by 79 reviews.
HGST Ultrastar He8 HUH728080ALE604 8TB HDD Review: A Reliable Renewed Storage Solution
When it comes to high-capacity storage solutions, the HGST Ultrastar He8 HUH728080ALE604 8TB SATA 6Gb/s 128MB 3.5-inch HDD (Renewed) stands out as a cost-effective option for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Designed for enterprise-level performance, this hard drive offers 8TB of storage, a 7200 RPM rotation speed, and a 128MB cache buffer, making it ideal for servers, NAS systems, and RAID setups. Its helium-sealed design ensures reduced power consumption and enhanced durability, while the SATA 6Gb/s interface provides fast data transfer speeds.
But is this renewed drive worth your investment? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons: A Detailed Breakdown
Performance and Speed
One of the standout features of the HGST Ultrastar He8 is its enterprise-grade performance. Customers have praised its fast data transfer speeds and quick load times, even in demanding applications like gaming. One reviewer noted that loading times in Fallout 4 ranged from 2 seconds to 50 seconds, which is impressive for a mechanical drive.
However, some users mentioned that the drive can get "hummy" under heavy load, though the noise level remains relatively low overall. If you’re using this in a quiet environment, the occasional hum might be noticeable but not disruptive.
Durability and Reliability
The HGST Ultrastar He8 is built for 24/7 operation, and its 2.5 million-hour MTBF rating speaks volumes about its durability. Many customers appreciated the helium-sealed design, which reduces friction and power consumption, contributing to the drive’s longevity.
That said, some users reported inconsistencies in the drive’s condition. While one reviewer received a drive with less than expected hours and start/stop cycles, others found their drives had 50,000+ hours of use—far exceeding the advertised "about 3 years" of data center use. One customer even experienced a drive failure after just 5 days of use, with the drive becoming unallocated after a reboot.
Value for Money
For many, the cost per gigabyte is a major selling point. At a fraction of the price of a new drive, the HGST Ultrastar He8 offers enterprise-level quality at a budget-friendly price. The inclusion of a 5-year satisfaction guaranteed warranty card and free return shipping further sweetens the deal.
However, the drive’s age and usage history can be a gamble. While some customers received drives in excellent condition, others were disappointed by the inaccurate description of usage hours.
Ease of Installation and Compatibility
Setting up the HGST Ultrastar He8 is a breeze. Customers found the installation process straightforward, with clear instructions provided for both Mac and Windows users. The drive is compatible with a wide range of systems, including desktops, servers, NAS, and RAID setups.
One user highlighted its performance in a USB 3.0 enclosure, noting that the seek time was very good, making it an excellent choice for bulk storage in an HTPC setup.
Cosmetic Condition
As a renewed product, the HGST Ultrastar He8 may show signs of wear. Some customers mentioned that the drive was cosmetically not the cleanest, but this didn’t affect its functionality. If aesthetics are a priority, this might be a minor drawback.
Conclusion: Is the HGST Ultrastar He8 Worth It?
The HGST Ultrastar He8 HUH728080ALE604 8TB HDD (Renewed) is a mixed bag, but it leans heavily toward being a great value for the price. Its enterprise-grade performance, helium-sealed design, and 5-year warranty make it an attractive option for those seeking high-capacity storage on a budget.
However, the drive’s inconsistent usage history and occasional durability issues are worth considering. If you’re willing to take a chance on a renewed product, the HGST Ultrastar He8 offers a compelling balance of performance and affordability. Just be prepared for the possibility of receiving a drive with more wear than expected.
Final Verdict
For professionals and enthusiasts looking for a reliable, high-capacity storage solution without breaking the bank, the HGST Ultrastar He8 is a solid choice—just keep an eye on its usage history and warranty terms.
Specification HGST Ultrastar He8 HUH728080ALE604 0F23668 / 0F25721 8TB 7,2K RPM SATA 6Gb/s 128MB 3.5 inches HDD 512E (Renewed):
Comments from Amazon:
Cosmetically not the cleanest, but it works well as an HTPC bulk storage device. Seek time is very good even in a USB 3.0 enclosure. Can't beat the $cost/GB. 5-year satisfaction guaranteed warranty card included.
I was looking for a cheap drive to store some unimportant data. And was considering spending a little more on a new 5400 RPM 8TB drive. However I decided to take a gamble on saving $30 on a renewed drive. Pros: * Drive physically looks to be in excellent condition and was packaged very well. * It's a 7200 RPM and performance was better than expected for a mechanical drive. * Enterprise quality for budget price. * Seller provides an additional 5 year warranty and pays for return shipping. * Simple clear instructions provided in box for Mac and Windows for those that need them. Cons: * Drive is much more used and older than I was expecting. The description says "about 3 years" of use in a data center. Mine shows 6.5 years of power on time. Summary: It's a really great drive for a really great price, even despite it's considerable age. I was really close to taking a star or two off the review for the inaccurate description and used of drive. However I was not expecting an additional 5 year warranty with free return shipping, I missed that in the description originally, and figure that makes up how old the drive is.
Lots of clattering for 5 days, then dead after first system reboot. seed to be working fine, but after transferring about 4 tb to it the first day, it would clatter every so often, but 5 days later, it was accessing and clattering constantly. I rebooted to clear any background tasks that might be affecting it. after reboot, Windows said "hey look, there's a new un-allocated drive on you system!" Hmmm. All data was gone. after a reformat and placing test files on the drive, i rebooted, and lo and behold,. it was once again an un-allocated drive. fun. back it goes. BTW, disk info showed that it had 50,000+ hours on it. So much for the only 3 years of use lie.
Recieved what I ordered in the expected condition. It's a good quality Drive. My drive had less than expected hours and start/stop cycles. No SMART issues or anything noteworthy. Fantastic price too. These drives are a touch louder than regular drives. But that's to be expected. Drive doesn't make any funky sounds. Drive is smooth and makes no strange sounds. If you're considering it, just go for it.
Now showing double digit disk errors bad if even refurbished
Ordered two for us as a NAS RAID 1 array for a Plex/family server, along with local backups for business files, which are also backed up to the cloud. Generally positive. Good price, drives tested A-okay. Only negative: One drive had 69K (8+ years) hours on it, which is fairly long in the tooth. The second drive was 31K hours (less than 4 years), much more reasonable. Good packaging and warranty.
The drive is relatively quite but can get a little hummy under heavy load so the noise level is relatively low. Good data transfer speeds and good load time in Fallout 4 of all games. The slowest time I got while loading was around 50 seconds and the quickest was around 2 seconds. Functions as advertised and was a easy install and format.