03-28-2025, 01:05 PM
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.
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.