INTRODUCTION

   For over 20 years now out of all the hardware components we use in our personal computers only one has remained essentially the same not only in size and shape but also in its inner workings, the 3.5" hard disk drive. Certainly many improvements have been implemented over the years (mainly as means to increase durability, capacity and read / write performance) such as a serious increase in cache sizes, rotational/spindle speeds and platter density but we've also seen new technologies introduced including various environmental sensors (used to monitor temperature, humidity and pressure) and perhaps the most recent and significant shingled magnetic recording (soon to be replaced – probably - by the highly anticipated heat-assisted magnetic recording which will allow for even greater storage capacities). These new technologies are mainly the reason we now have 10TB models available now and after our reviews of the IronWolf and Barracuda Pro 10TB models by Seagate today we'll be testing their flagship model the Enterprise Capacity 3.5 V6 10TB hard disk drive.

   Founded in 1979, Seagate is the leading provider of hard drives and storage solutions. From the videos, music and documents we share with friends and family on social networks, to servers that form the backbone of enterprise data centers and cloud-based computing, to desktop and notebook computers that fuel our personal productivity, Seagate products help more people store, share and protect their valuable digital content. Seagate offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of hard disk drives, solid-state drives and solid-state hybrid drives. In addition, the company offers an extensive line of retail storage products for consumers and small businesses, along with data-recovery services for any brand of hard drive and digital media type. Seagate employs more than 50,000 people around the world.

   The new Enterprise Capacity 3.5 V6 10TB hard disk drive (available with SAS and SATA connectivity - 12TB model was just announced) is placed inside the same aluminum forged enclosure (at least in terms of looks) we've seen used with the Barracuda Pro and IronWolf models and features 256MB of cache, 14 read/write heads and 7 platters (1.5GB each) with a spindle speed of 7200RPM. However what sets it apart compared to the other two 10TB models we've tested by Seagate is the type of gas used inside since instead of air Seagate has used helium which reduces friction on the platters and allows for even higher disk density (the weight of the drive is also slightly reduced as should be its temperatures and power consumption). The Enterprise Capacity 3.5 V6 10TB HDD also features several digital environmental sensors (used to monitor humidity, pressure and temperature) and several technologies including advanced caching algorithms, PowerBalance (optimizes performance/watt efficiency - more power when required), PowerChoice (the equivalent of sleep mode during idle - lower power consumption) and SuperParity (error correction firmware with RAID rebuild functionality - results in faster RAID rebuild times). In terms of endurance Seagate gives the Enterprise Capacity 3.5 V6 10TB an MTBF (meantime between failures) of 2.5 million hours (this is over two times as much as the one of the Barracuda Pro 10TB), endurance rating of 550TB per year (almost twice as much as the Barracuda Pro) and covers it with a 5 year limited warranty.