Finding the right storage drive in terms of performance can be a challenging job when there are hundreds of options in the market. If we talk about prominent brands like Western Digital, two of their top-class options include WD Red Pro and WD Red Plus. But which one is the right option and why?
If you are looking for a storage drive that you can use on your home PC, then the WD Red Plus is a suitable option. However, if you are looking to set up a virtual machine or want to handle data on an enterprise level without having low storage space, then WD Red Pro is a better option.
Deciding which storage drive is suitable depends on your usability or the hard drive’s application. Moreover, there are technical aspects that make storage drives better in terms of performance and durability.
The WD hard drives come in six different colors, including Black, Green, Red, Blue, Purple, and Gold. Each hard drive’s color is based on its attributes.
In this article, we are going to present a comprehensive comparison of WD Red Pro vs WD Red Plus to see which one is a better option and why.
Overview of WD Red Series
The WD Red series is designed specifically for NAS systems, which require reliable and consistent performance for multiple users. These drives are built to handle the demands of data storage, data access, and file sharing in a networked environment.
WD Red Plus
The WD Red Plus drives are intended for SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) and medium-sized businesses. These drives are known for their reliability and efficiency in NAS environments with up to 8 bays. They are optimized for handling RAID configurations and are built to handle workloads of up to 180 TB per year.
WD Red Pro
On the other hand, the WD Red Pro series is designed for more intensive NAS environments, including large businesses. These drives support NAS systems with up to 24 bays and are equipped to manage higher workloads of up to 300 TB per year. The Pro series includes advanced features that enhance performance and reliability in demanding conditions.
| WD Red Plus | WD Red Pro | |
| Capacity range | 1-14TB | 2-22TB |
| RPM | 5400 | 7200 |
| Cache size | 64MB to 256MB | 256MB |
| Warranty | 3 years | 5 years |
| Workload rate limit | 180 TB/year | 300 TB/year |
| Noise | 20-30 dBA | 20-36 dBA |
| Energy Use | 2.5-6.3 W idle, 3.3-6.3 W read/write | 5.7-8.4 W idle, 7.2-9.6 W read/write |
| Anti-Vibration Technology | NO | YES |
| Average Speed | Up to 210 MB/s | Up to 270 MB/s |
WD Red Pro VS WD Red Plus: Key Features Comparison
To understand which drive suits your needs better, it’s essential to compare their key features side by side.
Capacity
WD Red Plus: The Red Plus series offers a wide range of capacities, typically from 1TB to 14TB. This range makes it versatile for various storage requirements, whether for small backups or extensive data archives.
WD Red Pro: The Pro series also offers similar capacities, ranging from 2TB to 18TB. However, the Pro series is often chosen for higher capacities due to its enhanced features and reliability in larger setups.
Performance
WD Red Plus: These drives have a rotational speed of 5400 RPM and a SATA interface with a 6 Gb/s transfer rate. The performance is adequate for typical NAS usage, offering a balance between speed and energy efficiency.
WD Red Pro: The Pro drives boast a higher rotational speed of 7200 RPM, providing faster data access and transfer rates. This makes the Pro series more suitable for tasks that require high-speed data processing and transfer.
Workload Rating
WD Red Plus: With a workload rating of 180 TB/year, the Red Plus drives are designed for moderate usage. This is suitable for environments where data is frequently accessed and modified but not to the extent of heavy enterprise applications.
WD Red Pro: The Pro series can handle up to 300 TB/year, making it ideal for environments with heavy data loads, such as video editing, large-scale backups, and enterprise-level applications.
Reliability and Durability
WD Red Plus: These drives are built to run continuously in a NAS environment, with a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 1 million hours. They include features like NASware 3.0, which enhances reliability by improving compatibility and performance in RAID setups.
WD Red Pro: The Red Pro drives take durability a step further with a MTBF of 1.2 million hours. They also include features like vibration protection technology and 3D Active Balance Plus, which enhances reliability in large NAS systems with multiple drives.
Warranty
WD Red Plus: The Red Plus drives come with a 3-year limited warranty, which is standard for consumer-grade storage devices.
WD Red Pro: The Pro series offers a more extended 5-year limited warranty, reflecting their positioning as a more durable and reliable option for enterprise environments.
WD Red Pro VS WD Red Plus: Which One to Choose?
Understanding the ideal scenarios for each series can help you choose the right drive for your needs.
WD Red Plus
Small Office/Home Office (SOHO): Ideal for small businesses and home users who need reliable NAS storage for file sharing, backups, and media streaming.
Moderate Data Loads: Suitable for environments with moderate data access and transfer needs, where the workload does not exceed 180 TB/year.
Energy Efficiency: With a lower rotational speed, these drives consume less power, making them suitable for energy-conscious users.
WD Red Pro:
Large Businesses: Perfect for larger enterprises with extensive data storage needs, requiring robust performance and high reliability.
Heavy Workloads: Ideal for scenarios with high data access and modification rates, such as large-scale databases, video editing, and heavy backups.
Large NAS Systems: Designed to work efficiently in NAS systems with up to 24 bays, ensuring stability and performance in complex setups.
WD Red Pro VS WD Red Plus: Real-World Performance Comparison
To illustrate the performance difference, let’s consider a few real-world scenarios.
Scenario 1: Media Streaming
WD Red Plus: In a home media server setup, the Red Plus drives offer sufficient speed and capacity to stream high-definition movies to multiple devices simultaneously. Their energy efficiency ensures the NAS can run quietly and cost-effectively.
WD Red Pro: While the Pro series can handle media streaming with ease, its higher speed and workload capacity might be overkill for a typical home setup. However, in a business environment where multiple 4K streams are required, the Pro series would excel.
Scenario 2: Data Backup and Archiving
WD Red Plus: For small businesses needing regular data backups, the Red Plus drives provide a reliable and cost-effective solution. They can handle daily or weekly backups without stress.
WD Red Pro: In larger organizations with extensive data that needs frequent backup, the Pro series offers the speed and reliability needed to ensure that backups are performed quickly and without data integrity issues.
Scenario 3: Virtualization
WD Red Plus: In a small office setup running a few virtual machines, Red Plus drives can offer adequate performance and capacity.
WD Red Pro: For larger virtualized environments requiring robust data processing and storage, the Pro series provides the speed and reliability to manage multiple virtual machines efficiently.
WD Red Pro VS WD Red Plus: Price Comparison
If we talk about the comparison of the 4TB storage drive version, the WD Red Pro costs $161.74, and the WD Red Plus costs $99.99. Generally, WD Red Plus drives are more affordable than WD Red Pro drives, reflecting their positioning for less demanding environments. When budgeting for a NAS setup, it’s important to consider not just the upfront cost of the drives but also the long-term reliability and performance benefits that might justify the higher investment in the Pro series.
Is WD Red Pro worth it?
WD Red Pro are used in NAS based systems and if you want something extra for your PC then you can use it as a storage drive for extra space, reliability, and performance.
Is WD Red Good for Gaming?
Due to being very expensive, most of the gamers do not prefer WD Red series for gaming. However, WD Red storage drives can deliver exceptional gaming performance in terms of read write speed with faster loading times.
Is WD Red Plus CMR or SMR?
WD Red Plus is categorized as CMR hard drive with 5400 RPM Speed.
Conclusion
Choosing between WD Red Pro and WD Red Plus ultimately depends on your specific needs and use cases. If your Network Attached System usage is relatively light and cost is a significant factor, the WD Red Plus series will likely meet your needs. However, if you require robust performance and can justify the higher cost, the WD Red Pro series offers superior speed, reliability, and capacity, making it the better choice for high-demand environments.
