When it comes to choosing the right hard drive for your storage needs, Western Digital (WD) is a well-respected name in the industry, known for its reliable and high-performance products. Among its extensive lineup, two series stand out for different applications: WD Red Pro and WD Gold.
Both WD Red Pro and WD Gold are top-of-the-line Western Digital storage drive options, but they usually differ in their use cases. The WD Gold offers a better MTBF and higher workload rate, making it more commonly suitable for data centres. On the other hand, the WD Red Pro is best for network-attached storage (NAS) based systems.
Both of these hard drives come with a SATA interface that allows them to attach easily to your PC’s motherboard. However, it’s not the interface that makes them different. In this article, we’ll delve into the features, performance, use cases, and cost-effectiveness of WD Red Pro and WD Gold to determine which one might be the better choice for you.
The Western Digital hard drives are classified in six different colors, including Black, Green, Red, Blue, Purple, and Gold.
Prices of SSD’s have gone drastically down over the last decade making them very affordable.
Strangely, NVMEs cost almost equal to SSDs now.
Overview of WD Red Pro and WD Gold
| WD Red Pro | WD Gold | |
| Capacity | 2 to 24TB | 1 to 24TB |
| Disk Cache | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Transfer Rate | 272 MBPS | 291 MBPS |
| RPM | 7200 | 7200 |
| Power | 6.9W/3.8W/1.6W | 6W/5.5W |
| Special Features | NASware 3.0 | Vibration Protection |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years |
WD Red Pro
The WD Red Pro series is specifically designed for NAS (Network Attached Storage) environments, catering to businesses and individuals who require robust, reliable, and high-capacity storage solutions.
These drives are optimized for multi-bay NAS systems and offer enhanced durability and performance.
Key Features of WD Red Pro:
- NAS Optimization: Designed for use in NAS systems with up to 24 bays.
- Enhanced Reliability: Equipped with NASware 3.0 technology for improved system compatibility and reliability.
- Error Recovery Controls: Prevents data corruption during RAID recovery.
- High Capacity: Available in capacities ranging from 2TB to 24TB.
- 24/7 Operation: Built for continuous operation in demanding environments.
- 3D Active Balance Plus: Improves overall drive performance and reliability.
- 5-Year Limited Warranty: Provides peace of mind with extended warranty coverage.
Check out Red Pro Vs Red Plus if you want a better-priced alternative.
WD Gold
The WD Gold series is aimed at enterprise-level applications, offering superior performance, reliability, and capacity.
These drives are engineered for heavy workloads and are suitable for data centers, servers, and high-availability storage systems.
Key Features of WD Gold:
- Enterprise-Grade Performance: Optimized for demanding, high-intensity workloads.
- High Reliability: Features advanced technology to ensure data integrity and durability.
- Massive Capacity: Available in capacities up to 24TB.
- Enhanced Vibration Protection: Built to withstand the rigors of a data center environment.
- HelioSeal Technology: Utilizes helium for reduced drag and improved efficiency.
- Advanced Error Correction: Ensures data integrity during heavy read/write cycles.
- 5-Year Limited Warranty: Offers extended coverage similar to WD Red Pro.
WD Red Pro VS WD Gold: Which One is Better and Why?
Now let’s take a look at the WD Red Pro VS WD Gold in terms of performance and efficiency:
Speed and Efficiency
When it comes to speed, both WD Red Pro and WD Gold drives offer impressive performance, but there are differences based on their intended use cases.
WD Red Pro: These drives are designed to provide a balance of performance and reliability in NAS environments. With a spin speed of 7,200 RPM and data transfer rates up to 255 MB/s, WD Red Pro drives are well-suited for handling large files and multiple users accessing data simultaneously.
WD Gold: Built for enterprise use, WD Gold drives offer higher data transfer rates, often exceeding 260 MB/s, and maintain a spin speed of 7,200 RPM. This makes them ideal for data-intensive applications, such as databases, large-scale virtualization, and high-performance computing.
Check out our SSD Price per GB tool right, perfect for figuring out the right drive for your money in today’s market.
Reliability and Durability
Both drive series emphasize reliability, but they cater to different operational demands.
WD Red Pro: Optimized for NAS environments, these drives are engineered to handle the continuous operation and high vibration typically found in multi-bay NAS systems. The NASware 3.0 technology enhances compatibility and reduces downtime, making it highly reliable for small to medium-sized businesses.
WD Gold: Designed for the rigours of data centres and enterprise environments, WD Gold drives incorporate advanced technologies to ensure durability and data integrity under heavy workloads. The HelioSeal technology reduces internal friction, leading to lower power consumption and extended lifespan, making these drives suitable for mission-critical applications.
WD Red Pro VS WD Gold: Use Case Scenarios
Comparing the hard drives WD Red Pro VS WD Gold in the real-life applications can help us drive how they vary for personal use, NAS infrastructure, or enterprise-based systems.
WD Red Pro
Small to Medium-Sized Businesses: Businesses requiring reliable and high-capacity storage for their NAS systems.
Home Office Setups: Individuals need robust storage solutions for personal and professional use.
Multi-User Environments: Scenarios where multiple users need simultaneous access to data.
Media Storage and Streaming: Perfect for storing and streaming large media files, such as videos and music.
WD Gold
Data Centers: High-density data storage environments requiring maximum reliability and performance.
Enterprise Servers: Businesses running critical applications and databases.
High-Availability Storage Systems: Systems that require 24/7 uptime and robust error correction.
Virtualization: Environments needing high-performance drives to support virtual machines and large-scale virtualization efforts.
WD Red Pro VS WD Gold: Cost Differences
The cost of a hard drive is a crucial factor for many buyers. While both WD Red Pro and WD Gold drives offer excellent performance and reliability, both are priced at $24/TB if you choose the 24 TB variant.
It all boils down to what suits you more.
WD Red Pro VS WD Gold: Which One is More Suitable for You?
Determining whether WD Red Pro or WD Gold is better depends on your specific requirements and use case scenarios.
For NAS Systems
If you need a hard drive for a NAS system in a small to medium-sized business or home office, WD Red Pro is an excellent choice. It offers a balance of performance, reliability, and affordability, making it ideal for multi-user environments and continuous operation.
For Enterprise Applications
If your storage needs are solely for data centers, enterprise servers, or high-availability systems, WD Gold is the better option. Its superior performance, advanced error correction, and durability under heavy workloads make it suitable for mission-critical applications where downtime is not an option.
How Much Watts Does WD Red Pro Uses?
WD Red Pro uses 2 to 6 watts depending on workloads.
IS WD Gold Reliable?
The OptiNAND and ArmorCache technologies make them reliable and high performance storage drives. However, its not suitable for RAW storage.
What is the Workload Rating of WD Gold?
The WD Gold can handle up to 550TB2 per year.
Conclusion
Both WD Red Pro and WD Gold drives excel in their respective domains. You can never suffer low hard drive storage space anytime soon as both WD Red and Gold offer up to 22TB of storage space. By carefully evaluating your workload intensity and budget, you can choose the hard drive that best meets your requirements. Whether it’s the NAS-optimized WD Red Pro or the enterprise-grade WD Gold, Western Digital has a solution to fit your needs and ensure reliable data storage for years to come.
