by 329 reviews.
HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 HUS724040ALE641 4TB Enterprise Hard Drive Review: A Reliable Workhorse for Demanding Environments
When it comes to enterprise-grade storage solutions, the HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 HUS724040ALE641 4TB hard drive stands out as a powerhouse. Designed for demanding environments, this 7200 RPM SATA III 6.0Gb/s drive offers a massive 4TB capacity, 64MB cache, and advanced features like Rotational Vibration Safeguard (RVS) and bulk data encryption (BDE). Whether you're running a server, NAS, or RAID setup, this drive promises reliability, durability, and top-tier performance.
But how does it hold up in real-world use? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on customer feedback.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
Performance and Speed
The HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 is built for speed, and customers have praised its performance in various setups. One user mentioned using six of these drives in a ReadyNAS 316, describing the experience as "wow, freaking WOW." The 7200 RPM speed ensures rapid data access, making it ideal for enterprise applications and heavy workloads.
However, some users noted that the drive can get warm during extended use, especially when backing up large amounts of data. While this is expected with high-capacity drives, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to use it in a poorly ventilated system.
Durability and Reliability
Durability is where the Ultrastar 7K4000 truly shines. Many customers highlighted its enterprise-grade build quality, with one reviewer stating, "These drives are built tough and built to last." The drive’s MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of 2.5 million hours—equivalent to 235 years—speaks volumes about its reliability.
Even refurbished units have received glowing reviews. A customer who purchased a refurbished drive reported that it looked and performed like new, with no signs of wear or performance issues. Another user mentioned using several refurbished drives over the years without encountering any data loss or technical problems.
Noise and Vibration
Noise levels are a mixed bag. While some users found the drive to be quiet, others noted that it can be quite noisy when placed on a hard surface. One reviewer suggested using a mouse pad or similar cushioning to reduce vibrations and noise. This is a minor inconvenience but worth considering if you’re sensitive to noise or plan to use the drive in a quiet environment.
Refurbished Units: A Great Value
Many customers opted for refurbished units, and the consensus is that they offer excellent value. One user praised the packaging, noting that the drives arrived in sealed anti-static bags and were individually bubble-wrapped. Another reviewer appreciated the low cost, stating that refurbished drives were less than half the price of new ones.
However, there are some concerns about the accuracy of SMART data on refurbished drives. One customer pointed out that their drive reported zero power-on hours, which seemed counterintuitive. While this doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem, it’s something to be aware of when purchasing refurbished units.
Longevity and Warranty
The HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 comes with a five-year warranty, which is a testament to its durability. Several users have been using these drives for years without issues. One reviewer mentioned using them for secondary backup storage, with some drives being several years old and still performing flawlessly.
That said, a few customers received drives with significant power-on hours (e.g., 37,000 hours). While these drives still functioned well, it’s worth checking the SMART data upon arrival to ensure you’re comfortable with the drive’s history.
Conclusion: Is the HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 Worth It?
The HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 HUS724040ALE641 4TB is a robust, high-performance hard drive that lives up to its enterprise-grade reputation. Its speed, durability, and advanced features make it an excellent choice for servers, NAS setups, and RAID arrays. Refurbished units, in particular, offer incredible value for those on a budget.
However, potential buyers should be mindful of noise levels and the possibility of receiving drives with high power-on hours when purchasing refurbished units. Overall, the Ultrastar 7K4000 is a reliable workhorse that delivers on its promises, making it a solid investment for anyone in need of dependable storage.
Final Verdict: If you’re looking for a high-capacity, enterprise-grade hard drive that combines performance, durability, and security, the HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 is an excellent choice—especially if you’re open to refurbished options.
Specification HGST Ultrastar 7K4000 HUS724040ALE641 4TB 64MB Cache 7200RPM SATA III 6.0Gb/s 3.5in Enterprise Internal Hard Drive(Renewed):
Comments from Amazon:
For upgrading my ReadyNAS 316, I bought six of these Refurbished Enterprise drives. All I can say is "wow, freaking WOW". Thanks goHardDrives. I've used (3TB Toshiba) Desktop hard drives in my NAS, and I never had any issues, even running 24x7. But it's nice to have Enterprise drives if you can afford them, because they are built tough, and built to last. These Refurb HGST Ultrastar 7200 RPM drives were a great deal, at less than half the cost of a new one. And with a MTBF of 2.5 million hours, that's 235 YEARS, so I have no issue buying a refurb Enterprise drive that was manufactured 2 years ago. I'll write another review in another 233 years and let you know how they are going... All Six of these drives came in a sealed anti-static bag, individually bubble wrapped, nicely nestled in a box. Good job GoHardDrives. They installed in my NAS without incident, were tested for 30 hours, and they are now running cool and quiet. Highly recommended.
This was a refurb, but, S.M.A.R.T data reported Power On Count as 1 (mine) and Power On Hours as 0. While it's of course possible for a drive to be sold and returned without ever having been installed and spun-up, it, these numbers seem counter-intuitive to put it nicely. MORE likely, this is evidence to support a rumor I've heard, there's now a way for SMART data to be wiped. So in a case such as this "scuffs" to the case are really all you have to go by. This drive looks new, clean. Initialize and format were smooth and quick. no noise, vibrations, no clicking stayed cool.... benefit of the doubt, good drive, good buy. Giving it all 5 stars since I can't prove, and there's no physical evidence to suggest it isn't new....
bien funcionando
Drive is from 2013, and the one i received had 37000 hours on it. That said, low power cycles (25) and checked out well otherwise.
Latest of several "refurb/recertified" 4TB HGST Ultrastrar 4GB drives. So far, over now a few years, I've had no issues with weird sounds, lost data, or other data issues as I use these for secondary back-up storage. For the most part, I run them about three years backing up a couple of years of data or so on each. It usually takes me about 3-4 months, sometimes more, to complete my annual back-up of my archives since I can't get all my work completed by the end of the year. Overall, external cosmetics look as good as new and now after several years, I'd say the internal performance is similar. A couple of my drives are now several years old and I have not had to have tech support or any of these drives replaced. As long as they are available and the size meets my archiving needs, I'll probably continue to use these drives.
I got kind of worried when I read recent reviews of this drive, but the price was right and I intended to use these as backups in case I couldn't repurpose all the 4TB drives I thought I was going to be able to use. Ended up using them alongside all the other drives in an internal array, and to be honest they're all functional and working after 12+ hours of continuous writing. I may end up buying 2 more since I didn't realize two of the other drives were SMR and it's creating... issues... during writes (which is why it's taken over 12 hours). Of course time will tell how reliable they are. Hopefully being in a well ventilated case and a UPS smoothing out the local power monopoly's incompetence will yield a relatively long life.
Every time I use this drive I check its health. So far it's always good. If I set it on the hard surface of my desk while using it it makes quite a bit of noise. On a louse pad or something like it it's quiet enough. After backing up 1.5 TB of data it get's warm, but that's to be expected with a HAMR based high capacity drive. So far I'm quite pleased with this purchase.