by 143 reviews.
Western Digital 18TB WD Purple Pro Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD Review: A Powerhouse for Surveillance and Beyond
The Western Digital 18TB WD Purple Pro Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD is a high-performance storage solution designed for demanding surveillance and AI-driven video analytics environments. With its 18TB capacity, 550 TB/year workload rating, and advanced features like AllFrame AI Technology, this hard drive is built to handle the rigors of continuous video recording and deep learning analytics. Whether you're managing a large-scale surveillance system or running a personal render farm, the WD Purple Pro promises reliability, speed, and durability.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
Performance and Speed
One of the standout features of the WD Purple Pro is its 7,400 RPM speed, which customers have praised for making a noticeable difference compared to slower drives. Users running Unifi’s UNVR and other NVR systems have reported great transfer speeds and seamless performance, even when handling multiple AI streams. One reviewer mentioned that the drive’s speed is perfect for long-term reliability and storage for camera footage, making it an excellent choice for surveillance setups.
However, some users have noted that the drive can be noisy, with a continuous "thumping" sound during operation. While this hasn’t been a dealbreaker for most, it’s something to consider if you’re planning to place the drive in a noise-sensitive environment.
Reliability and Durability
The WD Purple Pro is built for 24/7 operation, and customers have lauded its long-term reliability. Many users have shared experiences of running WD Purple drives for years without issues, with one reviewer even mentioning a NAS system that ran non-stop for 10 years before upgrading. The drive’s enterprise-class reliability and tarnish-resistant components make it a robust choice for harsh environments and multi-bay enclosures.
That said, not all experiences have been flawless. One customer reported an issue where the drive failed to write data, causing their DVR system to shut down and restart every 15 minutes. Despite multiple attempts to reformat and reinitialize the drive, the problem persisted, leaving the user frustrated and out of $540. While this appears to be an isolated incident, it’s worth noting that even the most reliable drives can have occasional defects.
Capacity and Workload Handling
With an 18TB capacity, the WD Purple Pro is a monster of a drive, ideal for storing massive amounts of video footage or handling large-scale rendering projects. Users have praised its ability to handle heavy workloads, including AI-enabled recorders, video analytics, and even 3D rendering software like Maya and Houdini. One reviewer uses these drives in a personal render farm, creating RAID setups with capacities of up to 90TB for large-scale projects.
The drive’s 550 TB/year workload rating ensures it can handle the demands of continuous operation, making it a favorite among professionals who need uncompromising performance. However, some users have pointed out that the drive’s noise levels can be a drawback, especially in quieter environments.
Usability and Installation
Installing the WD Purple Pro is straightforward, with most users reporting a plug-and-play experience. The SATA 6 Gb/s interface ensures fast data transfer speeds, and the 3.5” form factor makes it compatible with most internal setups. Many customers have mentioned that they simply install the drive and forget about it, thanks to its bulletproof reliability.
However, the drive’s noise has been a recurring theme in customer feedback. While some users have mitigated this by placing their NAS systems farther away, others have found the constant thumping to be a minor annoyance. If noise is a concern, you may want to consider the drive’s placement or invest in additional soundproofing.
Versatility Beyond Surveillance
While the WD Purple Pro is marketed for surveillance, its high capacity and robust performance have made it a favorite for other applications as well. One reviewer uses these drives for 3D rendering, creating RAID setups that handle massive file renderings with ease. The drive’s resilience and beefiness make it a great alternative to the WD Black series, especially for users who prioritize capacity and durability over gaming-specific features.
Conclusion: Is the WD Purple Pro Worth It?
The Western Digital 18TB WD Purple Pro Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD is a top-tier storage solution for anyone needing high capacity, reliability, and performance. Its 7,400 RPM speed, AllFrame AI Technology, and 550 TB/year workload rating make it a standout choice for surveillance systems, AI-driven analytics, and even creative professionals handling large-scale rendering projects.
Strengths:
- Exceptional performance with fast transfer speeds.
- Reliable and durable, built for 24/7 operation.
- Massive 18TB capacity ideal for heavy workloads.
- Versatile for both surveillance and creative applications.
Weaknesses:
- Noisy operation with a continuous thumping sound.
- Occasional defects reported, though rare.
Final Verdict:
If you’re looking for a high-capacity, reliable hard drive that can handle demanding workloads, the WD Purple Pro is an excellent choice. While the noise may be a drawback for some, its performance and durability more than make up for it. For surveillance professionals, creative artists, and anyone in need of robust storage, the WD Purple Pro is a highly recommended investment.
Specification Western Digital 18TB WD Purple Pro Surveillance Internal Hard Drive HDD - SATA 6 Gb/s, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD181PURP:
Comments from Amazon:
Great for long term reliability and size for camera storage. Quite when running and Great speed of transfer.
This is one of the many WD Purple label Hard disks that I have ordered. They are great drives, very reliable and fast. I use these WD purple drives in my NAS drives. Just install and forget about them ... :-) From my past experience, these drives will go many years in always on situations without a hitch. Last NAS I had some HD running non-stop for 10 years. Only upgraded the NAS for more speed and installed WD hard drives again for maximum capacity and their bulletproof reliability. Only caveat is they have this continuous fairly loud "thumping" sound. I just ended up placing the NAS drives a little aways, so that the noise of the HD's would not disturb. Highly recommended!!!
I set up the hard drive and installed and initialized my DVR system. I thought everything was ok. However, I noticed that after every 15 minutes, the entire camera system and the DVR would shut down and restart. After going into the audit logs, I could see that it keeps giving an error and can't actually write anything on the drive so the DVR trys to re-initialize and then restart when it still doesn't work it does the same thing over and over. I tried reformatting it re initializing nothing seems to work so I am out 540 bucks and have 0mb of footage recorded so ticked!
These robust, high speed, "24-hour video recording" 18TB HD's make for a terrific solution for churning out monster-sized file renderings from 3D software (Maya, Houdini, etc). The things are absolute beasts, and their resilience and beefiness is exactly why I use them for my "small" personal render farm (one 2-disc 36TB RAID-0 for smaller renders, and a 5-disc 90TB RAID-0 tower for bigger renders) in my home office. Sure, I could have gone for the "Black" version that a lot of gamers prefer (if they are using SATA instead of SSD), but these drives are larger capacity with the same speed, and built to handle even more stress. Should last me several years, no problem, but I will collect a couple more to keep on hand in case (or when) any of the originals fail...Eventually, yes, I'll likely go all-SSD in the future, but not until they are at the same price-point, with the same-or-greater TB size, and equally "indestructible". Brilliant slabs of hardware.
As advertised
Just started using it but a bit noisy compared to ther drives. Woking with Reolink NVR-36
Running this in Unifi’s UNVR. the 7400 rpm speed made a great difference from slower past drive speeds.