use like NAS drives. They're excellent for gaming and power-user PCs, but when it comes to NAS or continuous operation, especially in RAID configurations, the WD Red or IronWolf drives are definitely the better option. These are designed for constant uptime and are optimized for NAS environments.

If you're using the WD Black drives independently, you can run them 24/7, but I’d suggest something like WD Red or IronWolf if you’re setting up a RAID or need to keep the drives running constantly without any issues.

3. Cache Size (512MB vs. 256MB)
If you’re getting the WD Black with 512MB of cache, that’s going to offer you a bit more performance, especially if you’re doing tasks like gaming or media access with larger files. However, when it comes to things like media storage or heavy reads, the system RAM can have a bigger impact than the cache size of the drive itself. So if the 512MB version is the same price, it's a better deal, but the difference won't be huge for media storage purposes.

[GBS]

(CMR vs. SMR)
Got it. The WD Black 10TB (WD102FZBX) and WD101FZBX are both CMR, so no concerns about SMR.

(24/7 Use)
WD Black is built for performance, not continuous operation like NAS drives. It can run 24/7, but for RAID or always-on setups, WD Red or IronWolf would be better.

(Cache Size)
The 512MB cache version offers slightly better performance, but for media storage, system RAM plays a bigger role. If the price is the same, 512MB is the better option, but the difference isn't huge.

I have two follow-up questions for you.

If I use a WD Red drive independently (not in a RAID setup), could its TLER feature, which prevents the hard drive from entering a deep recovery cycle, become an issue in the event of a failure? Would it affect data recovery or error handling differently compared to a drive without TLER, like the WD Black?