by 3 reviews.
UnionSine Desktop External Hard Drive 12TB Review: A High-Capacity Storage Solution with Mixed Results
The UnionSine Desktop External Hard Drive 12TB is a high-capacity external storage device designed for users who need ample space for backups, media storage, and more. With its USB-C 3.2 Gen2 interface, this 3.5-inch mechanical hard drive promises fast transfer speeds, broad compatibility, and a sleek vertical design. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the details based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
1. Performance and Speed
The UnionSine 12TB hard drive delivers impressive speeds, especially when connected to a USB-C port. Customers report consistent transfer rates of around 200 MB/s, making it ideal for large file transfers and backups. One user noted that copying a 35 GB folder took just 4 minutes, which is excellent for a mechanical drive.
However, performance can vary depending on the USB port used. When connected to a standard USB 3.0 port, speeds dropped to around 30 MB/s, which is still decent but not as fast as advertised. This makes the drive’s performance highly dependent on the host device’s capabilities.
Key Takeaway: If you have a USB-C port, this drive shines. Otherwise, expect moderate speeds.
2. Build Quality and Design
The UnionSine hard drive features a vertical design that saves desk space and improves heat dissipation. Its anti-vibration silicon reduces noise, making it quieter than some competitors. Many users appreciate the sleek black finish and compact form factor, which make it easy to integrate into any setup.
However, some customers have raised concerns about the flimsy USB cable, particularly the Micro B end that connects to the drive. While the cable works, it doesn’t inspire confidence in long-term durability.
Key Takeaway: The design is functional and stylish, but the included cable could be sturdier.
3. Reliability and Durability
Reliability is where opinions diverge. Some users have had a flawless experience, with the drive performing silently and efficiently for months. One customer praised its silent operation, noting that it was a significant improvement over noisier Seagate drives.
On the flip side, several users reported drive failures within days or weeks of use. One reviewer described loud noises and vibrations before the drive became completely undetectable. Others mentioned difficulties with customer service and concerns about the drive’s susceptibility to data corruption.
Key Takeaway: While many users have had positive experiences, there’s a noticeable risk of early failure.
4. Compatibility and Ease of Use
The UnionSine hard drive is plug-and-play compatible with a wide range of devices, including PCs, Macs, TVs, and gaming consoles. It comes pre-formatted in exFAT, making it ready to use out of the box. Users have successfully reformatted it to APFS for Mac systems without issues.
However, some users reported that the drive caused their computers to freeze momentarily when waking up from sleep mode. This issue made it less suitable for continuous backup use, prompting some to switch to SSDs instead.
Key Takeaway: Broad compatibility makes it versatile, but the wake-up freeze issue can be annoying.
5. Value for Money
At its price point, the UnionSine 12TB hard drive offers excellent storage capacity. Many users appreciate the affordability compared to other brands like Seagate or Western Digital. However, the potential for early failure and the lack of transparency about refurbished components (as noted by one user who discovered a recertified Toshiba drive inside) raise questions about long-term value.
Key Takeaway: It’s a budget-friendly option, but the risk of failure and refurbished parts may not be worth the savings for some.
Conclusion: Is the UnionSine 12TB Hard Drive Worth It?
The UnionSine Desktop External Hard Drive 12TB is a mixed bag. On one hand, it offers high capacity, fast transfer speeds (with USB-C), and a sleek design at an affordable price. For users who need a reliable backup solution or extra storage for media files, it can be a great choice.
On the other hand, the risk of early failure, flimsy cables, and occasional wake-up freezes make it less appealing for those seeking a long-term, hassle-free solution. If you’re willing to take a chance, this drive could meet your needs. However, if reliability is your top priority, you might want to consider more established brands like Seagate or Western Digital.
Final Verdict: A solid budget option for high-capacity storage, but proceed with caution if reliability is critical.
Specification UnionSine Desktop External Hard Drive 12TB USB3.2Gen2 Type-C 3.5" HDD Storage Compatible for PC, Mac, TV, Desktop, Laptop(Black) HD3510:
Comments from Amazon:
It's important to note that this is not a solid state drive, but instead a SATA hard drive inside an enclosure. It will still give great speeds for data transfer and storage, but probably not for playing a modern game off of. I bought this with the intention of using it for files in my home workshop with my 3D printer. When I first plugged it into a mini PC's USB 3 port, I tested the hard drive's speed by copying over a big folder with some game files. It ran consistently around 30 MB/s, so decent, but not as fast as I expected. However, when I plugged the hard drive into a different computer's USB C port, I got a much better result. It was consistently around 200 MB/s, while slowing down when moving a bunch of smaller files. I think this hard drive's speed is really dependent on a fast USB port, but otherwise, the hard drive has been stable and worked well.
This hard drive has many issues, but to get right to it: the drive completely failed after 3 days, losing my data and is no longer detectable on a PC or able to be formatted. The loud noises upon first running the drive was also very shocking and annoying, along with the drive sending out vibrations as if 5 phones were receiving constant text messages on my desk. It kept up the noise and vibrations until it died, and the sudden silence was the first sign I had that something was wrong. After seeing other reviews explaining the difficulty of dealing with their customer service, and finding a reddit article explaining some of the problems of the UnionSine and how it is very susceptible to corrupting data based on how it saves data, I decided to go for a refund instead of trying to recover the data or fix the drive. I would stay well away from this product and stick with something more reliable like a Seagate or Western Digital brand device.
Great storage and it does the Job well. The one thing that annoys me and one of the reasons I stopped using it as computer backup drive (This is better for PS5) is because when the drive wakes up, it freezes the computer for a few seconds. It became very annoying. So I got an ssd drive instead.
As a brand I am completely unfamiliar with UnionSine or their products. I had no prior bias or research to lead me to them, only a need for reliable external storage at whatever passes for a "reasonable" price currently. I purchased their 12 TB external hard drive after only ever using Seagate hard drives. I was bothered by how loud some of those Seagate drives have been, especially while writing data. I have never had a Seagate fail me but they are noisy. I was interested in something with larger storage capacity, a smaller physical profile and something more unobtrusive in general while running. I ordered the UnionSine and received the drive in 2 days. Simple, standard USB-C plug and play and an AC brick configured to fit easily on your power strip. The drive was ready to go out of the box with no additional configuration and averaged consistent transfer speeds of 4 minutes for 35 GB silently as could be; no write noises, no clicking, clacking, vibrating or humming just the whisper of its fan! The casing isn't as large as some Seagate drives, but not as slim as others. Vertical orientation makes for easy desktop/ tabletop/ shelf placement. This is a new purchase and I had no problems whatsoever so no opportunity to evaluate their tech support. Time will tell on the storage reliability but up front out of the box this drive met all my requirements, has performed as desired thus far at 5 TB used and seems like a great external storage solution. I am using it with a Microsoft Surface Pro.
Works well awesome to set up
Purchased the 16TB version of this drive unit which I received the next day. The drive was connected to one of the USB-3 ports ,(10/Gb/s) on the front of a M4 Mac mini. As it is going to be used on a Mac it was reformatted to APFS from the exFAT as shipped. Ran the Black Magic Disk Speed Test on it resulting in a read speed of 250 MB/s, and a write speed of 250 MB/s which is not bad for an external mechanical hard drive on a USB connection. I then ran DriveDX to looks at the specifications on the drive in the unit. The App reports the drive to have no issues and is reported as a Toshiba Model #: MD08ACA16TR (Firmware version:0602) 16.0 TB SATA 3.3 6.0 GB/s 7.2K RPM The issue I Have is after looking up the Toshiba drive Model #: MD08ACA16TR it appears to be a Toshiba MD08 MD08ACA16TR 16TB enterprise 7.2K RPM SATA 6Gb/s 512e Desktop 3.5in manufacture Recertified Hard Drive Inputing the drive serial number @ the Toshiba web page reports that their warranty expired on 12/9/2024. Other drives listed indicated that they have been refurbished in the listing description. Not the case with this UnionSine drive I purchased, Not advertising that it is a Refurbished hard drive The warranty card in the box states that there is a 2 year warranty and to contact thru Store customer service ( Could not find a customer service link on the Amazon UnionSine Store ) or contact customer service from where you purchased it (Amazon will accept a return for 30 days on this product not a year later if it dies) So I have 30 days to decide if its going back
Definitely worth the buy. It’s a great product for a good price. It’s small, compact, and super easy to use with plenty of space for all your PC stuff. The delivery was faster than I thought, and it works perfectly for what I need. I’d definitely recommend it. It worked so well, I ended up backing up photos and videos from all my old cameras, phones, laptops, and desktops too. And there’s still a lot of free space on the Seagate. Every device I plugged it into recognized it instantly and was good to go. The transfer speed is awesome. I’m really impressed. The only downside is the included USB cable feels a bit flimsy, especially the Micro B end that plugs into the drive. But overall, the speed is great, it wasn’t too expensive, and it’s good quality with a nice compact design. I’d recommend it if you need a portable drive with a lot of storage.