Unbiased Review: Seagate’s 20TB Exos X20 – The Ultimate Choice for NAS Hard Drives

A home server with 250TB of storage may seem like overkill for the average user, but for tech enthusiasts and professionals, it’s a necessity. One such user, who goes by the name Harish Jonnalagadda, recently achieved this impressive milestone on his home server.

The key to this massive storage capacity lies in the use of the Seagate Exos X20 drive, a 20TB behemoth that has proven to be a game-changer for Jonnalagadda. In a comparison with the popular IronWolf Pro drives, the Exos X20 came out on top in several key areas.

The Exos X20 offers a 6Gb/s SATA interface, spins at 7,200rpm, has a 550TB/year endurance, and a mean time before failure (MTBF) rating of 2.5 million hours. These specifications exceed what is offered by the IronWolf Pro drives, making the Exos X20 a more durable and reliable option for demanding applications.

One standout feature of the Exos X20 is its use of helium, which reduces friction and improves the drive’s performance and durability. Additionally, Seagate’s PowerChoice and PowerBalance utilities optimize power draw when the drive is idle, providing greater efficiency and cost savings in the long run.

Despite its impressive performance, the Exos X20 is not without its drawbacks. It tends to be slightly noisier than the IronWolf Pro drives, which may be a consideration for users planning to deploy it in a home NAS. However, the noise level is manageable and does not detract from the drive’s overall performance.

Overall, the Exos X20 has proven to be a reliable and efficient option for high-capacity storage needs. While Seagate now offers a 24TB version of the drive, the Exos X20 remains a top choice for users seeking maximum value and performance. Whether for building a media center or managing large datasets, the Exos X20 is a no-brainer for those who demand reliability and durability from their storage solutions.