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I am after some quiet HDDs for an media server/backup QNAP NAS in my lounge. I bought some 8TB Ironwolfs and they are too noisy. Scan.co.uk are listing two WD Red Plus 6TB models, with the 5400rpm one labelled as NEW. Any thoughts on the differences with these two?
Thanks!
6TB WD Red Plus WD60EFPX NAS Hard Drive, 3.5" HDD, SATA III 6Gb/s, 5400rpm, 256MB Cache, NCQ, OEM
6TB WD Red Plus WD60EFZX NAS Hard Drive, 3.5" HDD, SATA III 6Gb/s, 5640rpm, 128MB Cache, OEM
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When it comes to choosing a quiet hard drive for your media server/backup QNAP NAS, both the WD Red Plus 6TB models you mentioned should work well. However, there are a few differences between the two drives to consider:
Speed: The first model you mentioned (WD60EFPX) is a 5400 RPM drive, while the second model (WD60EFZX) is a 5640 RPM drive. Generally speaking, higher RPM drives can provide faster performance, but they may also generate more noise and heat. However, the difference between 5400 RPM and 5640 RPM is relatively small, so it's unlikely to be a major factor in terms of noise.
Cache: The first model (WD60EFPX) has a larger 256MB cache, while the second model (WD60EFZX) has a smaller 128MB cache. A larger cache can help to improve performance when dealing with frequently accessed files, but again, the difference between the two drives is relatively small.
Based on the specifications you provided, it's difficult to say which of these drives would be quieter. However, in general, 5400 RPM drives tend to be quieter than 7200 RPM drives, so the first model (WD60EFPX) may be slightly quieter than the second model (WD60EFZX).
