by 96 reviews.
Seagate Exos X16 ST12000NM001G 12 TB Hard Drive Review: A Reliable Storage Beast with a Few Quirks
If you’re in the market for a high-capacity, reliable hard drive that won’t break the bank, the Seagate Exos X16 ST12000NM001G 12 TB Hard Drive might just be the perfect fit. This renewed internal hard drive is designed for those who need massive storage without compromising on performance. With a 12TB capacity, 7200 RPM, and a SATA/600 interface, it’s built to handle demanding workloads, whether you’re running a server, a NAS, or simply expanding your desktop storage.
But is it worth your money? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
1. Performance and Reliability
When it comes to performance, the Seagate Exos X16 doesn’t disappoint. Customers have praised its speed and reliability, especially for data-intensive tasks.
- Blazing Fast Speeds: One user mentioned that the drive is “very fast” in their NAS setup, with no issues during rigorous testing. Another customer highlighted its ability to transfer media files from an NVMe M.2 drive at a satisfactory rate.
- Reliability: Multiple reviewers ran SMART tests and other diagnostics, and the drive passed with flying colors. One user noted that it showed zero online hours upon arrival, suggesting it was thoroughly renewed.
Customer Quote: “I ran a lot of tests to see the quality of this, from SMART to read/write. It passed with flying colors.”
2. Noise Levels
While the drive performs exceptionally well, its noise levels are a common complaint.
- Loud Operation: Several users described the drive as “very loud” or “noisy,” with some even comparing the sound to a vibration. One reviewer mentioned they wouldn’t recommend it for a desktop setup due to the noise.
- NAS-Friendly: However, for those using it in a NAS or server setup, the noise is less of an issue. One user even placed it in a closet to minimize the disturbance.
Customer Quote: “It is very loud though, something to be noted, it's almost like a vibration.”
3. Durability and Longevity
As a renewed product, durability is a key concern for buyers. So far, the feedback has been positive.
- Solid Build: Customers have reported no issues with the drive’s performance over several months of use. One user mentioned using it for video storage on a media server without any hiccups.
- Refurbished Quality: While some were initially hesitant about buying a renewed drive, most were pleasantly surprised by its condition. One reviewer noted that the drive appeared to have its SMART data cleared, indicating a thorough renewal process.
Customer Quote: “I was scared to buy it but I said screw it. I installed it, everything works well.”
4. Value for Money
The Seagate Exos X16 shines in terms of affordability, especially for its capacity.
- Budget-Friendly: Many customers praised the drive’s price-to-performance ratio, with some snagging it for as low as $100 during sales.
- CMR Advantage: For NAS users, the drive’s CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) technology is a big plus, offering faster write speeds compared to SMR drives.
Customer Quote: “For a NAS, you ALWAYS want to get a CMR drive because they write much faster. These are relatively inexpensive high-quality CMR drives.”
5. Packaging and Shipping
The packaging and shipping experience also received positive feedback.
- Secure Packaging: Customers appreciated the sturdy packaging, which ensured the drive arrived in perfect condition.
- International Shipping: One reviewer from Namibia mentioned a reasonable shipping time of around 10 days, which is impressive for international delivery.
Customer Quote: “The packaging was solid and the HDD was properly protected within the box.”
6. Minor Quirks
While the drive excels in most areas, there are a few quirks worth noting.
- PSID Code Issue: One user pointed out that the drive’s PSID code didn’t appear in their QNAP OS, though this is a niche concern that won’t affect most users.
- Noise and Vibration: As mentioned earlier, the drive’s noise levels might be a dealbreaker for those using it in a quiet environment.
Customer Quote: “One odd thing. The drives have a PSID code on them, but don't seem to appear to QNAP's OS as SEDs.”
Conclusion: Is the Seagate Exos X16 Worth It?
The Seagate Exos X16 ST12000NM001G 12 TB Hard Drive is a powerhouse when it comes to storage capacity, speed, and reliability. It’s an excellent choice for NAS setups, servers, or anyone needing a high-capacity drive for large files. However, its noise levels and renewed status might not appeal to everyone.
Final Verdict: If you’re looking for an affordable, high-performance hard drive and don’t mind a bit of noise, the Seagate Exos X16 is a fantastic option. Its reliability and value for money make it a standout choice, especially for tech-savvy users and professionals. Just keep in mind that it’s best suited for environments where noise isn’t a concern.
Rating: 4.5/5
Specification Seagate Exos X16 ST12000NM001G 12 TB Hard Drive - Internal - SATA (SATA/600) (Renewed):
Comments from Amazon:
I have been using a pair of these drives in my NAS for 2 days, so this is not a review of their longevity. They both work perfectly, and are very fast in my NAS. They are a bit noisy. I wouldn't put these in my desktop where the noise would be annoying. But, the value is excellent and my NAS is not in a public area.
I was scared to buy it but I said screw it. I installed it, everything works well. I noticed after I ran some test that it was roughly 3 years old. I am EDITING on this so it is being used quite more than it probably should. My main OS is on a 4tb NVme pci5, but I'm using this to store a lot of my large files at the moment, I will probably swap it out with a SSD once I get enough money... we'll see how long it last, so far so good. It is very loud though, something to be noted, it's almost like a vibration
For a NAS, you ALWAYS want to get a CMR drive because they write much faster. These are relatively inexpensive high-quality CMR drives that are fast. When I bought mine, they were only $100 each. I rigorously tested these drives for four days and there were no errors.
I picked up two of these (refurbished) 12 TiB HDDs at a sale price of ~$100 each. That’s a hard deal to beat, and although it’s probably too soon to comment on the longevity of the disks, they’ve performed well out of the box. I plugged them into my Ubuntu Linux server, formatted the disks using the commands illustrated in the attached image, and set the drives to mount at boot in /etc/fstab. They’re used purely for video files on my media server, and admittedly, I haven’t run a benchmark to verify r/w thresholds, but I’m able to transfer media from my NMVe M.2 to these HDDs at a rate that’s more than satisfactory. If I run into trouble with them in the near-ish future, I’ll update my review, but at the time of writing, I highly recommend these drives.
The packaging was solid and HDD was properly protected within the box. I have run a thorough scan on it and it has passed all the tests and now is part of my DrivePool with 62% used space on this HDD. When I first inserted the drive it showed zero online hours and we are now at 6 days going strong, so I suspect the SMART is cleared when HDD is renewed. The HDD is louder than I am used to but I understand these EXOS HDD's are louder overall. I am very happy with my purchase. The shipping was decent as I only waited for ±10 days for arrival from USA to Namibia.
I have been generally happy with how refurbished drives turn out for home use, where I do have backups, and use them in a RAID configuration (usually with a Synology or QNAP appliance). These drives do what they need to. SMART statistics show zero hours when put in, no errors, and when I did some SMART long tests, no errors popped up. One odd thing. The drives have a PSID code on them, but don't seem to appear to QNAP's OS as SEDs. No big deal, and this will affect very few people, but was something notable.
I ran a lot of tests to see the quality of this, from SMART to read write. It passed with flying colors. The price is hard to beat, and although it is constantly making noise, and clicks while it's running, I have it in a closet so I don't mind so long as it's not broken (which it clearly isn't). I've also been using it for some months now with my server, and I've had no issues whatsoever. Highly recommend.