12TB WD Easystore External USB 3.0 Hard Drive (Black) Expired

GrilledSteak - Seems we've been going back and forth for a few weeks on these posts. Thank you for your time and information and dedication to inform folks.

You are right in your assessment of SMR vs CMR/PMR and guiding folks on the differences. For the vast vast majority of people it is not going to matter.
You are also right in that shucking the 12TB and 14TB will not give you an exact enterprise drive, that is correct. You will end up with an enterprise drive, just not exactly the HC530

Where I think you are wrong, however, is stating that the 12TB and/or 14TB drives are not CMR(PMR) and they are SMR.

Best buy response to the 12TB stating it's not SMR --> https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoar...z_not_smr/

This is also true of the 14TB. I have close to 50 12 and 14TB of these drives in production, I do have a bit more guidance than the regular internet user or forum poster over at r/datahoarder. The very initial batches of 12TB were SMR, but have long since passed. The easy store 12TB and 14TB are CMR, do not support TRIM, SED. It's possible there is some old 12TB inventory being cleared from warehouses/distribution, but the 14TB and 12TB is based off the enterprise HC530.

Based off my personal experiences of shucking dozens of these and running performance tests and running in production, in combination with research and several hundred hours of testing leads me to the same conclusion as others.

When the first 12TB or 14TB drive dies I will do a complete teardown and comparison to the enterprise HC530. I may be wrong, but I have devoted 99% more time on this than the vast vast majority of internet posters, r/datahoarders, and have a lot of money and time in this leading to MY beliefs, below: all backed by data and testing and not feelings. Again I may be wrong, but my hard money and time at this time do not point to that. In the last several months production lines have turned over for these.

Let me know if you want me to send you my performance testing metrics leading to the conclusing and proof these are NOT SMR

easystore
12TB- 5400, no SED, Helium, no TRIM, 2 year warranty, <~100% CMR/PMR - initial 12TB were SMR and have been phased out in last 3 months.
14TB- 5400, no SED, Helium, no TRIM, 2 year warranty, 100% CMR/PMR

Conclusion - Really try to get the 12TB or 14TB. These really are great drives. 14TB can be found for $179-200, while the 12TB can be found for $179-200 as well.

A lot of posts from r/DataHoarder indicate that after shucking, people are getting either a 5400 rpm WD120EMAZ or WD120EMFZ, do not support - TLER, SED, TRIM and that they are CMR(PMR) drives.

While not confirmed, some report that the 12 and 14TB drives are based off the HGST Ultrastar HC530 which are GREAT drives.

Lol free shipping.. unless u r hiding purchase from your wife and needing to pick up yourself.