by 4 reviews.
Seagate Recertified Exos X 28TB Internal Hard Drive Review: A Powerhouse for Data Storage
When it comes to high-capacity storage solutions, the Seagate Recertified Exos X 28TB Internal Hard Drive stands out as a game-changer. Designed for enterprise-level performance, this 3.5-inch HDD offers an impressive 28TB capacity, making it ideal for data-intensive environments like hyperscale cloud data centers and large-scale storage applications. With a 7200 RPM speed, 512MB cache, and SATA 6Gb/s interface, this drive ensures fast data transfers and low latency, perfect for handling massive workloads.
But what makes this drive even more appealing is its recertified status. Fully tested, data-sanitized, and equipped with all original firmware and parts, this Seagate factory-recertified drive delivers reliable performance at a fraction of the cost of a brand-new drive. Whether you're managing a data center or upgrading your desktop storage, the Seagate Exos X 28TB HDD is a compelling choice.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
Pros
1. Massive Storage Capacity
The standout feature of this drive is its 28TB capacity, which is currently one of the highest available for consumers. One customer shared, "I only bought one because I had never seen a 28TB capacity before and wanted to test it. Now, I can confidently move forward with buying more." This massive storage space is perfect for users who need to store large amounts of data, such as media professionals, IT administrators, or anyone managing extensive backups.
2. Quiet Operation
Despite its high performance, the drive is surprisingly quiet. A user noted, "The drive is very quiet, which is a big plus for me since I use it in a home office setup." This makes it suitable for environments where noise levels are a concern.
3. Recertified Quality and Cost Savings
Many customers appreciate the value of a recertified drive. One reviewer mentioned, "I always buy refurbished drives from Seagate. They save money, last long, and come with all the original firmware and parts." The recertification process ensures the drive is fully tested and reliable, offering peace of mind at a lower price point.
4. Enterprise-Grade Reliability
With a 2.5M MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), this drive is built for 24/7 operation. A user shared, "I’ve already loaded 14TB of data onto it, and it’s been running flawlessly for weeks." This level of reliability is crucial for enterprise environments where downtime is not an option.
Cons
1. Limited Warranty
One common complaint is the 90-day warranty, which some users feel is too short for a drive of this caliber. A reviewer expressed, "It would be nice to have a longer warranty, especially for a drive with such a high capacity." While the recertified status offers cost savings, the shorter warranty period may be a drawback for some buyers.
2. Lack of Usage History
Another point of concern is the absence of a data sheet showing how many hours the drive was in use before recertification. A customer noted, "When refurbished or recertified, it would be nice to have a data sheet showing the drive’s usage history." This transparency would help users make more informed decisions.
3. Potential Quality Control Issues
While many users have had positive experiences, some have encountered issues with recertified drives. One reviewer shared, "I ordered four drives to start a NAS, but only one of them worked. Two failed to spin up entirely, and one made horrible noises." This highlights the importance of thoroughly testing recertified drives upon arrival.
Real-World Performance: A Customer’s Upgrade Journey
One customer shared an in-depth account of their experience with the Seagate Exos X 28TB HDD, which not only highlights the drive’s performance but also provides valuable insights into troubleshooting and system upgrades.
The user, who works remotely, upgraded their 2017 iMac with 64GB of memory and added two new DAS (Direct-Attached Storage) units. However, they encountered issues with drives ejecting unexpectedly. After extensive troubleshooting, they narrowed the problem down to two 18TB drives that were failing.
The decision to purchase the Seagate Exos X 28TB HDD proved to be a turning point. The user was able to transfer data from the failing drives to the new 28TB drive, resolving the ejection issues. They noted, "I am very grateful for making the decision to go with the 28TB drive. It helped me resolve the issue by allowing me to move the data from the failing drives."
This experience underscores the importance of having a reliable, high-capacity drive for backup and data migration. It also highlights the drive’s ability to handle large-scale data transfers seamlessly.
Final Verdict
The Seagate Recertified Exos X 28TB Internal Hard Drive is a powerhouse for anyone in need of massive storage capacity and enterprise-grade reliability. Its 28TB capacity, quiet operation, and recertified quality make it an excellent choice for data-intensive environments.
However, the 90-day warranty and lack of usage history may be drawbacks for some users. Additionally, while most customers have had positive experiences, there are occasional quality control issues with recertified drives.
Final Recommendation: If you’re looking for a high-capacity, cost-effective storage solution and are comfortable with the shorter warranty, the Seagate Exos X 28TB HDD is a solid investment. Just be sure to test the drive thoroughly upon arrival and maintain regular backups to safeguard your data.
Specification Seagate (Recertified Exos X 28TB Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5 in CMR SATA 6Gb/s, 7200 RPM, 512MB Cache, 2.5M MTBF (ST28000NM000C), Renewed:
Comments from Amazon:
I ordered 4 in order to start a NAS. Only one of them is working. Two of them fail to spin up entirely, and one other makes horrible noises and does not work.
Rigt: 2017 27" iMac, i7 Intel processor 64gb memory with 2TB Fusion Drive. I have 3 DAS unites attached, one older and two high-end DAS units with built-in hub that I bought within the last three weeks. I also added a USB-C (40gb/s) hub and an external M.2 SSD at the same time as the two new DAS units. Delivered timely, packed with a lot of protection for safe arrival, and passed 72 hour burn in and have 14TB of data on it already. This is a new capacity that consumers can buy, but only as factory re-certified which means that either these drives were used as tests, or placed in data centers and after so many hours, are exchanged with Seagate to be released to consumers. The higher the capacity drive we buy, the more data we can lose if there is a catastrophe and the drive stops working. As with any drive you purchase, new or used, be sure to have your data backed to other drives. Most anyone that buys this capacity already knows all of this, but it is a nice reminder and I am sharing that personally, I would never use a 28tb drive as a source without daily backups. I only bought one because I never seen 28TB capacity before and wanted to make sure I tested one before moving forward with buying more. I can now move forward with confidence. For the 28TB drives, I am only using them as my destination backup drive. The drive is very quiet. Cons: When refurbished or re-certified it would be nice to have a data sheet showing how many hours it was in use. Pros: 90 day warranty, 28TB Capacity (Can't wait for the 30 and 32 to come out for consumers). The following has nothing to do with the 28TB drive, but wanted to share my story about my recent upgrade to my system, which added a lot of anxiety with ordering the drive, but was put at ease. No need to read further as the above details the drive alone. My upgrade journey: I work remote and have a MacBook Pro (newer M Series) that has speed, capacity, and everything else one could dream possible. I also have an older 2017 iMac in which I can't update the OS past Ventura, and was getting slower to use. I have Windows 10 and 11 as a VM and have 12 drives attached via DAS. For the last two years, it has been mostly a file server and have contemplated selling it. It originally had 32gb memory. I used to use it as a workhorse when I first got it. I made the decision to do all that I can before giving up on it and through this update process actually physically unplugged it and set it aside, I was so frustrated. First, upgraded the memory to 64gb and that helped a lot. I then took two old DAS units and upgraded them to two newer ones. One 4 bay and for grins, a 5 bay unit. They daisy chain. At the same time, I bought a USB-C hub with a thunderbolt 5 capacity and bought a thunderbolt 4 enclosure and an M.2 2TB SSD so I can move my VM's from the internal Fusion Drive to the external SSD. When I put everything together, I started having problems. My drives were ejecting one after another. I finally narrowed it down to the 5 bay DAS unit, but wasn't convinced it was the unit itself but kept thinking I should send it back and order a different brand or throw an additional $200 for a 4 bay DAS. I was thinking that maybe it was my Mac not being able to handle this. I finally narrowed it down that it would eject this one particular drive first, and then a second. I ran first-aid on all my drives in that DAS but that still didn't work. Could it be that these drives are failing and somehow the sensitive of the new DAS is bringing that to my attention? So I decided to order the 28TB drive. I know, not necessarily the wisest decision. I could have thrown these drives back in my older DAS and call it a day, but it was nagging at me. If these two drives were actually failing, I need to do something about it. Yes, I did check sleep settings and even ran a command to keep these active all the time Didn't work. So I ordered the 28TB drive, it arrives and within the hour I have it in my DAS. Eventually I copied from the failing drive #1 and afterwards, the older drive self-ejected but the 28TB remained running. The 2nd disk self-ejected so I just kept it off of my system. Thus far, the drives I have that never got ejected and the 28TB has been running fine without being ejected. I am very grateful for making the decision of going with the 28TB drive and that somehow these two 18TB drives self-ejected so that I could deal with them. I just wish I didn't spend three weeks trying to figure all this out! I formatted the two drives and will place them back in the older DAS (where they were originally), connect them to another Mac and copy the backup files from the new 28TB drive to them so that I have more confidence. As I said, I am grateful that the 28TB drive helped me to resolve the issue by allowing me to move the data from those two drives that were failing to it, and getting them out of my new DAS setup. I now actually use the 2017 iMac rig as my main work computer, running two VMs, one remote session, and other apps on the Mac and there is no slowing down this computer anymore! All the updates I did with the exception of adding more memory, is external so I can use it on any Mac in the future if I desire. I always buy refurbished drives from Seagate. It saves money, they do last, and always have backups - even for new drives!